Chicago (300W/800N)
Chicago Avenue and Franklin Street, Near North Side

Service Notes:

	Brown Line: Ravenswood
	Purple Line: Evanston Express

Quick Facts:

Address:	300-02 W. Chicago Avenue (Chicago entrance [CLOSED FOR RENOVATION])
	225 W. Superior Street (Superior northbound temporary entrance)
	300 W. Superior Street (Superior southbound temporary entrance)

Established: June 1, 1900
Original Line: Northwestern Elevated
Previous Names: none

Skip-Stop Type:

Station

Rebuilt: n/a
Status: In Use, Under Renovation

History:

Northwestern Motor 7 and trailers 170 and 165 make a stop at Chicago on June 2, 1900, just a month after the line began service. The station house is visible beneath the structure. Note that the station is still very much in an unfinished state: the canopies have not been installed and the platform railings are temporary. Also note the wooden-plank sidewalk. (Photo from the CTA Collection)

The path of the initial Northwestern Elevated Railroad line, from Lake and Wells Streets to Broadway and Wilson on the what was then the far north side, was cleared in 1895 and erection of the steel was begun January 23, 1896. Several financial difficulties delayed construction several times, a few times necessitating extensions of the company's franchise. All-night shifts were eventually required to complete the structure on Christmas Day 1899, days before their deadline to begin service. But Chicago and most of the other stations were incomplete December 31 and, after some finagling, another extension was obtained. Chicago was completed in early 1900.

Chicago station opened in June 1900 as part of the original stretch of the Northwestern Elevated. The headhouse was one of several stations built from a design by William Gibb on what is now the Brown Line. Architecturally, it is similar to those still at Sedgwick, Armitage, Belmont, Fullerton, and Diversey. Constructed of brick with terra-cotta trim, the Classical Revival design was inspired by the work of the great 16th century Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio¹. The bold modeling of the details, especially the columns and segmented arched windows, is characteristic of Italianate work of the late 19th century. The building features unglazed terra cotta pilasters with composite capitals on either side of the front center entrance and on either end of the front facade. The front elevation has a heavy cornice with egg and dart molding and other classical ornamentation. Chicago's station house is unusual in its floor plan. While the rest of Gibb's street-level station houses for the Northwestern Elevated were square, Chicago's has an irregular, angled plan. This is due to the tracks curving to the west as they cross the street northbound, so Gibb designed the building to have it's front elevation face the street squarely but the back of the station turns to be parallel with the angled track structure.

The interior features plaster walls with extensive wood detailing in the door and window frames, ceiling moldings, and tongue-in groove chair rail paneling. Nearly all of this detail remains today. The station retained its original 1900-built ticket agent's booth fairly late. The original fare collection booth was removed in early 1999.

Wooden stairs on steel supports with decorative metal railings led from the Chicago station house to the dual side platforms. The wood-decked platforms were originally covered in their centers by two peaked-roof canopies of steel supports with a gently-curved bracket and intricate latticework, covered by corrugated metal roofs. Originally, these covered about half the platform length, but the platforms were subsequently lengthened multiple times to allow longer trains to berth. The original railings consisted of tubular railings and posts with panels of decorative, vaguely diamond shaped metalwork inside.

Under the initial configuration, Chicago was both an express and local station. The Northwestern was unique in that it was the only "L" line to have a four track main line, allowing separated local and express service. The outside express tracks became especially helpful after 1919, when North Shore Line interurbans began using the North Side "L" to reach downtown Chicago. However, the four tracks narrowed to two just north of Chicago station because, as a concession to the city when the Northwestern Elevated sought permission to connect to the Loop via Franklin, Hubbard, and Wells, they agreed to build only two tracks in the public right-of-way south of Chicago. A tower at the north end of the inbound platform controlled this interlocking. The narrowing of the four tracks to just two here created a serious bottleneck.

One of Chicago's most obvious features is its unusually long platform, able to accommodate a train longer than 8-cars, the longest the CTA^® runs. The platform extensions along Franklin from Chicago to Superior were installed in the 1930s, along with auxiliary exit stairs from both platforms to the south side of Chicago Avenue and at the far south ends of the platforms at Superior Street. Although it is not explicit why the platforms were extended to about two blocks in length, the extensions were likely done for one or both of two reasons. First may have been so that Chicago could accommodate more than one train at a time. Another reason may have been that trains of more than four or six cars were berth on a severe curve, putting large, dangerous gaps between the trains doors and the platforms. Extending the platforms south of Chicago Avenue would create a long stretch of straight platform.

While the longer platforms may have helped relieve the bottleneck at Chicago somewhat, the congestion there during rush hour never totally disappeared under Chicago's first subway opened. The rerouting of all through-routed trains to the State Street Subway in 1943 and the abandonment of North Shore Line service in 1963 significantly lightened the traffic through Chicago station and the North Side Main Line between the Loop and Armitage.

Three of the 16 self-portraits made by students of the Marwen school are seen here on the outbound platform over Chicago Avenue on October 20, 2003. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

For many years, trains that were 4-cars or shorter stopped at the north end of the platform, on the original section at a 45-degree angle to the street grid, which put the trains close to where passengers came up from the station house. Trains longer than four cars stopped south of Chicago Avenue on the platform extensions, allowing them to berth on completely straight, tangent platforms (the curve at Chicago is so severe that even in the age of conductors on trains it was not possible for a crewman to see the length of the train when closing the sidedoors). While this "split berthing" kept things as convenient as possible for passengers in terms of stopping location, it was confusing for all but the most experienced riders, who, despite descriptive signage, would usually be caught off-guard by the disparate berthing locations. On January 21, 1995, at approximately 1000 hours, the berthing locations at Chicago were consolidated, with all 2- and 4-car trains stopping at southernmost portion of both platforms, where rush hour 6-car trains berthed. The north half of the stairs from the station house were closed and the original section of the station's platforms north of the south stairs were barricaded from passenger use.

Today, platform contains some original railings and its original canopy, but they blocked off from passengers. Trains now stop on the straight platform additions from the 1930s so that the train operators can see the entire car sides of the length of the train from their cab. There are still auxiliary exits at the south end of the station at Superior Avenue and one to the southwest corner of Chicago and Franklin (another to the southeast corner has been removed).

In 2003, the Chicago Transit Authority welcomed Marwen Art School, 833 N. Orleans St., an organization dedicated to providing a quality art education free of charge to Chicago's under-served youth, to the CTA's^® Adopt-A-Station program at Chicago station. Starting Monday, August 24, 2003, Brown Line commuters found new artwork at the Chicago stop, where a Venetian glass mosaic by high school and junior high art students was installed over the weekend. The mural -- actually two 10-foot-by-13-inch murals -- depicts an eruption of art palettes, coffee cups, birds and crayons. The mosaic is on a pillar near the entrance to the station. In early Fall, a series of 16 original self-portrait paintings were added to both platforms. Formally dedicated on Tuesday, October 7, Marwen was presented with a plaque recognizing the agency for its efforts to enhance the Chicago station. The artworks in the "Lines of Communication" exhibit will remain for two years as part of the Adopt-A-Station program.

Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project

This aerial artist's rendering shows the platform-level design for the renovated Chicago station. The original, historic canopies will be refurbished and relocated from north of Chicago Avenue to the center of the platforms, south of Chicago. The platform-level fare control areas and elevator towers are also visible. For a larger view, click here. (Image provided courtesy of the Chicago Transit Authority)

By 2004, ridership had exploded on the Brown Line -- an 79% increase since 1979 and a 27% increase since 1998 -- that during peak periods many trains were at crush-loaded, resulting in commuters left standing on platforms unable to board the loaded trains, sometimes waiting as one or two trains passed before they were physically able to board. The problem in large part was that all Brown Line stations could only accommodate six-car trains (with the exception of Merchandise Mart, Chicago, Fullerton and Belmont, which could already hold eight-car trains), which, along with the limitations of the cab signal system, limited the line's capacity.

As a result, the CTA^® decided to plan for the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project, the largest capital improvement project undertaken by the CTA^® at the time (surpassing even the Douglas Renovation Project, which was the largest up to that point). The main objectives of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project are to expand the line's overall ridership capacity by lengthening station platforms to accommodate eight rather than six-car trains, rehabilitate rail infrastructure and stations, provide for station enhancements to meet the accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and upgrade or replace traction power, signal and communication equipment. By far, the largest part of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project was the station renovations. Of the Brown Line's 19 stations, only one (Merchandise Mart) was not touched at all due to its modern construction (1988) and ability to berth eight-car trains.

On April 13, 2004, the CTA^® announced that it had officially received a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). However, in May 2004, CTA^® received construction bids for the project that substantially exceeded the budget. As such, the Chicago Transit Board voted on June 9, 2004 to reorganize the project into several discrete pieces to help attract more competitive construction bids. Station renovation work was modified and grouped into five separate packages according to location to help reduce the overall cost of station construction. Chicago station was grouped with Armitage and Sedgwick in a bid package, all of which were designed by the same consultant, Gonzalez Hasbrouck Architects. Station designs were also revised to reduce costs. Most changes concentrated on non-customer areas such as reducing the size of janitor closets, employee restrooms, electrical rooms and communication rooms. Other areas that were studied for cost reduction were standardizing common station elements, the use of less expensive materials, canopy designs and coverage, and temporary station closures to provide contractors better access to the sites.

This artist's rendering shows the street-level design for the renovated Chicago station. The fare controls will be at platform level with separate facilities, elevators, and stairs for each platform. For a larger view, click here. (Image provided courtesy of the Chicago Transit Authority)

The Armitage/Sedgwick/Chicago contract was the second of the reorganized station packages to be bid out. At the September 14, 2005 board meeting, a $45.5 million contract for the renovation of these stations was awarded to FHP Tectonics Corporation.

New fare collection facilities will be built at platform level on both the inbound and outside sides, over the southeast and southwest corners of the Chicago/Franklin intersection. The 8-car platforms will project southward from there, roughly where trains currently stop. Elevators and stairs to both platforms will be located along Chicago Avenue. The platform-level station houses and elevator towers will be modern in appearance, constructed of steel and glass.

The platforms will be renovated with new decking, lighting and signage. The existing original, historic canopies, which are currently north of Chicago Avenue on a disused section of platform, will be retained, relocated to the center of the new platforms, and refurbished. The railings will be a new type that is standard for the renovated Brown Line stations. The auxiliary exit at Superior Street will be retained, renovated with a new canopy covering, and upgraded to being an auxiliary High-Barrier Gate (HBG) entrance.

The 1900-built historic station house will be preserved and restored in the new facility, but not used as a passenger entrance. The building will be converted to use as an ancillary equipment building.

During station construction, Armitage, Sedgwick, and Chicago will remain open on weekdays, but may experience up to six weekend closures during the construction period when all three stations will be closed at the same time to allow construction crews unlimited access to station platforms.

Some preliminary work on the station began in March and May 2005, when CTA^® Structure Maintenance personnel renewed and installed platform stringers at Chicago station south of Superior Street. This work installed the supports and stringers necessary to support longer platforms.

Work at Chicago station contract began in autumn 2006. Steel for platform extensions was installed at the south end of the Chicago platforms in September. On Monday, October 16, 2006, the Chicago platforms were temporarily shortened to allow contractor FHP Tectonics to renew platform elements. As a result, the platforms only accommodated six-car trains, with revenue trains eight cars prohibited from stopping. On northbound platform, a new wooden end-railing was installed just south of the Superior auxiliary exit rotogate, blocking off the south 50 feet or so of the platform.

FHP Tectonics began removing the unused platform sections at the far north end of Chicago station over the weekend of November 18-19, although in practice they hadn't been used in revenue service since January 21, 1995 when the berthing locations were consolidated south of Chicago Avenue.

The entrance to the Chicago Brown Line station was temporarily relocated one block south of the existing entrance at Superior and Franklin at 5am, Monday, October 15, 2007 as CTA continues work to rebuild the station.

The old station house and entrance on the north side of Chicago Avenue closed and the new Superior auxiliary entrance was opened. Customers use the new Superior stairways to access the elevated platforms. Although Superior will ultimately serve as an unmanned auxiliary entrance with High-Barrier Gates (HBGs), it has been temporarily outfitted with Customer Assistant booths and standard turnstiles. The temporary entrance provides the same amenities as the old entrance, including farecard vending machines. The temporary entrance is expected to be in place through spring 2008.

The project's Full Funding Grant Agreement with the federal government requires that the CTA^® complete the project by the end of 2009.

The Chicago station platforms, looking south on the northbound platform on June 30, 2001. The canopies and platforms ahead -- where trains now stop so that the train operator can see the entire length of the car from the cab -- are additions constructed circa the 1920s. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

	chicago02.jpg (78k) A view, from about 1960, of Chicago's unusually long platforms. A North Shore Electric Silverliner is seen approaching from the south. Note the original shepherd's crook lights. (Photo from North Shore Line, from Sunday River Productions)
	chicagoSign.jpg (45k) A Chicago station platform sign, of the vintage blue and white enamel variety, circa 1960. (Photo from North Shore Line, from Sunday River Productions)
	chicago03.jpg (132k) A Kimball-bound Ravenswood trains stops at Chicago to alight passengers in this view looking southeast. (Photo from the Proposed CTA 1999 Annual Budget)
	chicago04.jpg (160k) The platforms at Chicago station, seen here looking north on October 11, 2002, have many of their historic elements still in place. These include the pair of peaked-roof canopies, as well as a fair amount of original railing structure. Upon the implementation of one-person operation, trains no longer stopped on the original part of the platforms, under these canopies, because the operator could not see around the curve in the platform. As such, they are currently blocked from passenger use. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	chicago07.jpg (154k) A Venetian glass mosaic by high school and junior high art students was installed over the weekend of August 22-23, 2003 on the columns in the unpaid area of the Chicago station, seen here on August 26, 2003. The 16 students from Marwen Art School created the mural -- actually two 10-foot-by-13-inch murals -- depicting an eruption of art palettes, coffee cups, birds and crayons. (Photo by Graham Garfield)
	cta3200s@Chicago-night.jpg (152k) In a striking night view, a northbound Brown Line train enters Chicago station, whose passengers wait bathed in the yellow glow of the sodium vapor platform lights. The Sears Tower looms over the Merchandise Mart in the background, both lit up like beacons in the evening sky. (Photo by Tony Coppoletta)
	cta6025.jpg (109k) As the "Samuel Adams" heads out of Chicago station towards Kimball, car 6025 brings up the rear on July 2,1975. The platform on the right is part of a platform extension built to the north of the original 1900 platform. (Photo by Elisabeth Schuman, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta39f.jpg (154k) Car 39 is on a train of like-painted 1-50s - all bearing the original red. white, and blue "wide" belt rail scheme - at Chicago station on May 28, 1978. Although the front destination sign reads "Ravenswood 'A'", is may be still actually still be on a fan trip (note that the side destination sign reads "Chartered"). (Photo by Ed McKernen, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta42.jpg (139k) The three-car fan trip pictured above, made up of 1-50 cars 39, 50, and (trailing here) 42 in the rare "wide-stripe" red, white, and blue belt rail scheme, pulls through Chicago on May 28, 1978. (Photo by Ed McKernen, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta4271f.jpg (135k) Now having been restored to a near-authentic 1940s CRT-era appearance, car 4271 leads the CTA's Historic Train on a fan trip at Chicago on the Ravenswood on August 28, 1982. (Photo by Doug Grotjahn, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta2244.jpg (85k) This is a picture of 2244 in May of 1998. The cars were on a CERA fantrip at Chicago/Franklin on the Brown/Ravenswood Line. These cars are unique because these cars were used in the movie Mercury Rising, starring Bruce Willis. The destination sign hanging on the front chains were temporary signs made from old curtains used for a period when the roller curtains had been changed out but before the line colors were instituted. (Photos by Eric Zabelny)
	cta3319a.jpg On its way to the Loop, car 3319 and the rest of its Brown Line train pulls around the original curved section of Chicago/Franklin to its berthing stop on the newer, straight extension of the platform, looking north on June 10, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta3368.jpg One of the CTA's many ad wrapped cars, 3200-series car 3368 sports a black-and-white advertisement for Die Hard batteries and the opening of the new Sears store in the Loop on May 23rd. This wrap, seen as car 3368 stops at Chicago/Franklin on June 10, 2001, is unusual in that it doesn't go around the ends but does extend off the side body and onto the sides of the end cap to reach the extreme ends of the sides. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	cta6656TestTrain1.jpg (93k) Plying the same route that it last ran on in revenue service, car 6656 trails a three-car train of PCCs from IRM at Chicago station on the Ravenswood on March 5, 2001. The cars have been returned to the "L" temporarily for the filming of the movie Ali and have been brought out so that CTA crews can be retrained and the cars can be further tested. (Video and capture by David Harrison)
	cta6656TestTrain2.jpg (92k) The three-car PCC train with 6656 on the rear continues northbound through Chicago station on March 5, 2001. Many older CTA cars -- 4000s, 6000s, 1-50s -- often carried fire extinguishers or water cans on the front and rear platforms. (Video and capture by David Harrison)