Morse
7400N
1600W
1600W
The Morse Station was closed for a 'Life-Extension Renovation' (did not include installing an elevator, the platform is too narrow for one) from June 29, 2012 to August 14, 2012 that renovated the station house among other things. I visited in October 2011 so this description is of the station in its pre-renovation state: the stop has a single island platform that serves the middle local tracks of the 4 track Northside Main Line, the Purple Line bypasses the station on the outside tracks. The wooden platform lacks a blue tactile warning strip and is covered by a canopy that runs its entire length. Starting at the northern end of the platform there is an auxiliary exit that leads down a single staircase to a single farecards only high entrance/exit turnstile. This is slightly set back from the street and passengers must walk through a pedestrian plaza between brick storefronts that are directly beneath the concrete embankment/viaduct of the 'L' and the southside of Lunt Avenue. The main entrance is towards the southern end of the platform. Here there are two staircases with red banisters surrounded by wood and plexiglass enclosures. These lead down to street level. Doors lead out north of here to high exit turnstiles on each side of the concrete elevated structure to each direction of Glenwood Avenue that the 'L' structure is in the median of. Going the other way from the staircases passengers reach the station house that still has most of its original molding and white tiled walls since the station opened in the earl y 1920s. Here there are three modern turnstiles alongside an old and original cashiers booth. These lead out to three doors beneath the middle of the concrete overpass to the northside Morse Avenue along brick storefronts between two small businesses on each side of the station entrances. There is a walled off staircase at the southern end of the platform and an empty area between two storefronts on the southside of Morse Avenue, this was once an auxiliary exit. Some of the concrete that the 'L' line is along near the station are covered in murals for the surrounding neighborhood of Rogers Park.
All photos taken on 25 October, 2011
