BNSF Railway Line

Infobox rail line
name = BNSF Railway Line

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image_width = 250 px
caption = A Metra train is led by a Burlington Northern Railroad EMD E9 engine near Aurora
type = Commuter Rail
system = Metra
status =
locale =
start = Union Station
end = Aurora
stations = 26
routes =
ridership =
open =
close =
owner =
operator = BNSF Railway
character =
stock =
linelength =
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infobox rdt|BNSF Railway Line|

The BNSF Railway Line is a commuter rail line in the United States, provided by Metra and operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the BNSF line are printed in bright "Cascade Green".

Its eastern terminus is the Union Station in downtown Chicago. The line traverses Chicago's western neighborhoods and its western and far western suburbs to Aurora.

Station stops

BNSF Railway Line trains make the following station stops:
* Union Station
* Halsted Street (16th & Halsted)(Rush Hour Service Only)
* Western Avenue (18th & Western)
* Cicero (26th & Cicero)
* Clyde (Closed)
* LaVergne (Rush Hour Service Only)
* Berwyn
* Harlem Avenue
* Riverside
* Hollywood (Zoo Stop)
* Brookfield
* Congress Park (Rush Hour Service Only)
* LaGrange Road
* LaGrange-Stone Avenue
* Western Springs
* Highlands (Rush Hour Service Only)
* Hinsdale
* West Hinsdale (Rush Hour Service Only)
* Clarendon Hills
* Westmont
* Downers Grove-Fairview Avenue
* Downers Grove-Main Street
* Belmont (Downers Grove)
* Lisle
* Naperville
* Route 59
* Aurora Transportation Center

History

The railroad between Chicago and Aurora was originally constructed by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q) in 1864. The CB&Q operated the commuter service until the railroad became part of the Burlington Northern in 1970. Burlington Northern merged with Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1995, and the name of the new railroad became Burlington Northern Santa Fe. The railroad has now been renamed to simply BNSF.

With its three tracks and fast and frequent trains of both Metra and freight service, this line earned the nickname "The Racetrack".

The Clyde station, at South Austin Boulevard and West 29th Street in Cicero, was closed on April 1, 2007, due to low ridership and its dilapidated condition. At time of closing, it was only used by about 50 passengers a day (Ruzich 2007).

External links

* [http://metrarail.com/Sched/bn/bn.shtml Metra BNSF Railway] service schedule

Primary source

Ruzich, Joseph. "Cicero's Metra stop to receive makeover." "Chicago Tribune" 21 Feb. 2007.