Metra Electric Marks 100 Years of Electrified Service

Chicago’s Metra Electric Line has marked 100 years of electrification, a change that replaced steam trains, reshaped the lakefront and still defines commuter service to the South Side and suburbs.

At a July 23 event at Millennium Station, Metra displayed three vintage railcars⁠ that had served the route during different periods of its history. The anniversary also recalled the line’s first electric trains, which began running on July 21, 1926, exactly 70 years after Illinois Central launched suburban service.

Electrification reshaped Chicago’s lakefront

Illinois Central laid the corridor’s tracks in 1850. Chicago initially approved a lakefront alignment because the railway helped protect the shore from erosion, but steam locomotives eventually filled the area with smoke and noise. The city then required Illinois Central to electrify the suburban line.

The work was completed in 1926 alongside grade separation, which placed railway operations and street traffic on different levels. Together, the projects cost about $52 million—nearly $1 billion in today’s money—and opened space for the further development of Grant Park and Burnham Park.

Electrification also established the operating character that distinguishes the corridor today. Metra says its electric trains operate faster, cleaner and quieter, while the line avoids the freight interference that affects other Chicago commuter routes. Metra acquired the corridor from Illinois Central in 1987 and renamed it Metra Electric.

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Centennial connects history with transit reform

Metra used the centennial to highlight the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, the regional governance body created to replace the Regional Transportation Authority. RTA’s transition guidance⁠ estimates that the legislation will provide $1.2 billion in new annual operating support for CTA, Metra and Pace, plus approximately $180 million a year for transit capital needs.

Executive Director and CEO Jim Derwinski described the new structure as “a golden opportunity” to make public transportation work better for the region. His comment tied the anniversary to a current policy change rather than presenting electrification as a purely historical achievement.

The centennial program⁠ continues with limited-edition commemorative tickets available from July 31 through August 7, while supplies last. The promotion extends Metra’s anniversary activities beyond the press event and station pop-ups held earlier in the summer.