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Metropolitan Main Line &
Garfield Park branch

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Legend:

Demolished Line w/Former Station

Demolished Line w/Former Transfer Station

Connection to Loop Through Wells Terminal (1955-58)

Click on a station name to see that station's profile (where available)


Service Notes:

Date of Opening: 1895
Date of Abandonment: 1958

 

Brief Description:

The Garfield Park Line was built in 1895 by the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Company, Chicago's third elevated company and the first to use electric traction. The Metropolitan Elevated consisted of a four-track main line that begin downtown and proceeded west between Van Buren and Congress streets. The four track trunk line was to split into three branches at Marshfield Junction, a block west of Ashland Avenue. From here, the Northwest branch headed due north parallel to Paulina Avenue, then northwest paralleling Milwaukee Avenue while the Douglas Park branch turned south and paralleled Paulina to approximately 21st Street, where it turned west. The Garfield Park branch continued westward from Marshfield Junction parallel to Van Buren Street and Harrison Avenue, first to the city limits at 48th (Cicero) Avenue, but eventually as far west as suburban Forest Park, Maywood, and Bellwood. Although the Garfield Park was technically the branch that began at Marshfield and continued west, many often group the Met main line and branch together when referring to the "Garfield Park" line. Indeed, after the Logan Square (Northwest) service was rerouted via the subway in 1951, the old Met main line and Garfield Park branch was officially grouped together into one route, various called the Garfield Park Line, or sometimes simply the Garfield Line. For the purposes of this profile, the lain line and branch will be dealt with together.

Service on the main line was inaugurated on May 6, 1895 when trains began running between Canal Street on the main line and Robey Street on the Northwest branch. Operation further east on the main line into the Franklin Avenue terminal in downtown commenced on May 17. The Garfield Park branch entered service on June 19, oddly behind the Northwest branch even though it had been completed first and was used for rolling stock deliveries for some time. When first opened, the Garfield Park branch extended to the city limits at 48th Avenue, with stations approximately every 1/3 or half mile.

 

Important Dates:

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This Chicago-L.org article is a stub. It will be expanded in the future as resources allow.

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