West Chicago station

West Chicago is a station on Metra's Union Pacific/West Line, located in West Chicago, Illinois. The station is 29.7 miles (47.8 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center, the eastern terminus of the West Line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Chicago is in zone F. As of 2018, West Chicago is the 88th busiest of the 236 non-downtown stations in the Metra system, with an average of 586 weekday boardings.[1]

West Chicago
Location508 West Main Street
West Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates41.8811°N 88.1989°W / 41.8811; -88.1989
Owned byUnion Pacific
Platforms1 side platform, 1 island platform
Tracks3
Construction
ParkingYes
Disabled accessYes
Other information
Fare zoneF
History
Opened1912
Rebuilt1990
Traffic
Passengers (2018)586 (average weekday)[1]  11.2%
Rank88 out of 236[1]
Services
Preceding station Metra Following station
Geneva
toward Elburn
 Union Pacific / West Winfield
toward Ogilvie
Former services
Preceding station Chicago and North Western Railway Following station
Geneva
toward Omaha
 Main Line Wheaton
toward Chicago
Geneva
Terminus
 Galena Division Winfield
toward Chicago
Wayne
toward Freeport
 Freeport Branch Terminus

West Chicago station lies south of the West Chicago City Hall and next to the Wilson Avenue Bridge. It is located at ground level and consists of two platforms and three tracks. Two tracks separate the side and island platforms, and one track lies south of the island platform. The island platform is accessed via a tunnel between the parking lot and the tracks. There is an unstaffed station house at the north side of the station, with a waiting room that is open from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.

History

The original West Chicago station served the main line of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad which never reached its western terminus before being acquired by the Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW) in 1864. The line became part of Metra during the 1980s, while C&NW's successor.

In 1988, the West Chicago City Council announced plans to build a new commuter train station to replace a waiting room leased by the rail company at the West Chicago Community Center.

Metra budgeted $1.69 million for projects including the station building, new lighting, track drainage, and parking spaces for 200 cars. Metra allocated $235,000 of that funding to the station building. According to policy, Metra allocated only enough money to fund a standard commuter station. West Chicago added an extra $25,000 from the city's capital projects fund to alter the modern architectural style to a vintage, 19th-century look.[2]

The station officially opened on July 14, 1990. The opening coincided with the city's annual "Railroad Days" celebration, celebrating West Chicago's heritage as a railroad town.[3]

A new parking lot was opened in 2001 and added more than 170 spots, doubling the commuter parking available at the station.[4] City officials had hoped that expansion would attract more traffic to the train station and bring commercial development to the nearby downtown area.[5] The second lot is located east of the first lot, and started to provide daily parking at $1 per day. The original parking lot was changed to permit parking only.[6]

References
  1. "Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018" (PDF). metrarail.com. April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2019.
  2. Szymczaks, Patricia (December 22, 1988). "West Chicago plans old-time rail station". The Chicago Tribune. p. 8 (Section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Handley, John (September 26, 1990). "West Chicago demonstrates the approach Metra takes toward its commuter stations". The Chicago Tribune. p. 24 (Section 8) – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Griffin, Jake (January 18, 2001). "Metra parking lot expands to meet W. Chicago needs". The Daily Herald. p. 4.
  5. Greco Jr., Carmen (April 29, 1998). "City hopes expanded lot adds up to more More parking for Metra riders may lead to redevelopment in West Chicago". The Daily Herald. p. 6.
  6. Gibula, Gary (January 18, 2001). "Parking lot eases crowding at Metra stop". The Chicago Tribune. p. 3 (Section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
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