Chicago, Illinois: The Loop "L"

Description

Chicago's Loop "L" (elevated railway) operates above the following streets in the center of Chicago:

• Lake Street (north)
• Wabash Street (east)
• Van Buren Street (south)
• Wells Street (west)

It opened on 12 October 1897, providing direct service into the center of Chicago for the passengers of three elevated railway companies:

• the South Side Elevated Railroad (now the Green Line to the South Side)
• the Lake Street Elevated Railroad (now the Green Line to Oak Park)
• the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad (now basically the Blue Line, which operates via the Dearborn Street subway)

In May 1900, a fourth company began regular service to the Loop:

• the Northwestern Elevated Railroad (now the Brown Line to Ravenswood and the Purple Line to Evanston; also the Red line to Howard, which now uses the State Street subway)

From 1919 to 1963, the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad operated electric interurban trains between Chicago and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, entering Chicago via the Northwestern Elevated Railroad and the Loop.

In 1924 the four elevated railroad companies were consolidated into the Chicago Rapid Transit Company, which in turn became part of the Chicago Transit Authority in 1945.

The Loop "L" now carries trains on the following lines:

• the Green Line to Oak Park and the South Side operates in both directions on the north and east sides of the loop.
• the Pink Line to 54th/Cermak operates clockwise around the loop, using the inner track.
• the Orange Line to Midway Airport operates clockwise around the loop, using the inner track.
• the Brown Line to Ravenswood operates counterclockwise around the the loop, using the outer track.
• the Purple Line to Evanston operates clockwise around the loop, using the inner track.