Belmont
Fullerton
3200N
1000W
1000W
Fullerton is the most southern express station of the three on the Northside Main Line and the last transfer point between the Red Line trains (running express here) and Brown and Purple Line 'Express' trains (that are actually running local), the lines share the same ROW until just south of Armitage which is a local stop with side platforms bypassed by the Red Line in the center tracks just before it enters the State Street Subway and the two lines separate. The configuration of the switches means with the Armitage Interlocking (allowing switching between all four tracks) north of the Armitage Station means a train from the State Street Subway can't stop at Armitage but on either track at Fullerton.
The station was renovated as part of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project (although it could already platform 8 car Red Line Trains) and received elevators. Before the renovations the station had two slightly offset side platforms from platform extensions, and some very old Blue signs. A few photos below are from a pre-renovation visit in 2005. The new station has a nearly identical design to the other express stop, Belmont. The expansion project including widening the platforms and the train's ROW which required the CTA to purchase and demolish adjacent buildings. The historic 1900 station house was also relocated from the south to the north side of the street and reopened, it had been closed since 1996 due to fire set by an arsonist.
Today's station has two concrete island platforms that have modern slightly translucent glass canopies held up by central cream colored supports. These run from nearly the northern end of the platforms to about one and a half car lengths before the southern end of the platforms with that portion left exposed. The station has two entrances, one on each side of Fullerton Avenue:
The main entrance is on the south side of the street here there is no station house but a silver hanging light structure that says "Fullerton — cta Red, Purple, Brown Lines." Straight ahead there is first a modern silver customer assistance booth, behind it is the bank of turnstiles. The FVMs are along each side of the turnstile area that is framed by escalators that rise up over the street and up to each platform. The bottom of these escalators are clad in white bricks. There is an additional high exit only turnstile at the foot of each escalator on the other side of the central turnstiles. Next there is an elevator up to each platform followed by a wide staircase. This reaches an intermediate landing and then two staircases on each side of it lead in opposite directions up to each of the platforms. Doors Open Everywhere at Fullerton, 2009 by Michael Dinges is a Venetian glass, marble and stone mosaic on the white tiled wall on the intermediate landing wall.
The historic 1900 station house has been restored to its original brown brick color on the north side of the street. Wooden doors lead inside the wood paneled building with wood trim along the windows. There is a rare FVM at an entrance of high entrance turnstiles with two leading outside the rear of the station house. There is an additional high exit turnstile on each side of station house. In the area the the side of the station house has a Cast Bronze Sculpture Landslide by Derick Malkemus. To reach the platforms a wide staircase leads up to an intermediate landing before splitting into two and a single staircase leads up to about a car-length south of the northern end of each platform.
Photos: 1-9 taken on 15 July, 2006; 10-33 on 4 August, 2011; 33-44: 1 July, 2018
