Railroad Forums 

Discussion related to commuter rail and rapid transit operations in the Chicago area including the South Shore Line, Metra Rail, and Chicago Transit Authority.

Moderators: metraRI, JamesT4

 #108742  by byte
 
If you're referring to Metra and only Metra, then it would be the earliest train that ran on the day the official management changeover from RTA to Metra. But if you're thinking the RTA too (since it was Metra's predecessor), then I'm guessing it would have been a train on one of the former MILW routes.

 #108913  by AmtrakFan
 
I mean both.

 #108933  by metraRI
 
RI was the first line to be taken over by RTA.

 #109344  by F40CFan
 
If you want to go back further, the Milwaukee Road commuter service was funded by the NWSMTD in the early-mid-70's. While that wasn't the RTA, it still exists today under the RTA as far as I know.