Metra Milwaukee Dist. North Line, Chicago to Grayslake

For those of you who commute on this route every day, take a look at it through the eyes of a city boy riding it for the first time.

As usual, I'm looking for the urban and suburban grit: The faded factories, the railroad bridges minus their tracks, rooftop water tanks, grass-covered landfills, yards full of school buses and scrap metal, residual floodwaters from last month's torrential rains, a Lexus LS400 that's seen better days, and, just south of Grayslake, a mountain of gravel.

An observation: Commuter station parking lots are a sea of black and metallic silver, pewter, gray-green, blue-gray, beige, and gunmetal gray, broken by the occasional maroon and pearl white. Even the sports cars. Come on, folks! Go crazy! Red! Yellow! Lime green! Live a little!

Finally, at the end of my journey, I encounter an age-old problem for train (and plane and bus) travelers;-)

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Chicago
• Grayslake
• Milwaukee
• Metra
• North
• landfill

[blaquestrength]

Although I live in Cleveland, I have never been in Chicago proper (airport only) I would like to make it a summer trip and I have thought about the possibility of moving there...however it would be a lateral move because of the climate...Chicago appears to be a nice city from your vid

[artistmac]

It is... But if you fly into Midway Airport, rent a car and drive downtown, watch out for the potholes;-)

[artistmac]

No, I had just gotten off the 12:35 from Chicago. That train at the end was the 1:58 going back south. The guy who was supposed to be there to pick me up didn't show, but a quick cel-phone call reminded him;-)

[ChicagoJoe57]

Great video as always! You handle the camera well for riding a train.

[eskinny21]

great footage!

[jonrev]

I took that route to Chicago last year. The Grayslake station is pretty much down the street from me.

Did you see the Amoco station with all the Amoco signs still up on Waukegan Road on your trip?

[iceaclmicacle]

i live in round lake, and i've taken this trip like a billion times, so i don't need 2 see this crap! lmfaoooo

[DaFaceManXXX]

Opps my bad it may be the train going heading Northbrook near Lake Cook Road.

[DaFaceManXXX]

This the train to Schamgburg and B.T., shares with the Amtrak's route the Hawi. and Empire Builder. Pass North ave, there another track and switch on that track over there on Cicero Grand ave stop.

[patrulz13]

dam man, i take the libertyville/chicago line all the time when me and my friends go to the city!