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<p>During the late 19th Century, electrified railroads became popular in the United States. These railroads offered a viable, faster alternative to traditional steam railroads. In major cities, electrified railroads would be constructed either on steel viaducts or in subways. During the 1880s and 1890s, Chicago had seen an unprecedented level of growth, and constructing a reliable public transportation system became a must for the city. In 1892, the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Company ("Met") was given a charter by the City of Chicago to operate a four track mainline and four two track branch lines, connecting the Loop to the west side of Chicago. In 1895, the railroad opened the main line and a branch line to Logan Square, known as the Logan Square Branch. From near Paulina Street and Van Buren Street, the line generally headed north along Paulina Street, before turning northwest along Milwaukee Avenue, extending to Humboldt Boulevard.</p><p>In 1924, the Met became part of the Chicago Rapid Transit Company. In 1947, the CRT became part of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). During the early 1950s, the City of Chicago was in a period of transformation. A network of high speed highways was planned. In 1951, a new subway connecting the Milwaukee Avenue segment to the Loop opened, reducing the need for the Paulina Street line. The same year, the line between Milwaukee Avenue and Lake Street segment would be abandoned. By 1954, the Lake Street to Van Buren Street section would be abandoned. The remaining segment along Milwaukee Avenue would become part of the CTA Blue Line, and the portion of the line between Lake Street and Van Buren Street would be rebuilt for the CTA Pink Line in 2003.<br></p>
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