left
Austin
right
Laramie
Central
5600W
400N
Home<Chicago CTA<Green Line<Central

Central is the easternmost stop on the elevated embankment ROW shared with what is now called the Metra Union Pacific West Line. The Green Line was relocated here from running at street level (with dangerous grade crossings in 1962). The station has a single island platform that runs between the overpasses of Central Avenue and Parkside Avenue and is fully canopied. Originally the station had entrances at both ends, the Parkside Avenue end became exit only in 1973 and closed in the 1980s although it was briefly reopened from May 12 (the day the Green Line reopened after its closure for rebuilding in 1994) to December 16, 1996 while the current station house's renovation was finished that made the station fully ADA compliant. This new station house is small and located along the south side of the embankment at the NW corner of Central Avenue and Corcoran Place (Lake Street is along the north side of the embankment). Stairs and ramps lead to a small turnstile area before an elevator followed by an escalator and then a staircase leads up to the eastern end of the island platform. All staircase remains of the Parkside Avenue entrance have been removed although the small station house building is still visible at street level.
All Photos taken on 17 July, 2009

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Car #2510 leaves the station
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Car #2510 passes Metra Train on the wide 5 track ROW
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A Metra Train led by a Galley Cab Car Approaches
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The blur of a Metra train going through Central, passing the Green Line Station signs
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The Blur of Metra F40PH-2 #139 pushes a Chicago-bound train through Central
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Metra F40PH-2 #139 keeps pushing a train east
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The elevator splits the canopy, it becomes higher
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View of the shopping area down Central
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Down the staircase to leave the platform
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Looking up at the platform at Central
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There is this staircase to an unused second story
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The ADA ramp into the modified original station house
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The escalator and staircase beyond up to the platform
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A track sign and the roof of the station house beyond it
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A painted bench
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Another staircase and elevator beyond
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Car #2494 and a Cottage Grove-bound 4 car train off in the distance, they will soon curve off the shared ROW with Metra
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Car #2494 and a Cottage Grove-bound 4 car leave the station to curve onto an el and to Laramie, the next stop
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Car #2464 heading to Harlem leads a 4 car train
Home<Chicago CTA<Green Line<Central

Last Updated: 15 September, 2013
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