Chicago Subdivision
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| Chicago Subdivision | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found. BNSF ES44AC No. 6177 leads on the Chicago Subdivision at Harlem Avenue station | |||
| Overview | |||
| Owner | BNSF Railway | ||
| Locale | Chicago metropolitan area | ||
| Termini | Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content. | ||
| Continues from | Aurora Subdivision | ||
| Continues as | C&M Subdivision | ||
| Stations | 27 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content. | ||
| System | Northern Transcon | ||
| Operator(s) | Page Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content. | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Track length | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Number of tracks | 3–4 | ||
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (Page Template:Fraction/styles.css has no content.4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
| Minimum radius | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Operating speed | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
| Train protection system | PTC[1] | ||
| Highest elevation | Script error: No such module "ConvertIB". | ||
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The Chicago Subdivision or Chicago Sub is a railroad line in Illinois that runs about 38 miles (61 km) from Chicago to Aurora and hosts Metra's BNSF Line commuter service. It is operated by BNSF Railway as the easternmost part of the railroad's Northern Transcon to Seattle, Washington.[2][3][4][5] This line is colloquially known as The Racetrack because it is mostly triple-tracked and supports fairly fast trains. It had been operated by a BNSF ancestor, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, which introduced high-speed Zephyr passenger trains in 1934 and ran many of them along this subdivision from Chicago to points west.
The Chicago Subdivision meets the Aurora Subdivision and Mendota Subdivision in Aurora. Commuter service ends at the Aurora Transportation Center, though Amtrak trains continue southwest on the Mendota Subdivision. Triple-tracking runs from where track leading to the Aurora station and Metra Yard joins the subdivision eastward to Cicero, where multiple tracks from a yard join. It is then quadruple-tracked for the rest of the way until the turn to Union Station.[6] As of 2025[update] weekday traffic on the subdivision was 97 Metra commuter trains, eight Amtrak intercity trains, and 60 BNSF freight trains.[7][8]
After the introduction of the CB&Q Zephyrs, train speeds increased significantly around the country for the next decade or so, but the Naperville train disaster along these tracks in 1946 was one event that contributed to the federal government restricting speeds in later years. Trains that had once traveled at or above 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) were soon restricted to a maximum of 79 miles per hour (127 km/h).[9][10][11] Much of this line has a speed limit of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) for passenger trains, while freight trains run slower.[2][3][4][5]
Passenger Services
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Leading the way in PTC" (PDF). BNSF Railway. March 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2026.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Don Winter. "Eola to Aurora". Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Don Winter. "La Grange to Eola (ex-CB&Q)". Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Don Winter. "Cicero to La Grange (ex-CB&Q)". Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Don Winter. "Western Avenue to Cicero (ex-CB&Q)". Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Bill Vandervoort. "Railfan tips/operating detail". Chicago Transit & Railfan. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."BNSF Line effective 09/08/2025" (PDF). metrarail.com. Metra. 2025-09-08. Retrieved 2025-09-08.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Blaszak, Michael W. (March 2015). "Metra mojo". Trains. 75 (3): 53.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.William Wendt (July 30, 2007). "Hiawatha dieselization". Yahoo Groups. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.John Gruber and Brian Solomon (2006). The Milwaukee Road's Hiawathas. Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0-7603-2395-3.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ask Trains from November 2008". Trains Magazine. December 23, 2008. Archived from the original on June 24, 2010. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
External links
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