Collecting images off the net I have found “Regional Transportation Authority”, “Metra” and “Chicago Rail Link”… Someone please explain to me what when and where… I’m not even sure whether the last was passenger.
Did these operators have their own trackage, use other peoples’ or both?
Did they swap power… with CNW or Amtrak?
Thanks in advance
For your first question the first two names (RTA and Metra) are the same thing, just different time periods. RTA was used between when the private RR’s (CNW, RI, etc) gave up their commuter operations. I believe it was 1974 that the name was changed to Metra (Metropolitan Rail). I have absolutely NO clue what Chicago Rail Link is.
Metra owns some track (one example being the Rock Island lines) and then they also pay the engineers, dispatchers, and technicians. On some lines (UP and BNSF specifically) are owned by the respective railroads, and thus the engineers, dispatchers, and technicians are paid by BNSF and UP. No, they don’t interchange power with any freight road or Amtrak.
Actually, the “RTA” represents public transit in the region. Each of the six counties pays a portion of gas tax to the RTA. THe “CTA” operates the Chicago bus fleet & elevated system. “PACE” is the suburban bus system. “Metra” is the commuter rail operation. Some tockets let you ride one way on each system for your trip. You may take a “Pace” bus to a “Metra” station, then get on a “CTA” bus or rapid transit to get to a Cubs/ White Sox game.
“Chicago Rail Link” is an industrial shortline. There may be a website for the shortlines of Chicago. Most of them are on the south side.
I’ve commuted on the UP’s northwest line about 45 miles into Chicago for almost 20 years - used to get a kick out of writing a check for my ticket to the Chicago & North Western - now write 'em to UP. Like Drumming said, on my line, the UP runs it under contract with Metra - Metra’s lines look like the finges of an outstretched hand radiating out to Chicago. They’ve also connected some lines on a north-south basis. There’s also the South Shore running to South Bend - under an Indiana regional transit agency.
BTW, Amtrak still runs quite a few trains out of Union Station - westward, north to Milw, south to NO, and eastward
Here is a link to Chicago Rail Link. The site inlcudes a nice map of these rail operations.