Western - CTA Blue Line - The SubwayNut

Western on the O'Hare Branch (not to be confused with Western on the Forest Park branch) was totally rebuilt and modernized in 2000-2001. All of the original features from the 1895 station except for the original 1930s facade were destroyed. Today the side platforms have modern white fencing and a modern box style canopy that covers the entire platform. This box includes crossbeams above the tracks and no supports except behind the platforms. The platforms are still made of wood. The main station house is located on the east side of Western Avenue. Here the facade was kept from a 1930s renovation when Western Avenue was widened with the distictive Green L Rapid Transit above the entrance doors. Western Avenue on the Pink Line has similar text that was sort-of saved during its renovations around the same time. To reach the platforms there is a staircases up to the O'Hare-bound platform, to the Downtown-bound platform there is a staircase and an elevator that first stops at the side platform before it continues up to an enclosed mezzanine and another elevator just down to the O'Hare-bound platform. This mezzanine also has staircase up to it, the reason for this overpass is a building is too close to the O'Hare-bound platform that doesn't allow an elevator to be built here. There are secondary entrances with a farecards only high entrance/exit turnstile directly at the NW-end of each platform, these were little temperary regular entrances to each platform while the station house was being rebuilt. These lead down to the western side of Western Avenue (the O'Hare-bound one directly at the SW corner of Hormer Street and Western Avenue).
All Photos: 17 July, 2009