Aurora
The current Aurora Transportation Center opened in 1988. This new station relocated Metra Commuter Rail Service from downtown to across the Fox River to the former Burlington Northern and Quincy's Aurora Roundhouse and shops to increase parking capacity and build a stub-end terminal for commuter trains. This relocation also relocated Amtrak's western suburbs station for trains using the then-named Burlington Northern Line to Naperville from Aurora, since there are no platforms on the freight and Amtrak main line.
Metra train's terminate at two long stub-end side platforms for the two track line on the northside of the fully-grade-separated main line. Connections between the platforms are only at either end, beyond the bumper blocks (close to ) Spring Street, and a pedestrian grade-crossing at their opposite ends. Northeast of the station is the main BNSF rail yard requiring trains to reverse in and out of the terminus. These simple platforms have no immediate amenities for waiting passengers with the Aurora Roundhouse, now a restaurant and the Transportation Center in an attached historic stone building at a 90 degree angle west of and in the middle of the platforms. The inside of the transportation center contains a ticket office open 7 days a week (4:30am to 8:30pm Monday to Friday, and 6:00am to 8:20pm Saturday and Sunday). There are some wooden benches, and planters plus a few concessions, including a happening barber shop. The station also contains Ventra Vending Machines for PACE customers; PACE customers have their choice of 5 bus routes (most running 7 days a week). These buses stop at a bus loop opposite the train platform. This bus loop is well designed for passengers transferring between buses with buses running around the boarding island using left-hand running. Caboose #13690 is on permanent display.
Parking surrounds the station, there is a 700 space lot to the north of the depot. 130 spaces are towards the northern end of the platforms, between the Metra and freight mainline. Another 360 spaces are across the freight tracks with passengers using a pedestrian tunnel to access this lot, nestled between the freight line and Lincoln Avenue.
All Photos taken on 17 February, 2018
