Union Pacific Northwest Line information

Route map
	Legend
	63.2 mi
	101.7 km
	Former service
	to Williams Bay
	76.4 mi
	123 km
Williams Bay text
	70.4 mi
	113.3 km
	64.9 mi
	104.4 km
	61.6 mi
	99.1 km
	Wisconsin
	Illinois
	59.9 mi
	96.4 km
	Milwaukee Road North Line
	to Walworth
	Milwaukee Road North Line
	to Fox Lake and Union Station
	53.8 mi
	86.6 km
	52.8 mi
	85 km
	Johnsburg
	proposed
	63.1 mi
	101.5 km
	55.7 mi
	89.6 km
	Woodstock Yard
	planned
	51.6 mi
	83 km
	50.6 mi
	81.4 km
	47.3 mi
	76.1 km
	Prairie Grove
	proposed
	45.7 mi
	73.5 km
	43.2 mi
	69.5 km
	41.7 mi
	67.1 km
	38.6 mi
	62.1 km
	37.3 mi
	60 km
	31.9 mi
	51.3 km
	26.4 mi
	42.5 km
	24.4 mi
	39.3 km
	22.8 mi
	36.7 km
	20.0 mi
	32.2 km
	18.6 mi
	29.9 km
	17.1 mi
	27.5 km
	15.0 mi
	24.1 km
	13.5 mi
	21.7 km
	12.6 mi
	20.3 km
	11.4 mi
	18.3 km
	10.1 mi
	16.3 km
	9.1 mi
	14.6 km
	12.3 mi
	19.8 km
	10.8 mi
	17.4 km
	9.8 mi
	15.8 km
	Weber Subdivision
	to UP-N
	7.6 mi
	12.2 km
	7.1 mi
	11.4 km
	7.0 mi
	11.3 km
	5.9 mi
	9.5 km
	5.1 mi
	8.2 km
	4.1 mi
	6.6 km
	2.9 mi
	4.7 km
	1.7 mi
	2.7 km
	MD-N MD-W NCS/Amtrak
	to Union Station
	Mileage source
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

Union Pacific Northwest Line
Union Pacific Northwest Line
	A Union Pacific Northwest Line train led by an EMD F40PH in the Norwood Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois
Overview
Service type	Commuter Rail
Locale	Cook and McHenry counties, Illinois
Current operator(s)	Metra; Union Pacific Railroad;
Ridership	38,600 (Avg. Weekday 2014); 18,800 (Avg. Weekend 2014)
Annual ridership	4,618,099 (2023)
Route
Termini	Ogilvie Transportation Center; Harvard, McHenry
Stops	22 (to Harvard); 20 (to McHenry); 23 (total)
Line(s) used	Harvard Subdivision; McHenry Subdivision;
Technical
Track owner(s)	Union Pacific Railroad
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	63.2 mi
	101.7 km
	Former service
	to Williams Bay
	76.4 mi
	123 km
Williams Bay text
	70.4 mi
	113.3 km
	64.9 mi
	104.4 km
	61.6 mi
	99.1 km
	Wisconsin
	Illinois
	59.9 mi
	96.4 km
	Milwaukee Road North Line
	to Walworth
	Milwaukee Road North Line
	to Fox Lake and Union Station
	53.8 mi
	86.6 km
	52.8 mi
	85 km
	Johnsburg
	proposed
	63.1 mi
	101.5 km
	55.7 mi
	89.6 km
	Woodstock Yard
	planned
	51.6 mi
	83 km
	50.6 mi
	81.4 km
	47.3 mi
	76.1 km
	Prairie Grove
	proposed
	45.7 mi
	73.5 km
	43.2 mi
	69.5 km
	41.7 mi
	67.1 km
	38.6 mi
	62.1 km
	37.3 mi
	60 km
	31.9 mi
	51.3 km
	26.4 mi
	42.5 km
	24.4 mi
	39.3 km
	22.8 mi
	36.7 km
	20.0 mi
	32.2 km
	18.6 mi
	29.9 km
	17.1 mi
	27.5 km
	15.0 mi
	24.1 km
	13.5 mi
	21.7 km
	12.6 mi
	20.3 km
	11.4 mi
	18.3 km
	10.1 mi
	16.3 km
	9.1 mi
	14.6 km
	12.3 mi
	19.8 km
	10.8 mi
	17.4 km
	9.8 mi
	15.8 km
	Weber Subdivision
	to UP-N
	7.6 mi
	12.2 km
	7.1 mi
	11.4 km
	7.0 mi
	11.3 km
	5.9 mi
	9.5 km
	5.1 mi
	8.2 km
	4.1 mi
	6.6 km
	2.9 mi
	4.7 km
	1.7 mi
	2.7 km

The Union Pacific Northwest Line (UP-NW) is a commuter rail line provided by Metra and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in Chicago, Illinois and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not refer to any of its lines by colors, the timetable accents for the Union Pacific Northwest Line are bright "Viking Yellow," honoring the Chicago & North Western Railway's Viking passenger train.^[4]

The line runs from Ogilvie Transportation Center to Harvard, Illinois. However, most trains terminate in Crystal Lake, Illinois. A branch line to McHenry, Illinois operates during weekday rush hours in the peak direction. Overall, this is Metra's longest route and one of three routes with branches (the others being the Rock Island District and Metra Electric District). The line is Metra's second busiest with an average of 38,600 boardings on a weekday. It is second only to the BNSF Line.

As of February 16, 2024, Metra operates 78 trains (39 in each direction) on the line on weekdays. Of these, 14 inbound trains originate from Harvard, three from McHenry, 13 from Crystal Lake, four from Barrington, one from Palatine, and four from Des Plaines. Five outbound trains terminate at Des Plaines, three at Palatine, three at Barrington, 12 at Crystal Lake, three at McHenry, and 13 at Harvard.

Metra operates 34 trains (17 in each direction) on the line on Saturdays. Of these, 10 inbound trains originate from Harvard, five from Crystal Lake, one from Barrington, and one from Arlington Heights. Two outbound trains terminate at Barrington, five at Crystal Lake, and 10 at Harvard.

Metra operates 21 trains (10 inbound, 11 outbound) on the line on Sundays. Of these, seven inbound trains originate from Harvard, two from Crystal Lake, and one from Arlington Heights. Three outbound trains terminate at Crystal Lake and eight terminate at Harvard.

There is no service at Gladstone Park station or on the McHenry branch on weekends or holidays. All other stations are open daily.

The main line is triple-tracked from Clybourn to just southeast of Barrington, with a bidirectional express track, and double tracked from Barrington to Harvard. The McHenry branch is single-tracked. Historically, double track was maintained from Harvard to Baraboo, Wisconsin. A now-gone portion of the Union Pacific Northwest Line diverged at Harvard and passed through Beloit, Wisconsin, and reconnected to the main line at Evansville junction to allow a separate passenger and freight line. Around the time the Beloit line was abandoned, the railroad single-tracked the line from Harvard to Janesville.

Metra has included the possibility of extending the McHenry branch to Johnsburg in their Cost Benefit Analysis report. If this were to happen, the branch would open an infill station in Prairie Grove. Additionally, an infill station would open in Ridgefield between Crystal Lake and Woodstock along the line to Harvard.^[5]

By the first quarter of 2024, the Union Pacific Railroad is expected to transfer operations of the three Union Pacific lines to Metra. The Union Pacific will continue to own and maintain the right-of-way.^[6]

^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ State of the System - Union Pacific Northwest
^ "Did you know?" (PDF). On the Bi-Level: 3. June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-02.
^ "Systemwide Cost Benefit Analysis of Major Capital Improvements" (PDF). Retrieved May 7, 2022.
^ "Union Pacific Transferring Commuter Rail Services to Metra". Union Pacific Railroad. Retrieved April 1, 2023.

[1] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[2] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 21, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[3] State of the System - Union Pacific Northwest

[4] "Did you know?" (PDF). On the Bi-Level: 3. June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-02.

[5] "Systemwide Cost Benefit Analysis of Major Capital Improvements" (PDF). Retrieved May 7, 2022.

[6] "Union Pacific Transferring Commuter Rail Services to Metra". Union Pacific Railroad. Retrieved April 1, 2023.

Union Pacific Northwest Line information

and 21 Related for: Union Pacific Northwest Line information

Union Pacific Northwest Line

Union Pacific North Line

Union Pacific West Line

Pacific Northwest

Clybourn station

Arlington Park station

Metra

Barrington station

Gladstone Park station

Palatine station

Crystal Lake station

Arlington Heights station

Jefferson Park Transit Center

Oregon Short Line Railroad

List of Metra stations

Mount Prospect station

Fox River Grove station

Harvard Subdivision

McHenry station

Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast

Pacific Northwest Corridor