Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad

Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad
A train on the Metropolitan main line passes over the Chicago river.
Overview
LocaleChicago, Illinois
Service
TypeRapid transit
ServicesLogan Square
Humboldt Park
Garfield Park
Douglas Park
Operator(s)Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Company (1895–1899)
Metropolitan West side Elevated Railway (1899–1924)
History
OpenedMay 6, 1895; 129 years ago (1895-05-06)[1]
Closed1924; 100 years ago (1924)
(merged into Chicago Rapid Transit Company)
Technical
CharacterElevated
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
ElectrificationThird rail, 600 V DC
Route map

Wells Street
Terminal
to Loop
Franklin
Terminal
Franklin/
Van Buren
Canal
Halsted
Racine
Laflin
Marshfield
Logan Square
Down arrow Garfield Park
Douglas Park LowerRight arrow
Madison
Polk
Lake Street Transfer
Roosevelt
Grand
Ogden
Chicago
14th Place
Division
Hoyne
Robey
18th Street
Humboldt Park LowerRight arrow
Western
Western
Western
California
California
Logan Square
Humboldt Park
Kedzie
Wood
Ballou
California
Lawndale
Hoyne
Sacramento
Western
Kedzie
California
St. Louis
Douglas Park
Garfield Park
Kedzie
Crawford
Homan
Tripp
Clifton Park
Kilbourn
Lawndale
Cicero
Crawford
Laramie
Kildare
Central
Kenton
Austin
48th Avenue
Lombard
50th Avenue
Gunderson
52nd Avenue
Oak Park
54th Avenue
Home
56th Avenue
Harlem
58th Avenue
Hannah
Austin
Des Plaines
62nd Avenue
Concordia
Cemetery
Waldheim
Cemetery
Des Plaines River
Chicago, Aurora
& Elgin Railroad
Metropolitan "L"
trackage
Chicago Aurora
& Elgin trackage
Metropolitan "L"
trackage rights

The Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad (known as the Met or Polly "L"[2]) was the third elevated rapid transit line to be built in Chicago, Illinois. It was the first of Chicago’s elevated lines to be electrically powered. The main line ran from downtown Chicago to Marshfield Avenue, with branches to Logan Square, Humboldt Park, Garfield Park, and Douglas Park (eventually extended to the suburb of Berwyn, Illinois). Portions of the system are still operated as sections of the Blue Line and the Pink Line.

  1. ^ "New "L" Road Opens". Chicago Daily Tribune. May 7, 1895. p. 12.
  2. ^ Moffat, Bruce (1995). "Chapter 8: An Innovative Elevated". The "L" The Development of Chicago's Rapid Transit System, 1888-1932. Chicago: Central Electric Railfans' Association. pp. 123–145. ISBN 0-915348-30-6.