BNSF Line

BNSF Line
BNSF Line
	An inbound Metra train arrives in Naperville, pushed by an MP36PH-3S.
Overview
Owner	BNSF Railway (Leased to Metra)
Termini	Union Station; Aurora;
Stations	26
Service
Type	Commuter rail
System	Metra
Operator(s)	BNSF Railway; Metra
Rolling stock	EMD F40PH/F40PHM-3 locomotives; Gallery Cars
Daily ridership	63,000 (average weekday 2018)
Ridership	6,165,657 (2023)
Technical
Line length	37.5 miles (60.4 km)
Number of tracks	2 (at Aurora station); 3 (elsewhere)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed	Up to 70 miles per hour (110 km/h)
Route map
	Legend
	HC to Joliet
	SWS to Manhattan
	1.8 mi
	2.9 km
	3.8 mi
	6.1 km
	7.0 mi
	11.3 km
	8.5 mi
	13.7 km
	9.1 mi
	14.6 km
	9.6 mi
	15.4 km
	10.1 mi
	16.3 km
	11.1 mi
	17.9 km
	11.8 mi
	19 km
	12.3 mi
	19.8 km
	13.1 mi
	21.1 km
	13.8 mi
	22.2 km
	14.2 mi
	22.9 km
	15.5 mi
	24.9 km
	16.4 mi
	26.4 km
	16.9 mi
	27.2 km
	17.8 mi
	28.6 km
	18.3 mi
	29.5 km
	19.5 mi
	31.4 km
	20.4 mi
	32.8 km
	21.2 mi
	34.1 km
	22.6 mi
	36.4 km
	24.5 mi
	39.4 km
	28.5 mi
	45.9 km
	31.6 mi
	50.9 km
	33.4 mi
	53.8 km
	37.5 mi
	60.4 km
	Emeryville, Quincy,
	and Los Angeles
	Mileage source
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

The BNSF Line is a Metra commuter rail line operated by the BNSF Railway in Chicago and its western suburbs, running from Chicago Union Station to Aurora, Illinois. In 2010, the BNSF Line continued to have the highest weekday ridership (average 64,600) of the 11 Metra lines.^[3] While Metra does not refer to its lines by particular colors, the BNSF line's color on Metra timetables is "Cascade Green," in honor of the Burlington Northern Railroad.^[4]

As of February 16, 2024, the public timetable shows 91 trains (44 inbound, 47 outbound) on the BNSF Line on weekdays. Of these, 32 inbound trains originate from Aurora, one from Downers Grove Main Street, nine from Fairview Avenue, and two from Brookfield. Five outbound trains terminate at Brookfield, five at Fairview Avenue, three at Naperville, and the rest at Aurora. Weekend service consists of 36 trains (18 in each direction), with trains making all stops from Union Station to Aurora, save for a morning and afternoon express train in each direction that run express from Union Station to Downers Grove Main Street.

Bike cars are available on weekday trains #1212 (leaves 5:29 A.M.,) #1252 (leaves 9:04 A.M.,) and #1284 (leaves 5:04 P.M.) inbound from Aurora, and trains #1217 (leaves 7:33 A.M.,) #1239 (leaves 3:10 P.M.,) and #1283 (leaves 6:50 P.M.) outbound to Aurora.

Bike cars are available on weekend trains #2002 (leaves 6:20 A.M.) and #2012 (leaves 10:20 A.M.) inbound from Aurora, and trains #2003 (leaves 8:40 A.M.) and #2013 (leaves 2:40 P.M.) outbound to Aurora.

The line is operated by BNSF under a "purchase of service agreement" with Metra, inherited from Burlington Northern. While Metra owns all rolling stock, the management and crews are BNSF employees. BNSF is the owner of the right-of-way, controls the line and handles dispatching from corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas. Metra imposes a 70 mph maximum allowed speed for passenger trains. The BNSF Line may be the only Metra commuter line that operates via purchase-of-service agreements as of 2024 due to the Union Pacific Railroad announcing its intentions to transfer the operations and supplying of commuter trains to the Metra system itself for the routes originating from the Ogilvie Transportation Center.

^ "Operations and Ridership Data". Archived from the original on March 31, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
^ State of the System - BNSF
^ "Ridership Reports -System Facts". Metra. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
^ "Did you know?" (PDF). On the Bi-Level: 3. June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 2, 2010.

[1] "Operations and Ridership Data". Archived from the original on March 31, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2019.

[2] State of the System - BNSF

[autogenerated1-3] "Ridership Reports -System Facts". Metra. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2012.

[4] "Did you know?" (PDF). On the Bi-Level: 3. June 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 2, 2010.

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