North Side main line

North Side Main Line
Brown and Purple Line Express trains run above Franklin Street
Overview
Status	Operational
Locale	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Termini	Howard Merchandise Mart
Stations	21
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Chicago "L"
Services	Red Purple Brown
Operator(s)	Chicago Transit Authority (1947–present) Chicago Rapid Transit Company (1924–1947) Northwestern Elevated Railroad (1900–1924)
Rolling stock	2600-series, 3200-series, 5000-series
Daily ridership	147,042 (average weekday 2019)
History
Opened	May 31, 1900
Technical
Line length	10.3 mi (16.6 km)
Character	Elevated
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	Third rail, 600 V DC
Route map Legend Evanston branch to Linden Skokie branch to Dempster–Skokie Evanston Chicago Howard Yard 2 1 4 3 1, 4: Tracks 1 & 4 2, 3: Tracks 2 & 3 (outer) (inner) Howard Jarvis Morse Loyola Granville Thorndale Bryn Mawr Berwyn Argyle Lawrence Wilson Wilson Yard Buena Yard Buena Sheridan Grace Addison Vautravers Building Building relocated Clark Ravenswood branch to Kimball Clark Junction Belmont Wellington Diversey Wrightwood Fullerton Webster Armitage Willow Portal Willow Halsted Larrabee Sedgwick Schiller Division State Street subway Church Curve Oak Chicago Grand Merchandise Mart Kinzie North Water Terminal Chicago River Loop This diagram: view talk edit

The North Side Main Line is a branch of the Chicago "L" system that is used by Red, Purple, and Brown Line trains. As of 2012, it is the network's busiest rail branch, serving an average of 123,229 passengers each weekday.^[1] The branch is 10.3 miles (16.6 km)^[2] long with a total of 21 stations, from Howard Street in Rogers Park down to Lake Street in Chicago's Loop. The branch serves the north side of the city 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Since 2005, this branch has been renovated several times and is currently being reconstructed. On January 7, 2011, CTA requested a rehabilitation program for the North Side Main Line.^[3] This project is part of the Red Ahead program.^[4]