McHenry UP-Northwest branch questions

[2200SeriesFan]

I've kept meaning to ask this, has the very few number of trains going to McHenry on the Union Pacific Northwest line on weekdays(and no weekend trains) always remained the same, since Metra took over all commuter rail service in the 1980s? Also, I wonder if there was once a greater number of trains that ran(and possibly also weekend service on this branch?), back before the tracks north of McHenry(and going up to Lake Geneva) were removed decades ago? I suppose it is better than nothing a bike trail is in the place the single track used to be, though.

Finally the last thing I was gonna ask, what is the status of Metra adding a Johnsburg(? correct me if I'm wrong about the town name north of McHenry) stop, and/or additional service on the McHenry branch. I am aware there are a handful of Pace midday/afternoon bus runs that connect it to Woodstock and Crystal Lake for those who take the lone northbound McHenry train up to McHenry on weekdays(it's at least 2 of the 806-808 routes), but always thought it'd be nice to have at least a few return SB Metra runs from McHenry other than on weekday mornings.

Thanks to anyone who can answer some, and/or possibly most(or all, lol) of my questions. And sorry about the slightly weird description, I meant that to end by saying 'CNW days'.

[busfan2847]

I've kept meaning to ask this, has the very few number of trains going to McHenry on the Union Pacific Northwest line on weekdays(and no weekend trains) always remained the same, since Metra took over all commuter rail service in the 1980s? Also, I wonder if there was once a greater number of trains that ran(and possibly also weekend service on this branch?), back before the tracks north of McHenry(and going up to Lake Geneva) were removed decades ago? I suppose it is better than nothing a bike trail is in the place the single track used to be, though.

The service level has not changed significantly for many years.

In 1950 there were 2 trains inbound from Williams Bay am Monday to Saturday, a midday train M-S which was withdrawn in 5/13/1950. There was an additional S only afternoon train in the summer and 1 train in the late afternoon on Sundays. From Downtown there was a morning train M-S to Williams bay withdrawn 5/13/1950 and two afternoon trains (1 M-F, 1 M-S). In addition there was a midday train S to Williams Bay and finally a single morning train on Sundays.

Service from Lake Geneva to Williams Bay was withdrawn 12/31/1965. Service from Richmond to Lake Geneva was withdrawn on 8/11/1975 and from McHenry to Richmond 8/1/1980. The service frequency remained the same during all these cutbacks with seven day service.

Sunday service was withdrawn in 1981 and Saturday service reduced to one train each way - to Chicago in the morning and out in the late afternoon (still express trains with limited stops).

From 4/2/1989 an additional pair of trains were introduced out and back in the morning. So actually the M-F service has increased under Metra and is now back to the level pre May 1950!

The final change was the withdrawal of the final pair of Saturday trains from 8/14/2004.

[Busjack]

Finally the last thing I was gonna ask, what is the status of Metra adding a Johnsburg(? correct me if I'm wrong about the town name north of McHenry) stop, and/or additional service on the McHenry branch.

There was once a New Start proposal to extend the line to Johnsburg, basically only drawing the ire of a former blogger known as Sick Transit Chicago. Nothing has been heard of it in the past few years, and since Metra has pretty much written off the Star Line as not going to be funded, I don't see them pushing for anything there.

The Pace buses are usually paratransits, and it appears that the McHenry branch is just a light one-track branch, its main function being providing a place for Phil Pagano to kill himself.