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" | |||
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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) | ||
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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
changeReferences
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.