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Green Line:
Ashland (Englewood) branch

Legend:

Current Line w/Station

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Accessible Station

Current Line w/Former Station

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Park'n'Ride lot

Current Line w/Former Transfer Station

Demolished Line

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


Service Notes:

Hours of Operation: 4am-1am, Mon-Fri; 5:15am-1am, Sat; 5:50am-1am, Sun
Length of Route: 3.0 miles
Number of Stations: 2 stations, plus 1 abandoned station
Car Types Assigned: 5000-series
(see Car Assignment sheet for latest car assignments)
 

Brief Description:

When the South Side Rapid Transit was awarded their franchise for an extension to Jackson Park in the early 1890s, two branches were also approved. One was to leave the line between 55th and 59th Street and head in a generally easterly direction, terminating south of 63rd Street between Wentworth and Wallace. With the South Side Elevated's successful outlook in the early 1900s, they decided to exercise this clause and construct their first branch.

The Englewood Elevated Railroad Company was incorporated in early 1903 to construct the branch and on March 16th, they were granted a franchise to build a main line (the Englewood branch) and a short branch (the Normal Park branch). The ordinance outlined a route basically the same as the original clause in the 1890s franchise, but extended the main line from a between Wallace and Wentworth westward between 60th and 67th streets to a terminal between Center (Racine) and Ashland avenues. The Normal Park branch was to leave the main line near Wentworth and continue south to between 68th and 72nd streets.

The company lost no time in exercising its franchise and construction began immediately. By 1905 the first half mile of the branch was completed and a shuttle was instituted between the first station at State Street and 58th Street on the main line, where passengers changed for Loop or Jackson Park trains. Segments of the branch opened as they were completed and service on the shuttle was extended west to Wentworth station on December 10, 1895 and to Princeton station on January 11, 1906. At this point, a 226-day steel workers' strike crippled work on the line and little progress was made. The next extension did not open until November 3rd, when service reached Harvard Avenue at 63rd Street. At this point, express trains through to the Loop were adding during rush hours, although the 58th Street shuttles still prevailed in the off-peak. Workers continued to complete the branch and just a few months later service was extended to Halsted Street, the location of an important South Side shopping district, for some Christmas Eve shoppers on December 24th, bringing with it the activation of Parnell station as well. Center (later Racine) opened on February 4, 1907, followed by the terminal at Loomis on July 13th. The Loomis terminal included an elevated car storage yard and small maintenance shop. The shuttle trains continued to operate from Loomis to 58th Street in the off-peak until 1911, after which all trains continued to the Loop. The short Normal Park branch, less than a mile long, opened on May 25, 1907 and departed from the Englewood branch west of Harvard station.

 

Important Dates:

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