The North Central Service (NCS) is a Metracommuter rail line running from Union Station in downtown Chicago through northwestern and far northern suburbs to Antioch, Illinois. In December 2022, the public timetable shows seven weekday departures from Chicago. This line does not run at all on weekends or holidays.[3] 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 one of two Metra lines (the other being the Union Pacific West Line) that do not have a specific color for a fallen flag railroad that used to operate on the route.
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.[4] As of 2023[update], this is the only new commuter 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.
As of February 15, 2024, Metra operates 14 trains (seven in each direction) on the line on weekdays, with all trains running the full length of the route from Antioch to Union Station. One inbound train and one outbound train run express between Western Avenue and Wheeling.
No tickets are sold at any North Central Service stations outside Chicago. Passengers must purchase tickets either on the train or with Ventra.
Recent history
On January 30, 2006 four new stations on the North Central Service opened: Belmont Avenue in Franklin Park, Schiller Park, Rosemont, and Washington Street in Grayslake.[5] Service doubled from 10 to 20 trains per day with this change in the timetable, combined with double tracking of large portions of the line and the CN rerouting freight traffic south of Mundelein.[6]
On September 11, 2006 service expanded from 20 to 22 trains when Metra split one rush-hour local train in each direction into two express trains.
Notably, the line goes through Des Plaines but does not have a station there. The station in Des Plaines was on Thacker Street and closed in 1965. However, Des Plaines is currently serviced by the Union Pacific Northwest Line.
Metra has considered adding weekend service to the North Central Service ever since Saturday service was added to the SouthWest Service, and has also considered operating six trains between Chicago and Antioch, like the SouthWest Service.
On February 5, 2018 service was reduced from 22 to 20 trains when Metra combined two rush-hour express trains into one rush hour semi-express.
As of April 2021, NCS service is limited to rush hours in the peak direction only–towards Chicago in the morning and towards Antioch in the afternoon. This makes the NCS one of 3 Metra lines (along with the Heritage Corridor and the SouthWest Service) to only offer peak service.
From August 12–30, 2024 during the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Metra operated expanded NCS service. The regularly scheduled weekday trains were supplemented by 15 hourly round trips between O'Hare Transfer station and Union Station, making only intermediate stops at River Grove and Western Avenue. On weekends, there were 16 hourly round trips serving the same stations, with no service north of O'Hare Transfer.[7]
Ridership
Between 2014 and 2019, annual ridership declined 12.5% from 1,817,335 to 1,589,905.[8][9] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership dropped to 340,682 passengers in 2020 and to 146,668 passengers in 2021.[10][11][12]
