Editing Orange Line (CTA) (section)

==Route==
[[File:CTA 2600 series 2016.jpg|thumb|left|The Orange Line uses the inner track of the [[The Loop (CTA)|Loop]] through downtown]]
The Orange Line begins in an open cut at a station on the east side of [[Midway International Airport]]. From here, the line rises to an elevated viaduct at 55th Street and continues northeast towards the city on railroad right-of-way. Near the intersection of 49th Street and Lawndale Avenue, the line turns east along a [[CSX Transportation]] right-of-way to a point east of Western Boulevard, then curves north and northwest on embankment structure along CSX right-of-way to Western Boulevard and Pershing Road.

From here, the line rises on elevated structure again and makes a curve to cross Archer Avenue, the CSX tracks and Western Boulevard before descending onto the [[Illinois Central Railroad]] ([[Canadian National|CN]]) right-of-way immediately east of Western Boulevard. Entering the IC right-of-way, the line again changes from elevated structure to surface level. The line continues on surface level to Ashland Avenue where it crosses a bridge over [[Bubbly Creek]], a fork of the South Branch of the [[Chicago River]]. At this point, the line enters the joint [[Illinois Central]] and [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe]] ([[Burlington Northern Santa Fe|BNSF]]) Railroad right-of-way continuing on embankment to Canal Street.

There the line again transitions to the elevated structure to bridge Canal Street, [[Cermak Road]] and the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad tracks then curves east to run along the south side of 18th Street, crossing over the [[Red Line (CTA)|Red Line]] and the [[Rock Island District]] tracks near Wentworth Avenue, before joining the South Side Elevated at a flying junction between 16th and 17th Streets. The ballasted track ends and the timber deck begins here. Orange Line trains share the tracks with the [[Green Line (CTA)|Green Line]] operating from this junction to Tower 12 at the southeast corner of the [[The Loop (CTA)|Loop]]. Orange Line trains operate clockwise around the inner loop – via Van Buren Street, Wells Street, Lake Street and Wabash Avenue – before returning to Midway.

Along the Orange Line's main route there are seven stations. An eighth station is located at [[Roosevelt station (CTA)|Roosevelt/Wabash]] on the South Side Elevated which Orange Line trains share with [[Green Line (CTA)|Green Line]] trains. A passenger tunnel connects this station with the [[Roosevelt station (CTA)|Roosevelt/State]] subway station on the [[Red Line (CTA)|Red Line]].

A downtown superstation was proposed to provide express service from the Loop to [[O'Hare International Airport|O'Hare]] and Midway airports, but the project was canceled during the excavation process due to significant cost overruns.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20080611/NEWS10/200029790/cta-to-halt-over-budget-superstation|title=CTA to halt over-budget superstation|last=Hinz|first=Greg|date=June 11, 2008|work=ChicagoBusiness.com|publisher=Crain Communications Inc.|access-date=June 11, 2008}}</ref>