Metra line comparison (Chicago, Evanston, Berwyn: neighborhoods, construction, live)

[pvande55]

How do rate the Metra line in your town? Many rate the BNSF as the best; it is the most efficient in that you pick any two stations and during rush hour you can find a good train that gets you between them. The Heritage Corridor with only three trains in rush hour only is about the worst. But some lines are friendlier than others: for example the Milwaukee North and North Central more people know each other. This is mostly for those who work in the loop, but many serve other destinations. Any opinions?

[reppin_the_847]

I think these four lines offer some of the best access from city neighborhoods (and hip inner-ring suburbs) into downtown:

Union Pacific North line

north side (city) stops:
Clybourn - enables easy access to Lincoln Park
Ravenswood - enables easy access to the Ravenswood area and the Brown Line which can take you to hip Lakeview / Lincoln Park
Rogers Park

inner-ring hip suburb:

Evanston (Main Street, Davis Street & Central Street stops)

Union Pacific Northwest line:

Clybourn - enables easy access to Lincoln Park
Irving Park
Jefferson Park

inner-ring suburb:

Park Ridge

Union Pacific West line

inner-ring hip suburb:

Oak Park (and nearby River Forest)

Metra Electric line:

south side (city) stops:

there are many, but Hyde Park is arguably the most well-known among those not from the south side. There are three stops in the neighborhood:

59th Street (Univ. of Chicago)
55th - 56th - 57th St.
51st / 53rd St. (Hyde Park)


A lot of the other Metra lines are more known for their long-haul destinations a bit further out into suburbia. These lines get less boardings & exits in their city stops compared to some of the lines I mentioned above. Certainly there are exceptions. I'd imagine that the BNSF is quite useful for Berwyn folks trying to quickly get to downtown, for example.

Originally Posted by pvande55

How do rate the Metra line in your town? Many rate the BNSF as the best; it is the most efficient in that you pick any two stations and during rush hour you can find a good train that gets you between them. The Heritage Corridor with only three trains in rush hour only is about the worst. But some lines are friendlier than others: for example the Milwaukee North and North Central more people know each other. This is mostly for those who work in the loop, but many serve other destinations. Any opinions?

[chicagojlo]

The UP-N line has that private car that runs once a day in each direction out of Lake Forest, members pay to chat and drink away from the riff raff.

UP-NW has a great express schedule.

MD-N is pretty good too.

UP-N sucks for express, they might miss one of the twenty stops between Highland Park and Winnetka if you are lucky.

[pvande55]

I was expecting some comments on scenery. While most lines offer only look-alike suburbs (BNSF comes to mind) or industrial areas (North Central), there are some that run near forest preserves. Milwaukee-North and Rock Island are good examples. So is the extension of the Southwest Service, at least so far.

[tonythetuna]

Someone should add the origination points for all the lines downtown since they are not all the same.

[chicagojlo]

Most people really don't care about scenery at 7am or 7pm, especially when it's dark outside half of the year. I'd say the UP-N has nice scenery north of Evanston, riding through Wilmette and Ravinia and Fort Sheridan etc. But at the end of the day most people have their faces buried in a book, a phone or a laptop. Or they're sleeping.

[chicagojlo]

On the origination points, you're going to inhale significantly less noxious fumes on any line that doesn't run out of Union station. Ogilvie also has nicer shops/food places.

[At1WithNature]

The Metra Electric sucks! People aren't very friendly on that line and since it is the only electric line, thus its name Metra Electric, the line has a TON of problems and delays because of transformers blowing out or ice/poor weather. I'm talking 1+ hour delays. I've been stuck on them and that line doesn't have any bathrooms and the old train cars too! It sucks!!!

[css9450]

Originally Posted by At1WithNature

The Metra Electric sucks! People aren't very friendly on that line and since it is the only electric line, thus its name Metra Electric, the line has a TON of problems and delays because of transformers blowing out or ice/poor weather. I'm talking 1+ hour delays. I've been stuck on them and that line doesn't have any bathrooms and the old train cars too! It sucks!!!

How is the scenery though?

[reppin_the_847]

I agree. I live between the Milwaukee North & Union Pacific North lines (I'm a little closer to the Milwaukee North), but I definitely prefer taking trips out of Ogilvie vs. Union. Between the French Market & the main food court, Ogilvie has two food court areas which makes it easy to kill time and/or grab a bite or even a beer. I know that Union has some of the same offerings (one food court, beer vendors, etc.), but Ogilvie just feels a lot newer & nicer. And if the diesel fumes are more prevalent in Union, then that makes me lean towards Ogilvie even more. Milwaukee North, however, does have some great express runs on their line, so I'll say they're better when it comes to that (express trains). Union Pacific North feels like the more reliable line and less prone to breakdowns than Milwaukee North, however. Especially true since they indefinitely postponed the bridge reconstruction project on Chicago's north side (which interfered with the Union Pacific North scheduled for a couple months).

Originally Posted by chicagojlo

On the origination points, you're going to inhale significantly less noxious fumes on any line that doesn't run out of Union station. Ogilvie also has nicer shops/food places.