Chicago ''L''.org: Stations

After the original station house was damaged by fire in the 1960s, it was removed and an "open air" fare control facility constructed in its place. This consists solely of a few turnstiles, a wooden agent's booth, and an exit rotogate surrounded by a chainlink fence and covered with a drippan, as seen in this view looking southwest on October 8, 2002. Under the Brown Line Rehabilitation Project, a new station house is programmed to be built here. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

Wellington (3000N/1000W)
Wellington Avenue and Sheffield Avenue, Lakeview

Service Notes:

Brown Line: Ravenswood

Purple Line: Evanston Express

Quick Facts:

Address: 945 W. Wellington Avenue
Established: June 1, 1900
Original Line: Northwestern Elevated Railroad
Previous Names: none

Skip-Stop Type:

Station

Rebuilt: 2008-09 (projected)
Status: Closed for Renovation

History:

This view of the Wellington station platform provides an interesting contrast between two types of "L" trains: the older 4000-series Plushie stopped at the platform and the newer PCC 6000-series train coming up on the express track. Note the old-style signs near the staircase. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Joe Testagrose)

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 Wellington and most of the other stations were incomplete December 31 and, after some finagling, another extension was obtained. Wellington was completed in early 1900.

The station's original 1899-1900 station house, designed by architect William Gibb in 1899 with strong a Italianate influence and extensive terra cotta trim, survived almost completely intact until the early 1960s, when it was demolished due a fire and replaced with a ground-level chainlink enclosure housing fare collection machines and an agent's booth, similar to facilities at Hoyne and Lawrence.

The dual side platforms at Wellington are covered in the center by two peaked-roof canopies of steel support with a gently-curved bracket and intricate latticework, covered by a corrugated metal roofing. Originally, these covered about half the platform length, but the platforms were subsequently lengthened multiple times to allow longer trains to berth. Many sections of the original platform area still has original railing, which consisted of tubular railings and posts with panels of decorative, vaguely diamond shaped metalwork inside. The platform extensions have plain wooden railings. The platform extensions have simple wooden railings.

Under the initial configuration, Wellington, whose platforms are on the outer tracks, was a local station, inaccessible by the expresses utilizing the inner tracks. After the State Street subway opened in 1943 and the route configurations were overhauled in 1949, Wellington became a station on the Ravenswood Line, serving only A trains. In 1998, Evanston Express trains began stopping at the station.

This station serves the Illinois Masonic Hospital. The CTA^® was considering closing the station before the gentrification of the neighborhood, but the hospital urged the CTA^® to keep the stop open for the benefit of hospital patrons.

Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project

By 2004, ridership had exploded on the Brown Line -- an 79% increase since 1979 and a 27% increase since 1998 -- such 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. Wellington station was grouped with Diversey, Southport and Paulina -- all of which were designed by the same consultant, Teng -- in a bid package. 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.

The Paulina/Southport/Wellington/Diversey contract was the fifth and last of the reorganized station packages to be bid out. At the December 12, 2006 board meeting, a $66.9 million contract for the renovation of these stations was awarded to FHP Tectonics Corporation.

Station Design

The contract includes construction of modern station houses, extension of platforms to accommodate 8-car trains, and installation of elevators for ADA accessibility. The new expanded station facility will feature more turnstiles and farecard vending machines. New, wider stairs and elevators will take customers to the boarding platforms.

The platforms will be renovated with new decking, lighting and signage. The existing original, historic canopies will be retained and refurbished. Any remaining original railing sections will be replaced with a new railing type that is standard for the renovated Brown Line stations.

Other improvements include new fare equipment, signage, electrical, communications, and HVAC equipment; customer heaters and benches on the platforms; and a state-of-the-art announcement system.

Station Renovation Work

Construction at the Diversey and Wellington stations is expected to last approximately 16 months, with the stations subject to temporary closure during construction. However, no two adjacent stations will be scheduled to close at the same time on weekdays so customers may go to the next closest station for service. During periods of temporary closure, customers are encouraged to use the most convenient existing CTA^® bus and rail service in the area.

On Sunday, March 30, 2008, Wellington station temporarily closed for renovation. Wellington station will be closed while construction crews rebuild the station and make the station accessible to customers with disabilities. The adjacent stations -- Belmont and Diversey -- will remain open during the temporary closure of the Wellington station so customers may continue to use them to access Brown Line service. Diversey station is also located in an area where CTA^® service is plentiful. In addition to nearby rail stations, there are six existing CTA^® bus routes that provide service near Wellington station on weekdays and weekends: the #8 Halsted, #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick, #22 Clark, #36 Broadway, #76 Diversey, #77 Belmont, #151 Sheridan, and #156 LaSalle (weekdays only).

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

The inbound platform at Wellington, looking south on October 8, 2002. Although the station house burned about 40 years ago, the platforms and canopies are still original. The platforms still 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 toward the center of both platforms and south end of the inbound platform. For a larger view, click here. (Photo by Graham Garfield)

wellington02.jpg (94k)
Looking south down the Wellington station platform provides a view not only of a CTA 6000-series Englewood A train bypassing the stop on the express track, but also of the old-style signs and shepherds crook lights, all of which are now gone. (Photo by Joe Testagrose)

wellington03.jpg (56k)
The Wellington platforms, looking north on the inbound platform in 1999. The parking garage of the Illinois Masonic Hospital on the left demonstrates the major problem with extending the platforms at Wellington as part of the proposed Ravenswood Expansion Project: there is little room left next to the tracks in either direction on the northbound Wellington platform, requiring either demolition or a very narrow platform extension. (Photo from the Chicago Transit Authority Collection)

wellington04.jpg (53k)
The northbound platform at Wellington, looking northeast in 1999. (Photo from the Chicago Transit Authority Collection)

cta6016.jpg (118k)
The "Anthony Wayne" is seen at Wellington in March of 1976, with 6016 leading the two car Ravenswood All-Stop. Note both the original blue and white enamel station sign on the extreme left of the platform as well as the early A/B symbol sign on the first canopy post. (Photo by Gerald H. Landau, Collection of Joe Testagrose)

cta6026b.jpg (125k)
The "Samuel Adams" is led by car 6026 at Wellington July 7, 1975. Note the unusual destination sign variant: this Ravenswood All-Stop curtain has a black rectangle on the right with the word Ravenswood in white, with a white box on the left and the words All Stop in black, similar to signage for the Howard-Englewood-Jackson Park All-Stops. (Usually, Ravenswood All-Stops simply had an all black background the the word "Ravenswood" in large white letters.) (Photo by Doug Grotjahn, Collection of Joe Testagrose)

cta6192.jpg (116k)
Car 6192 picks up the rear of a six-car northbound Ravenswood train passing Wellington station in September 1979. (Collection of Joe Testagrose)

cta6523.jpg (98k)
Car 6523 leads a Ravenswood All-Stop at Wellington in March 1976. (Photo by Gerald H. Landau, Collection of Joe Testagrose)

cta2834.jpg
A Red Line train of rehabilitated 2600s heading south to downtown and the South Side on express track 2 passes Wellington station on August 6, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)

wellington-NBsign.jpg (61k)
A northbound KDR-type symbol sign from Wellington station, with its red background denoting its status as a "A" station. The northbound symbol signs from the three "local" Ravenswood (now Brown Line) stations on the section of the North Side Main Line that is shared (but the stations not served by) the North-South Route (now Red Line) are interesting in that they take pains to explain that at Belmont one can change trains to reach Howard, Evanston, and Skokie. Symbol signs typically did not offer this kind of transfer information. (Sign from the Andrew Stiffler Collection)

Wellington_next.wav (109k): "Wellington is next. Doors open on the right at Wellington." (Sound courtesy of Tony Coppoletta)
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	wellington02.jpg (94k) Looking south down the Wellington station platform provides a view not only of a CTA 6000-series Englewood A train bypassing the stop on the express track, but also of the old-style signs and shepherds crook lights, all of which are now gone. (Photo by Joe Testagrose)
	wellington03.jpg (56k) The Wellington platforms, looking north on the inbound platform in 1999. The parking garage of the Illinois Masonic Hospital on the left demonstrates the major problem with extending the platforms at Wellington as part of the proposed Ravenswood Expansion Project: there is little room left next to the tracks in either direction on the northbound Wellington platform, requiring either demolition or a very narrow platform extension. (Photo from the Chicago Transit Authority Collection)
	wellington04.jpg (53k) The northbound platform at Wellington, looking northeast in 1999. (Photo from the Chicago Transit Authority Collection)
	cta6016.jpg (118k) The "Anthony Wayne" is seen at Wellington in March of 1976, with 6016 leading the two car Ravenswood All-Stop. Note both the original blue and white enamel station sign on the extreme left of the platform as well as the early A/B symbol sign on the first canopy post. (Photo by Gerald H. Landau, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta6026b.jpg (125k) The "Samuel Adams" is led by car 6026 at Wellington July 7, 1975. Note the unusual destination sign variant: this Ravenswood All-Stop curtain has a black rectangle on the right with the word Ravenswood in white, with a white box on the left and the words All Stop in black, similar to signage for the Howard-Englewood-Jackson Park All-Stops. (Usually, Ravenswood All-Stops simply had an all black background the the word "Ravenswood" in large white letters.) (Photo by Doug Grotjahn, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta6192.jpg (116k) Car 6192 picks up the rear of a six-car northbound Ravenswood train passing Wellington station in September 1979. (Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta6523.jpg (98k) Car 6523 leads a Ravenswood All-Stop at Wellington in March 1976. (Photo by Gerald H. Landau, Collection of Joe Testagrose)
	cta2834.jpg A Red Line train of rehabilitated 2600s heading south to downtown and the South Side on express track 2 passes Wellington station on August 6, 2001. (Photo by Mike Farrell)
	wellington-NBsign.jpg (61k) A northbound KDR-type symbol sign from Wellington station, with its red background denoting its status as a "A" station. The northbound symbol signs from the three "local" Ravenswood (now Brown Line) stations on the section of the North Side Main Line that is shared (but the stations not served by) the North-South Route (now Red Line) are interesting in that they take pains to explain that at Belmont one can change trains to reach Howard, Evanston, and Skokie. Symbol signs typically did not offer this kind of transfer information. (Sign from the Andrew Stiffler Collection)