Service Notes:

Date of Opening: 1895
Date of Abandonment: 1958

Brief Description:

The Garfield Park Line was built in 1895 by the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Company, Chicago's third elevated company and the first to use electric traction. The Metropolitan Elevated consisted of a four-track main line that begin downtown and proceeded west between Van Buren and Congress streets. The four track trunk line was to split into three branches at Marshfield Junction, a block west of Ashland Avenue. From here, the Northwest branch headed due north parallel to Paulina Avenue, then northwest paralleling Milwaukee Avenue while the Douglas Park branch turned south and paralleled Paulina to approximately 21st Street, where it turned west. The Garfield Park branch continued westward from Marshfield Junction parallel to Van Buren Street and Harrison Avenue, first to the city limits at 48th (Cicero) Avenue, but eventually as far west as suburban Forest Park, Maywood, and Bellwood. Although the Garfield Park was technically the branch that began at Marshfield and continued west, many often group the Met main line and branch together when referring to the "Garfield Park" line. Indeed, after the Logan Square (Northwest) service was rerouted via the subway in 1951, the old Met main line and Garfield Park branch was officially grouped together into one route, various called the Garfield Park Line, or sometimes simply the Garfield Line. For the purposes of this profile, the lain line and branch will be dealt with together.

Service on the main line was inaugurated on May 6, 1895 when trains began running between Canal Street on the main line and Robey Street on the Northwest branch. Operation further east on the main line into the Franklin Avenue terminal in downtown commenced on May 17. The Garfield Park branch entered service on June 19, oddly behind the Northwest branch even though it had been completed first and was used for rolling stock deliveries for some time. When first opened, the Garfield Park branch extended to the city limits at 48th Avenue, with stations approximately every 1/3 or half mile.

Important Dates:

• August 1893 - The steel for the Garfield Park branch is in place from Paulina Street to Sacramento Boulevard and from Kedzie Street to Douglas Boulevard.
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• May 6, 1895 - Service begins between Canal Street and Robey Street on the Northwest branch.
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• May 17, 1895 - Service is extended to the Met's first downtown terminal at Franklin Street, after completion of bridge over Chicago River.
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• June 19, 1895 - The Garfield Park branch enters service to 48th (Cicero) Avenue, even though the line had actually been finished for some time.
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• October 11, 1897 - Metropolitan "L" trains begin using Loop elevated. The Franklin Street terminal is closed.
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• June 29, 1900 - The Chicago City Council approved the Met's extensions of the Garfield Park and Douglas Park branches to 52nd and 40th Avenues, respectively, with little comment or discussion.
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• October 5, 1900 - Due to the Loop having reached capacity and a large number of factories who employed many people on the near West Side, the Met began turning some eastbound trains back at Canal Street. A separate stub track and platform extension were built for this purpose. Twelve three-car trains were initially operated in this service; by May 1904, that number would increase to 20 three-car trains.
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• Mid-1902 - The Chicago City Council gives permission for the Met to construct a downtown terminal at Wells Street between Jackson and Van Buren Streets. Work begins shortly thereafter.
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• August 25, 1902 - The Garfield Park line is extended west to 52nd (Laramie) Avenue. On the same day, connecting interurban service is inaugurated on the Aurora Elgin & Chicago Railway between 52nd Avenue and Aurora. Connecting passengers are required to pay a second fare.
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• October 3, 1904 - The new downtown terminal at Fifth Avenue (Wells Street) and Jackson Street is put into service for rush hour trains, relieving congestion on the Loop elevated.
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• February 23, 1905 - The Chicago City Council modifies the Met's franchise to allow it to carry trains belonging to surface railroads, allowing the AE&C interurban to use the Met's Fifth Avenue terminal. In return, the Met was required to operate local service between 52nd and Austin Avenues on the AE&C's line.
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• March 11,1905 - Aurora Elgin & Chicago trains begin using the Met's Garfield Park line to gain access to downtown Chicago and the Fifth Avenue terminal. At the same time, Metropolitan Elevated Garfield Park service is extended to Desplaines Avenue in Forest Park, providing local service over that AE&C ground level trackage.
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• July 1, 1922 - The Aurora Elgin & Chicago Railway is reorganized as Chicago Aurora & Elgin Railroad.
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• October 1, 1926 - The Garfield Park branch is extended to Roosevelt Road in Westchester, over a new branch extending south from Chicago Aurora & Elgin line at Bellwood. Trains use the CA&E main line east of Bellwood, replacing CA&E as provider of local service over this segment.
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• December 9, 1951 - Service on the Westchester branch is replaced by buses. The western terminal for the Garfield Park line returns to Des Plaines Avenue in Forest Park. A/B skip stop service is implemented on both the Garfield Park and Douglas Park branches for rush hour service. Stations on the Garfield Park are left alone (in anticipation of demolition for the Congress Line), but Laflin on the main line is closed.
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• September 20, 1953 - Garfield Park trains are rerouted onto street level operation over a 2 1/2 mile portion between Sacramento and Aberdeen, enabling construction of the Congress (now Eisenhower) Expressway. There were no stops between Halsted and Kedzie. During this period (1953-1958), A/B skip stop service is abandoned on the Garfield Park Line. Due to operating difficulties as a result of the construction, the Chicago Aurora & Elgin Railroad ceases operation east of Des Plaines, forcing passengers of the interurban line to transfer to and from CTA trains there. Eventually, the interurban folded.
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• October 11, 1955 - Wells Terminal closes and is demolished. Garfield Park line trackage is extended through the old Wells Street terminal to connect with Loop elevated just south of Quincy, replacing the old Loop connection via Van Buren at Tower 8 (Wells/Van Buren).
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• July 3, 1957 - Chicago Aurora & Elgin Railroad ceases all operations at noon. Many Loop commuters were unaware and caught downtown with no transportation home.
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• June 22, 1958 - The Garfield Line and remnants of the Met Main Line close, replaced by the Congress line in the median of the Congress Street Expressway (now the Eisenhower Expressway).