Chicago "L"

Chicago "L"
A Pink Line train approaching Randolph/Wabash station
Info
LocaleChicago, Illinois, United States
Transit typeRapid transit
Number of lines8[1]
Number of stations145[1]
Daily ridership767,730 (average weekday, 2015)[2]
Chief executiveDorval R. Carter, Jr.
Headquarters567 West Lake St.
Chicago, Illinois
WebsiteChicago Transit Authority
Operation
Began operationJune 6, 1892[1]
Operator(s)Chicago Transit Authority
Technical
System length102.8 mi (165.4 km)[1]
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Minimum radius of curvature90 feet (27,432 mm)
ElectrificationThird rail, 600 V DC
Top speed55 mph (89 km/h)
Route map

The Chicago "L" (short for "elevated railway")[3] is the Chicago rapid transit system. It serves the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs in the U.S. state of Illinois.

The "L" is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). It is the fourth-largest rapid transit system in the United States. It is 102.8 miles (165.4 km) long,[1] and the second-busiest rail mass transit system in the United States, after the New York City Subway.[4]

Chicago's "L" has 24-hour service on some portions of its network. It is one of only five rapid transit systems in the United States to do so.[5] The oldest sections of the Chicago "L" started operations in 1892, making it the second-oldest rapid transit system in the Americas, after New York City's elevated lines.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "CTA Facts at a Glance".
  2. ↑ "Annual Ridership Report: Calendar Year 2015" (PDF). Transitchicago.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-05. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
  3. ↑ "Our Services". Chicago Transit Authority. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2006.
  4. ↑ "American Public Transportation Rider Reports Year End 2014" (PDF). Apta.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  5. ↑ The four other rapid transit systems in the U.S. that provide 24-hour service are the New York City Subway, Staten Island Railway, PATH, and Philadelphia's PATCO Speedline.