CTA RAPID TRANSIT

ORANGE LINE (Midway)

The newest CTA line opened in 1993, enabling Chicago to be the only city in the country with rapid transit serving 2 airports. Except for an open cut portion at the Midway terminal, the entire line is elevated, with trains using the old Loop while downtown. Orange Line trains circle the Loop clockwise. South of the Loop, Orange Line trains share a route with the Green Line before proceeding over the newer elevated connection originally built for the Dan Ryan line. Orange Line trains then continue west over a modern elevated structure, passing over trackage owned by Amtrak south of Chicago Union Station. West of there, the Orange Line proceeds mostly over elevated rights of way shared with existing main line railroads. This line was constructed in an era of government funding cutbacks and attempts to balance the federal budget, and thus was built more inexpensively than a subway. New elevated structures mainly exist for transitions between different railroad rights of way. With all the paralleling main line railroads, this is perhaps the most interesting CTA line for railfans.

Stations

(begin on Loop elevated)
Tower 12 (junction-Loop)
LIBRARY-STATE/VAN BUREN (Harold Washington Library Center)
LA SALLE/VAN BUREN
QUINCY/WELLS
WASHINGTON/WELLS
Tower 18 (junction-Loop)
CLARK/LAKE (transfer passageway-Blue Line)
STATE/LAKE
RANDOLPH/WABASH
MADISON/WABASH
ADAMS/WABASH
Tower 12 (junction-Loop)
ROOSEVELT/WABASH (transfer passageway-Red Line)
17th Street Jct. (junction-Green Line, connection with Red Line)
Federal Jct. (connection with Red Line at Cermak Jct.)
HALSTED
ASHLAND
35TH/ARCHER
WESTERN
KEDZIE
PULASKI
MIDWAY AIRPORT

PHOTOS

RAILFANNING THE ORANGE LINE