Western
2100S
2400W
2400W
Western is a standard Pink Line Station that was closed for renovations from December 2, 2002 to June 4, 2004 (Full History on Chicago-L.org) and a temporary station was used at Western-Hoyne. The stop's original 1896 incarnation (until 2002) had two side platforms. Today there is a single modern island platform. For about the western half at both exits at their western end there is the modern 'Renew the Blue' canopy with silver posts holding up canopies that have gabled angles with a combination of steel and glass roofs. The platform then becomes bare with more silver posts holding up signs that cross above passengers waiting on the platform. Towards the eastern end of the platform is a small (with three triangles) supplemental canopy with the same modern design.
To leave the station at the western end of the platform there are two exits. The first consists of a staircase/up escalator just before the end of the platform and an elevator at the end of the platform that lead down to the modern main station house located at street level on the east side of Western Avenue between Cullerton and 21st Streets. Art glass along the top of the modern station house says L-Rapid Transit in art deco lettering. Just south of the station house on a nearby building is Ice Cream Dream and mixed media mosaic mural by Hector Durante, 2004. This is just beneath art deco green L-Rapid Transit lettering that was installed in the 1930s directly on the facade of the station house and removed during the renovations.
The second auxiliary entrance is on the western side of Western Avenue, designed for safer bus connections. Here two high entrance farecard only turnstiles (without turnstiles) in their own little station house lead up to a staircase to a covered overpass between the tracks that leads up to the very western end of the platform.
All photos taken on 3 August, 2011
