METRA RAILFAN TIPS

SOUTHWEST SERVICE

(Rock Island District/Southwest Subdistrict)

AAR Radio Channel 13 - 160.305 (Union Station-21st Street)

AAR Radio Channel 22 - 160.440 (21st Street-Manhattan)

This line had been operated by Norfolk Southern until 1993, when Metra began leasing the line and operating the trains directly. This commuter service is an outgrowth of a local passenger train, which had been operated by the Wabash Railroad all the way southwest to Decatur. The Wabash Railroad completed this line in 1880. Most of the trackage southwest of Manhattan has since been abandoned. This line serves what now is one of the fastest growing suburban areas near Chicago. But under Norfolk Southern operation, Metra was never able to expand the service rapidly enough to meet this growing demand. A supplemental Pace express bus service had been needed along this route, with buses stopping only at the train stations and with Metra fares applying. Mid day Metra service was added in 1993, finally enabling railfans to make a round trip on the line. Various improvements were made over the next several years, enabling the line to finally become a full service Metra line effective January 30, 2006. But service remains on weekdays only. Most of the route is double track, with some single track segments. The first stop outside Chicago Union Station is Wrightwood, just beyond Norfolk Southern's Landers piggyback facility. Freight train activity is moderate between Chicago and Landers, but minimal beyond there. The area beyond is mostly suburban residential, and at the outer end of the line there are some scenic undeveloped areas. Commuter service originally ended at 143rd Street in Orland Park, but has since been extended further south, first to 153rd Street, later to 179th Street, and effective January 30, 2006 to Manhattan. But only two rush hour trains serve Manhattan, requiring railfans riding the line to make their own arrangements at the end.

Stations/Former Stations/Milepost Locations

Direction is southward from Chicago to Manhattan

--- CHICAGO
1.6 21st Street (tower/junction-Amtrak)
1.8 23rd Street
4.1 CP 518 (junction-NS/remote-Dearborn MI)
4.6 47th Street
4.7 CP 47th Street
6.2 CP 59th Street
6.8 Englewood
8.0 CP 74th Street (junction-NS)
8.6 Halsted Street
9.1 Racine Avenue
9.2 Belt Jct. (junction-remote/BRC dispatcher)
9.6 Ashland Avenue
9.8 Forest Hill (CSX crossing/remote-CSX dispatcher-Calumet City)
10.1 Western Avenue
10.8 Landers
11.4 WRIGHTWOOD
12.2 ASHBURN (CN crossing)
14.6 OAK LAWN
16.4 CP Ridge (IHB crossing)
16.6 CHICAGO RIDGE
17.8 WORTH
18.6 PALOS HEIGHTS
19.9 PALOS PARK
21.2 Southmoor
23.2 ORLAND PARK 143RD STREET
25.3 ORLAND PARK 153RD STREET
28.7 CP 179th Street
28.7 ORLAND PARK 179TH STREET
34.6 CP Brisbane
35.4 LARAWAY ROAD
40.5 MANHATTAN
41.9 End of Track

1 and 2 tracks from 21st Street to Manhattan. CTC in use, controlled from Metra's Consolidated Control Facility. Trains may also use NS tracks from 21st Street to CP 518, 2 tracks with CTC in use. The NS Chicago West Dispatcher located in Dearborn, Michigan.

Mileposts are original distances from Dearborn Station.

Speed Limits:
Chicago-74th Street: 60 mph
74th Street-Oak Lawn: 50 mph
Oak Lawn-Palos Park: 60 mph
Palos Park-Manhattan: 50 mph

TRACK DIAGRAM

All main tracks are shown, along with most switches within interlockings, and other tracks used by main line Metra and freight trains. Not shown are hand operated industrial switches.

Note that at many locations, Metra trains must proceed through diverging routes through interlockings.

Information is subject to change, and is based on observations, along with information from the CORA (Chicago Operating Rules Association) guide dated 2001, and Google satellite imagery.

The following colors are used to indicate types of operation:
BLUE - manual interlocking
RED - centralized traffic control (CTC) or bidirectional signals
GREEN - automatic block signals
BLACK - unsignaled

Thin lines across tracks indicate signals. In CTC or bidirectional signal territory, signals usually exist for both directions at all locations, except at interlockings where the signals usually are only in the direction entering the interlocking.

PHOTOS