Western Avenue
upleft  Grand/Cicero 
up  Healy 
Union Station  right 
Home<Chicago<Metra<Milwaukee District North<Western Avenue
Home<Chicago<Metra<North Central Service<Western Avenue
Home<Chicago<Metra<Milwaukee District West<Western Avenue

Western Avenue on the Milwaukee District North, Milwaukee District West, and North Central Service (not to be confused with the Western Avenue stop on the BNSF Railway 2.5 miles south of this Metra Station) is the first stop on all 3 lines after Union Station. Nearly all trains on the 3 Metra Routes that serve the station stop, just a few Rush Hour trains don't. The stop is just after the ex-Milwaukee Road tracks cross the ex-Chicago and Northwestern tracks at a grade, just south of the station. These tracks are used by the Union Pacific West Line and trains running on this line are visible in the distance from the station platforms, beyond the edge of a railroad yard.

The station itself has 2 platforms, for the three track line. There is an island platform primarily used by Inbound trains and a side platform for outbound trains. The island platform is accessed by an underground tunnel at it's southern end accessed by a staircase and ADA compliant ramp at its southern end. This ADA ramp is surrounded by an overhanging canopy structure that provides the only shelter on the platform. This tunnel leads to an opening beneath the tracks at the dead end of Artesian Avenue (a block west of Western Avenue). Here the Inbound platform has a boarded-up brick station house at it's southern end. Access to the Inbound platform is from a staircase and ramp on the opposite side of the station house from the tunnel via a small parking lot that angles upwards towards the level of the platform. This parking lot forms a triangle with the platform, the end of Atesian Avenue and Hubbard Street. The overhaning porch on the platform-side of the station house provides the only shelter to Outbound waiting passengers (which are plentiful at this station).
Photos 1-24 taken on 4 June, 2017; 25-33: 2 November, 2011

Page 1|Page 2
western_avenue1
Passengers get off a just arrived train
western_avenue2
A Western Avenue sign in some brush across from the platform
western_avenue3
Metra Galley Car #7291 leaves the station
western_avenue4
The locomotive pushes a Union Station-bound Milwaukee North train out of the station
western_avenue5
F59PHI #416 pushes a Union Station-bound train out of Western Avenue
western_avenue6
F59PHI #416 continues pushing a Union Station-bound train out of the station
western_avenue7
western_avenue8
The exit off the island platform across from the station house on the side platform
western_avenue9
Starting down the ramp off the island platform
western_avenue10
Inside the tunnel off the island platform
western_avenue11
Approaching the opening to the street from the tunnel off the island platform
western_avenue12
Bike racks off the platform
western_avenue13
The unmarked entrance to the island platform
western_avenue14
The side of the elevated depot as the overed entrances line each end of the depot
western_avenue15
A sign on the ramp out out to the Outbound platform
western_avenue16
Looking across to the enclosed ramp from the outbound platform
western_avenue17
western_avenue18
A Western Avenue platform sign
western_avenue19
F40s #137 and #155 pull a train on the UP West Line out of the station
western_avenue20
F40s #137 and #155 off in the distance
Page 1|Page 2
Home<Chicago<Metra<Milwaukee District North<Western Avenue
Home<Chicago<Metra<North Central Service<Western Avenue
Home<Chicago<Metra<Milwaukee District West<Western Avenue
Metra

Last Updated: 16 November, 2017
All photos are by Jeremiah Cox
This website is not allifiated with Metra Commuter Rail, or any other transit provider
This Website is copyright © 2003-2024, Jeremiah Cox. Please do not remote link or copy images from this website without permission. Contact the webmaster