Cottage Grove
6300S
800E
800E
Cottage Grove is presently the slightly unconventional terminus of the East 63rd Green Line branch, the only portion of the southern portion of the Green Line that is on an elevated structure above a street. The station was never intended to be a terminus and has an awkward design of two side platforms with a crossover switch before the station. This means trains must relay before they stop (with an island platform this operation works well). The line's original terminus was in Jackson Park (1600E at Stoney Island Avenue) and this lasted for almost 100 years. The branch was originally built for the 1893 Columbia Exposition (World's Fare) held in Jackson Park. In 1982 service was suspended do to a defective bridge across the Illinois Central (Metra Electric) tracks and cut back to University (just one more stop beyond today's terminus).The Cottage Grove station was fully renovated into its current configuration in 1989. During the 1994 to 1996 renovation project a new intermodal terminal was planned at Dorchester (at the 63rd Street Metra Station) but neighborhood NIBYISM for the elevated structure cut service back to Cottage Grove when the line reopened after some work on the line had already been completed. The elevated beyond the station was cut back to the very end of the Cottage Grove platform in 1997 (Chicago-L.org, again).
Today the station has bumper blocks on the tracks are directly at the end of the two side platforms. Beyond them is a narrow walkway built for crew members and a small modular building used as crew quarters before the elevated structure abruptly ends above the middle of East 63rd Street (History on Chicago-L.org http://www.chicago-l.org/operations/lines/jacksonpark.html) midway on the block between Cottage Grove and Maryland Avenues. The two side platforms lack a free crossover or under in an identical configuration to King Drive (and was cut back to exit only Jackson Park-bound in 1970). They have blue fencing and white structures for everything else with a canopy over the middle of the platforms, exposed at the ends. The northern platform is the only platform that has fare control, and most trains (unless their heading to the yard) come in on that platform to terminate. The fact that the branches of the Green Line have terrible 20 minute or worse headways (even during rush hour!) make the one track terminus operation function. This platform has two extra-wide staircases (one on each northern corner of 63rd and Cottage Grove) and an elevator up from the NW corner. These lead up to the turnstiles set between two former cashers booths directly on the platform. The southern platform can only be used by terminating trains since it is only an exit platform: Two street stairs with high exit turnstiles at their upper landing down to each side of Cottage Grove Avenue. An elevator leads down to the SW corner where there is an extra wide high turnstile directly on the street.
Photos 1-13 taken on 3 August, 2011, 14-29 on 4 July, 2013
