North Central Service

The North Central Service (NCS) is a Metra commuter rail line running from Union Station in downtown Chicago through northwestern and far northern suburbs to Antioch, Illinois. In June 2018, the public timetable shows 10 weekday departures from Chicago. This line does not run at all on weekends or holidays.[2] While Metra does not explicitly refer to any of its eleven routes by colors, the NCS' timetable accents are lavender, a shade of purple. It is the only Metra line that does not have a specific color for a fallen flag railroad that used to operate on the route.

North Central Service
A North Central Service train at O'Hare Transfer in 2010.
Overview
Owner	Metra (Union Station to River Grove) CN beyond River Grove
Termini	Union Station Antioch
Stations	18
Service
Type	Commuter rail
System	Metra
Operator(s)	Metra
Daily ridership	5,800 (Avg. Weekday 2016)[1]
Ridership	340,682 (2020)
History
Opened	August 19, 1996
Technical
Line length	52.9 mi (85.1 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Route map 55.7 Antioch 50.7 Lake Villa 48.5 Round Lake Beach 46.5 Washington Street MD-N to Fox Lake to Union Station 43.4 Prairie Crossing | MD-N Prairie Crossing 39.6 Mundelein 35.7 Vernon Hills 34.4 Prairie View 32.0 Buffalo Grove 29.9 Wheeling 26.6 Prospect Heights UP-NW to McHenry or Harvard to Ogilvie 19.8 O'Hare Transfer ATS Blue / I-190 18.6 Rosemont 17.4 Schiller Park 15.8 Belmont Avenue MD-W to Elgin Des Plaines River 11.4 mi 18.3 km River Grove 10.2 mi 16.4 km Nonstop placeholder 10.2 mi 16.4 km Elmwood Park 9.5 mi 15.3 km Mont Clare 9.1 mi 14.6 km Mars 8.6 mi 13.8 km Galewood 7.7 mi 12.4 km Hanson Park 7.0 mi 11.3 km Cragin 6.5 mi 10.5 km Grand/Cicero 5.9 mi 9.5 km Hermosa MD-N to Fox Lake Amtrak to Milwaukee Coach Yard 2.9 mi 4.7 km Western Avenue UP-W to Elburn Chicago "L" Logan Square branch UP-N to Kenosha UP-NW to McHenry or Harvard GreenPink Ogilvie 0 mi Union Station BNSF to Aurora HC to Joliet SWS to Manhattan

Between Union Station and River Grove, the North Central Service shares tracks with the Milwaukee District West Line, but does not stop at any of the intermediate stations used by the MD-W between Western Avenue and River Grove. About a mile west of River Grove, this route turns north at a junction known as tower B-12. The rest of the route operates on the Canadian National Railway's Waukesha Subdivision. Up until 2020, a single daily inbound train, #120, made all stops along the North Central Service from Antioch to Washington Street, then switched to the Milwaukee District North Line's tracks at a diamond near Prairie Crossing station, made stops at Libertyville and Lake Forest, and then ran express to Union Station.

The CN assumed ownership of this route on September 7, 2001, when it absorbed the Wisconsin Central Railroad ("WC"). The WC operated on this route after it was purchased from the Soo Line Railroad in April 1987. Metra provides its own crews for this service (like with most routes) and operates under a trackage rights agreement with the CN.

Service began August 19, 1996.[3] As of 2022, this is the only new line in the Metra system since its formation. Prior to the start of NCS, the last passenger service on this route ended in January 1965, when the Soo Line discontinued the overnight Chicago-Duluth Laker.

The North Central Service serves O'Hare International Airport, but a limited number of trains. O'Hare has much more frequent service from the CTA Blue Line.

As of September 7, 2021, Metra operates six inbound trains and six outbound trains on the North Central Service Line on weekdays. Of these, four inbound trains originate from Antioch and two from Buffalo Grove. Two outbound trains terminate at Buffalo Grove and four at Antioch. There is no service on weekends or holidays.

Like the Heritage Corridor and SouthWest Service, the North Central Service is fully ADA-accessible.

No tickets are sold at any North Central Service stations outside Chicago. Passengers must purchase tickets either on the train or with Ventra.