| Shore Line Route | |
|---|---|
 Chicago and Milwaukee Electric car 37 in Wilmette | |
| Overview | |
| Other name(s) | Shore Line Division; Shore Line |
| Status | Defunct |
| Locale | Lake and Cook Counties, Illinois |
| Termini |
|
| Stations | 52 (including 16 Chicago "L" stations) in 1954 |
| Service | |
| Type | Interurban |
| Operator(s) |
|
| Ridership |
|
| History | |
| Commenced | 25 June 1894 |
| Opened | 30 May 1895 |
| Completed | 6 August 1899 |
| Closed | 25 July 1955 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 37.37 miles (60 km), including 15.97 miles (26 km) of trackage rights over Chicago "L" |
| Number of tracks | 2-4 |
| Character | Double-tracked mainline
|
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Electrification | Overhead line, 600v DC |
The Shore Line Route (also known as the Shore Line Division or the Shore Line) was an electrified rail line of the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad in the U.S. state of Illinois.
The line operated south from the city of Waukegan, through the North Shore communities, and on to the Linden Avenue "L" terminal in Wilmette, where Shore Line trains continued over the Evanston Line to the Howard Street "L" terminal in Chicago. From Howard Street, Shore Line trains continued south over the "L" system, through the Loop, and on to a downtown terminal at Roosevelt Road.
The Shore Line Route was constructed between 1894 and 1899 by the Bluff City Electric Railway and later the Chicago and Milwaukee Electric Railroad, before operations were assumed by the reorganized North Shore Line in 1916. After Chicago–Milwaukee service was rerouted over the Skokie Valley Route in 1926, the line was retained for Chicago–Waukegan suburban service until 1955, when all passenger service ceased and trackage was abandoned south of Highland Park. A single track was retained between North Chicago and Highland Park for freight and non-revenue service until 1963.
Much of the former right-of-way of the Shore Line Route has since been converted into rail trails.