Rock Island District

Infobox rail line
name = Rock Island District


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type = Commuter Rail
system = Metra
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start = Lasalle Street Station
end = Joliet
stations = 25
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owner = Metra
operator = Metra
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The Rock Island District (RI) is a commuter rail line operated by Metra from Chicago, Illinois, United States, southwest to Joliet. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the Rock Island District line are printed in "Rocket Red". This refers to the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad's "Rocket" series of passenger trains.

The trackage is all owned by Metra, bought from the bankrupt Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad for $35 million in December 1982. The Regional Transportation Authority had signed a contract with the Rock Island in 1976 to fund service, and in 1980 the Chicago and North Western Railway began operating the Rock Island District. But in spring 1981 the C&NW stepped away, and the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra) was formed to take over operations.

The Rock Island District consists of a main line over the Rock Island's former main line to Joliet. The slightly longer Suburban Line loops to the west between Gresham and Blue Island, carrying most trains; the two stations on that part of the main line are only served during rush hours.

The Suburban Line was originally built in 1870 as a steam dummy line, splitting from the main line just north of 99th Street, running west along 99th and turning south to merge with the current line at the S-curve just south of 99th. The crossing of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway midway along 99th was known as Dummy Crossing on that line. In the early 1890s the line was extended north in conjunction with the expansion of the Chicago Terminal Transfer Railroad, and the portion on 99th was removed.

A new station at 35th Street and Federal Street will open in 2009 to serve U.S. Cellular Field. [http://www.southtownstar.com/news/880933,0407metrasox.article]

tation stops

Rock Island District trains make the following station stops: (not all trains stop at all stations)
*LaSalle Street
*"Sox-IIT" "(opening 2009)"
*Gresham
*Brainerd
*91st Street - Beverly Hills
*95th Street - Beverly Hills
*99th Street - Beverly Hills
*103rd Street - Beverly Hills
*107th Street - Beverly Hills
*111th Street - Morgan Park
*115th Street - Morgan Park
*119th Street - Blue Island
*123rd Street - Blue Island (Flag Stop)
*Prairie Street - Blue Island (Flag Stop)
*Blue Island - Vermont Street
*Robbins (Flag Stop)
*Midlothian
*Oak Forest
*Tinley Park
*Tinley Park - 80th Avenue
*Mokena - Hickory Crest
*Mokena - Front Street
*New Lenox
*Joliet

A limited number of rush-hour express trains skip all stops between Gresham and Blue Island - Vermont Street, instead making the following stops:
*Gresham
*95th Street - Longwood
*103rd Street - Washington Heights
*Blue Island - Vermont Street

ee also

*Beverly/Morgan Railroad District

References

*J. David Ingles, Metra: "Best Commuter Train", "Trains" July 1993

External links

* [http://metrarail.com/Sched/ri/ri.shtml Metra / Rock Island schedules]