Ashland branch

The Ashland branch, formerly known as the Englewood branch, is a 3.0 mi (4.8 km) long branch of the Chicago "L" currently operated as the Green Line, serving the Englewood and West Englewood neighborhoods of Chicago, Illinois.

Ashland branch
Overview
Type	Rapid transit
System	Chicago "L"
Status	Operational
Locale	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Termini	Halsted Ashland/63rd
Stations	2
Services	Green
Operation
Opened	November 3, 1905
Operator(s)	Chicago Transit Authority (1947-present) Chicago Rapid Transit Company (1924-1947) South Side Elevated Railroad (1905-1924)
Character	Elevated
Rolling stock	5000-series
Technical
Line length	3.0 mi (4.8 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Electrification	Third rail, 600 V DC
Route map South Side Main Line to Loop State Rock Island District Wentworth Dan Ryan branch to State Street Subway Princeton Dan Ryan branch to 95th/Dan Ryan Harvard Normal Park branch to 69th Parnell Southwest Service (former C&WI) Halsted Chicago and Interurban Traction Company Racine Ashland Yard Loomis Ashland/63rd

History

The first station on the Ashland branch, State, opened November 3, 1905. After an incremental series of expansions, service was extended to the branch's first terminal at Loomis on July 13, 1907. On May 6, 1969, the Ashland/63rd terminal opened, replacing the old terminal at Loomis. On January 9, 1994, the Green Line closed for renovation. When the line reopened on May 12, 1996, the Englewood branch was renamed the Ashland branch.[1]

Station listing

Station[2][3]	Location	Points of interest and notes
State	State Street and 59th Street	Opened November 3, 1905, closed September 2, 1973
Wentworth	5913 S. Wentworth Avenue	Opened December 10, 1905, closed February 9, 1992
Princeton	Princeton Avenue and 61st Street	Opened January 11, 1906, closed August 1, 1949
Harvard	Harvard Avenue and 63rd Street	Opened November 3, 1906, closed February 9, 1992. North-eastern terminus of Normal Park branch; May 25, 1907 to January 29, 1954
Parnell	Parnell Avenue near 63rd Street	Opened December 24, 1906, closed July 31, 1949
Halsted	6321 S. Halsted Street	Kennedy-King College, Englewood, Whole Foods Market
Racine (Originally Center Street)	6314-16 S. Racine Avenue	Opened February 25, 1907, closed January 9, 1994
Loomis	Loomis Street and 63rd Street	Opened July 13, 1907, closed 1969, replaced by Ashland/63rd
Ashland/63rd	6315 S. Ashland Avenue	Englewood, West Englewood

References

1. Green Line:Ashland (Englewood) branch Chicago "L".org. Accessed August 17, 2013
2. Chicago Elevated Chicago Elevated Railways 1913. Accessed August 16, 2013
3. CTA Route Map Chicago Transit Authority. 1970. Accessed August 17, 2013