Highland Park is a Union Pacific North Station, and the namesake station of 4 (including special event Ravinia Park) stations in the City of Highland Park. The station consists of two low-level side platforms that begin just beyond the underpass of Laurel Avenue and run south. The platforms each begin with staircases up from the south sidewalk of Laurel Avenue with an additional pedestrian crossing between the tracks in the middle of the platforms. The platforms used to extend across the underpass but these former platform areas have been closed off with more recent ADA modifications. Here each platform has its amenities: The Inbound platform (on the left-hand running western side) has a large stone station house with a ticket office open for one weekday morning shift, the building is open 4:30am to 8:00pm 7 days a week. The outbound platform has a modern stone shelter in the same style as the depot with glass windscreens and benches on both sides protecting both passengers waiting for outbound trains and for connecting Pace Buses in the station's bus loop. Surrounding the platforms is plenty of commuter parking, with most on the Inbound platform in a lot that extends south, between the tracks and Sheridan Road. The Outbound platform's parking lot is between this platform and 1st Street. There are two unique garages (designed to serve downtown businesses) just north of the station that begin just beyond the underpass of Laurel Avenue. These garages have two levels, a lower-level with an entrance closest to Laurel Avenue and an upper level accessed closest to Central Avenue which crosses the tracks at a grade-crossing one block north of the station. This is because 1st Street and St. Johns Avenue rise up from their intersections with Central Avenue which has an underpass beneath the railroad.
Photos 1-9: 15 July, 2009; 10-18: 17 July, 2009; 19-21: 27 October, 2011; 22-27: 30 October, 2011
Highwood 