User:SkokieValleyRoute/Waukegan city lines

The Waukegan City service was an electric street railway and bus system in the city of Waukegan, Illinois and surrounding communities. The Waukegan City service was operated by the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad (North Shore Line) and its predecessor companies from 1895 to 1948.

At its greatest extent, the street railway system consisted of two perpendicular lines with a combined total of 6.41 route miles (10 km). Bus service was introduced in 1923, and initially supplemented the street railway lines, before ultimately replacing them in 1937 and 1947. Bus operations were assumed by the newly incorporated Waukegan–North Chicago Transit Company in 1948.

Since 1983, bus service in Waukegan and surrounding communities has been provided by Pace as part of its Northern Division, though none of the routes are identical to those of the former City service.

North Avenue Line
The North Avenue Line ran 5.06 mi from North Chicago Junction to the north side of Waukegan, where it diverged into three branches at the intersection of North and Glen Flora Avenues. The Glen Flora West branch extended west along Glen Flora Avenue to Western Avenue, the Glen Flora East branch extended east along Glen Flora Avenue to Sheridan Road, and the Greenwood Avenue branch extended north along North Avenue to Greenwood Avenue. The North Avenue Line was located primarily in city streets, aside from 1.91 mi of private right-of-way from North Chicago Junction to 10th Street in Waukegan. Double-track operation existed between North Chicago Junction and Water Street, north of Water Street it was reduced to a single track, with passing loops on Franklin Street (between County Street and North Avenue) and on North Avenue (between Gillett and Ridgeland Avenues). Operations north of Water Street were protected by a Nachod signaling block system. Connections to the interurban lines of the North Shore Line were made at North Chicago Junction as well as at the intersection of Glen Flora and Western Avenues.

From North Chicago Junction, northbound cars entered South Genesee Street at 10th Street. From South Genesee Street, the route continued along Belvedere Road, Genesee Street, Clayton Street, County Street, Franklin Avenue, and North Avenue before diverging at Glen Flora Avenue. From there, alternate cars operated on the Glen Flora West and Greenwood Avenue branch lines; regular service on the Glen Flora East branch had ended with the opening of the Greenwood Avenue branch in 1928, though rush period service continued into the 1930s. Returning southbound from Franklin Avenue, cars operated on County Street and Water Street through downtown Waukegan, thereby avoiding the northbound route on Genesee and Clayton, before rejoining to the double-track operation. During the morning and evening rush periods, cars operated an additional 0.59 mi south of North Chicago Junction to a terminal at the Downey's East stop on the Shore Line Route, which served Naval Station Great Lakes.