Chicago "L"
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.
| Chicago "L" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 A Pink Line train approaching Randolph/Wabash station | |||
| Info | |||
| Locale | Chicago, Illinois, United States | ||
| Transit type | Rapid transit | ||
| Number of lines | 8[1] | ||
| Number of stations | 145[1] | ||
| Daily ridership | 767,730 (average weekday, 2015)[2] | ||
| Chief executive | Dorval R. Carter, Jr. | ||
| Headquarters | 567 West Lake St. Chicago, Illinois | ||
| Website | Chicago Transit Authority | ||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | June 6, 1892[1] | ||
| Operator(s) | Chicago Transit Authority | ||
| Technical | |||
| System length | 102.8 mi (165.4 km)[1] | ||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
| Minimum radius of curvature | 90 feet (27,432 mm) | ||
| Electrification | Third rail, 600 V DC | ||
| Top speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) | ||
| |||
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.
Related pages change
References change
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "CTA Facts at a Glance".
- ↑ "Annual Ridership Report: Calendar Year 2015" (PDF). Transitchicago.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-11-05. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
- ↑ "Our Services". Chicago Transit Authority. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2006.
- ↑ "American Public Transportation Rider Reports Year End 2014" (PDF). Apta.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ↑ 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.