Secrets of the Chicago L

Thanks to Jeffery for helping with the maps and Irvin for helping with the pictures of this video.

Also thanks to Geoff Marshall and Travel in NY for inspiring me for the Secrets of a Subway System series.

[paulj]

Those "ghost tracks" tracks on the Northside Main Line (present day Brown Line ) were actually local tracks. The tracks the Brown Line presently uses were actually express tracks, mainly used by the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee interurban line. When the CNSM ceased operation in 1963, the present arrangement was adopted.

[Thom-TRA]

Chicago is pronounced "shicago, " not "tchicago"

[mic]

Some of the lines were shortened, but entirely new ones were also added (like Orange line, or trains into O’Hare). The former A-B system of trains not stopping at every stop kept the trains moving

[metromaster]

I love this. CTA is one of my favorite places to railfan

[bluetheta]

Those two non-revenue tracks are available for revenue service during cases where the loop needs to be bypassed, once I rode a "corrupted" brown, red, and orange train without transferring due to a building fire in downtown that closed the loop L. It can get very wacky when either the loop or State St. subway must be closed. The blue line is completely severed when the Dearborne St. subway goes down as there is only one connection (Paulina St. - former blue branch line now the pink line) between the loop and subway.

[jetfan]

I kinda wish Chicago couldve kept the Ashland section of the L to avood downtown transfers. Now they needed is an orbital line between O'hare and Midway to Jackson Park.

[davidtyler-ulvw]

Quite interesting on how much Chicago changed from 1975 to 2024! I follow three cities quite closely, NYC, Boston and Chicago. All have very similar histories and transit structures over the years. It's wild to think that the AMTRAK train I took out of Chicago in the early 1980's going West is now entirely abandoned and ripped. The train was rediverted onto another main line away from the old Milwaukee Road. You can still see some remains of it in Montana.

[pepe-zgpf]

It's pronounced "Shicago..."

[joshuafajardo]

I wished they could rebuild all the lost lines/branches & Ⓜ️ both on the mainline & branches

[elijaha]

Good video, but could have benefited from satellite view maps, especially for section discussing swap of South L and Dan Ryan Branch.

[mynorthshore]

The remnant structure at Hubbard St Curve of the brown line was a leftover from a curve straightening and realignment project many long years ago. The lead to the North Water Street Terminal was opposite the Merchandise Mart at Carroll Street.

[joshuafajardo]

When the Dan Ryan Branch was being renovated in 2013, they fully rerouted the ⬇️ terminal to Ashland/63 through the 13th Street Incline & they also did that in 2017 when the 95th Street Ⓜ️ was being renovated but only during Rush Hour

[ryannewsome]

More remnants, please.
As a side note, the tunnel on 13th and State St. was used in the move Blankman starring Marlon Wayans.

[louisbertaux]

Great video history, thanks!
In 1985-86, I lived in Oak Park, and took the Congress L train into the city, to work at the CBOE (Chicago Board of Options Exchange).
Lots of stops between Oak Park Ave, and LaSalle/Buren.
Very crowded in the morning, and in the early evening.
I think it cost around .75 cents, and you had to pre-pay just to go down the ramp to the station

[TMD]

Thanks, cool, I won’t to look at the tracks the same way again. Cheers

[L.DOT.P.]

This video was amazing for a true blue Chicahgoan 😂😂😂

[calvinkendrick]

Very informative and interesting video, and Very interesting that Chicago has an actual loop while the closest thing that NYC has to a loop is the M line.

[movietrain]

Randolph/Wells isn’t used for storage - the platforms are full of equipment related to the interlocking at Tower 18 - Lake/Wells. This interlocking was once the busiest in the world.

[landonbenford]

I find it ironic and a little funny that so many stations were closed along the Lake Street Branch during the 1993-4 remodel. And Now those same stations are being rebuilt like the Morgan stop replaced the Old Halsted and Lake Street station. They're rebuilding the Damen station right now. Will they rebuild the Western avenue station??🧐🧐

[keyshawnscott]

You forgot the 63rd and racine station on the green line closed on January 9th 1994