63rd Street station (Metra)
63rd Street station is a commuter rail station within the city of Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and the Chicago neighborhood of South Chicago and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana. Most South Shore Line trains do not stop at this station, except for one inbound train during the AM rush and three outbound trains during the PM rush. As of 2018, the station is the 169th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 167 weekday boardings.[1]
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 The 63rd Street station in November 2016. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | 63rd Street & Dorchester Street Woodlawn, Chicago, Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 41.779785°N 87.590539°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owned by | Metra | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line(s) | University Park Sub District | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 island platforms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connections | CTA Bus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | B (Metra) 2 (South Shore Line) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | 1903 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrified | 1500v DC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Previous names | Woodlawn Park, 63rd Street (Woodlawn) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Passengers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | 167 (average weekday)[1]  44.1% (Metra) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | 169 out of 236[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
The station, originally named Woodlawn, was built by the Illinois Central Railroad (ICRR) in 1903, and served both ICRR commuter trains and long-distance passenger trains until the railroad relinquished its passenger train service to Amtrak in 1971. A large combination station and office building for the Illinois Central was built in 1917, and demolished in the 1980s. The station had another island platform between the two non-electrified tracks on the eastern side to serve Illinois Central and some New York Central long distance trains.[2] It is now removed, but evidence still remains.
Named trains making stops at Woodlawn:
- Illinois Central:[3]
- City of New Orleans (to New Orleans)
- Green Diamond (to St. Louis)
- Louisiane (to New Orleans)
- Panama Limited (to New Orleans)
- Seminole (to Jacksonville, Florida)
- New York Central:[4]
- Cincinnati Special (to Cincinnati)
- James Whitcomb Riley (to Cincinnati)
Recent years
This also serves as a stop for Mount Carmel High School students, which is directly across from the station. The station was originally used as a local and express station until the schedules were shifted in 1975 to make 55th–56th–57th Street station the express station.[5]
This is the last stop on the main line for trains of the South Chicago branch, which splits off south of the station. Prior to 1982, the Jackson Park branch of the South Side 'L' crossed the Metra Electric tracks on a bridge just north of this station. Trains stopped at nearby Dorchester station.
References
- "Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018" (PDF). Metra. April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 May 2019.
- "Index of Railroad Stations: Woodlawn, Cook Co., Ill". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 92 (12). August 1960.
- "Illinois Central Railroad, Tables 1, 4, 13". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 92 (12). August 1960.
- "New York Central Railroad, Table 29". Official Guide of the Railways. National Railway Publication Company. 92 (12). August 1960.
- Joseph P. Schwieterman (2014). Terminal Town. Lake Forest College. p. 148–149. ISBN 978-0-9823156-9-9.
