(Note: Originally, the book had longer narrative descriptions of the local commuter rail lines. The final format simply didn’t allow for all this material, so periodically I’ll post selected entries here with updates when appropriate.)
The Union Pacific/Northwest Line serves a fair chunk of Chicago, starting with Ukrainian Village and Old Irving Park, and then heading westward to Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, and Edison Park. One of the top attractions for the UPNW Line riders is Arlington Park Racetrack, a world-class thoroughbred racing site and home to the annual Arlington Million. The train delivers you just adjacent to the track, no shuttles needed. The regular Arlington Heights stop takes you downtown and within a block of the Metropolis Performing Arts Center (111 W. Campbell St., 847-577-2121), although many of the shows there tend to come from the city anyway. You may be more likely to find an act that doesn’t stop in the city at the Woodstock Opera House (121 E Van Buren St., 815-338-4212), towards the end of the line in historic Woodstock. (They don’t actually showcase much opera, but Leon Redbone shows up from time to time.) Commuters traveling to and from the corporate cluster around Barrington will find Pace shuttle service to Siemens, AT&T, Claires, Allstate and ADP. About a third of all trains go on from Woodstock to Harvard, IL, and during rush hour, selected runs head to McHenry.
