Union Pacific West Line
| Company type | Commuter rail route |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Predecessor | Chicago & Northwestern/West Line |
| Founded | 1995 |
Area served | Chicago metropolitan area, Illinois, United States |
| Owner | Union Pacific Railroad |
| Parent | Metra (operations as of May 16, 2025) |
The Union Pacific West Line (UP-W) is a Metra commuter rail route managed by Union Pacific Railroad, providing service between Chicago and its western suburban areas. Its timetable features a distinctive "Kate Shelley Rose" pink hue, paying tribute to an Iowa woman who heroically prevented a Chicago & North Western Railway train disaster in 1881. Unlike other Metra lines, the UP-W’s color commemorates an individual rather than a memorial for a fallen railroad. Previously called the Chicago & Northwestern/West Line until Union Pacific's acquisition of C&NW in 1995, the route was extended from to in 2006. It runs along Union Pacific Railroad's Geneva Subdivision, which was originally part of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, the oldest rail line in Chicago.
Spanning 43.8 miles, this line connects the Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago with Elburn, stopping at 19 stations throughout the western suburbs.
As of February 16, 2024, Metra operates a total of 58 weekday trains on the UP-W line—29 inbound and 29 outbound. Most inbound services begin at Elburn (23), with others starting at La Fox, Geneva, and West Chicago. Outbound trains primarily conclude their journeys at Elburn, while some terminate at Geneva or La Fox. Weekend schedules offer full-route service with ten roundtrips on Saturdays and nine on Sundays and holidays.
To enhance traffic management and minimize conflicts between freight and commuter trains, Union Pacific is building a third track between West Chicago and Geneva. This construction started in September 2022 and is expected to be completed by July 2024.
In 2023, Union Pacific declared that all commuter train operations on its three Chicago-area lines would be transferred to Metra, although UP will maintain ownership of the tracks. Originally set for early 2024, this transition was postponed and finalized on May 16, 2025, representing a major change intended to simplify the administration of commuter rail services in the area.
Ridership
Since 2014, annual passenger numbers have fallen from 8,423,188 to 7,883,185, reflecting a decline of 6.4%. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp decrease in ridership to 1,945,886 in 2020 and further down to 1,486,536 in 2021.
Station stops
Elmhurst, Illinois Pace: 309, 332 rowspan=14 | Cook rowspan=7 | 2 Berkeley, Illinois Formerly named Proviso Bellwood, Illinois Pace: 313, 330 Melrose Park, Illinois Pace: 303, 309, 313 Maywood, Illinois Pace: 309, 313, 331 rowspan="2" | River Forest, Illinois Pace: 309, 313 Lathrop Closed December 1, 1958 rowspan="4" | Oak Park, IllinoisChicago "L": (at Template:Cta)CTA Bus: 90
Pace: 307, 309, 313, 318, 770 rowspan=5 Avenue Closed December 1, 1958 |-bgcolor=dfdfdf Ridgeland Closed December 1, 1958 |-bgcolor=dfdfdf Austin Boulevard Closed December 1,1958 |- rowspan="4" | Chicago bgcolor=dfdfdf Austin bgcolor=dfdfdf Closed December 1,1958 |-bgcolor=dfdfdf Keeler Employee only stop for maintenance facility |-2 Kedzie Chicago "L": (at Template:Cta Kedzie Green)
CTA Bus:52 |-1 Ogilvie Transportation CenterMetra : ,
Chicago "L": , (at Template:Cta Clinton Green and Pink)
CTA Bus:J14,19 ,56 ,60 ,120 ,124 ,125 ,126 ,128 ,130 ,157 ,192 |}
Freeport Branch
The Freeport Branch extended from West Chicago to Freeport, Illinois, with passenger service ending in the late 1940s. Metra has intentions to reinstate service between Big Timber Road and Rockford, including stops at Huntley and Belvidere, although there are currently no proposals to resume passenger operations south of Elgin.
| County | Zone | Location | Station | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kane | 4 | Elburn | Huskie Line: 12 | |
| La Fox | ||||
| St. Charles | St. Charles | St. Charles branch | ||
| 4 | Geneva | Pace: 801, 802 | ||
| DuPage | West Chicago | |||
| Winfield | ||||
| Wheaton | Pace: 301, 711, 714 | |||
| Pace: 714 | ||||
| Glen Ellyn | Pace: 715 | |||
| 3 | Lombard | |||
| Villa Park |
| County | Location | Station | Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stephenson | Freeport | Freeport | Illinois Central trains |
| Ridott | Ridott | ||
| Winnebago | Pecatonica | Pecatonica | |
| Winnebago | Winnebago | ||
| Rockford | Rockford | KD Line | |
| East Rockford | |||
| Cherry Valley | Cherry Valley | ||
| Boone | Belvidere | Belvidere | Trains to Spring Valley and Janesville |
| Garden Prairie | Garden Prairie | ||
| McHenry | Marengo | Marengo | |
| Union | Union | Illinois Railway Museum | |
| Huntley | Huntley | ||
| Kane | Gilberts | Gilberts | |
| Elgin | Elgin (West Side) | Trains to Crystal Lake, Milwaukee Road trains | |
| South Elgin | South Elgin | ||
| DuPage | Wayne | Wayne |