Laramie
5200W
400N
400N
Laramie was originally supposed to be closed permanently when the Green Line was closed for its two year refurbishment in 1994. The station first became exit only outbound in 1987 (when the barrier requiring outbound fares to the conductor had to be removed), Public outcry though put this station back on the rebuilding list but it wasn't reopened until February 2, 1997 and was exit only outbound until June because the overpass was still under construction for outbound boardings. The station is the first one on the elevated over Lake Street, just beyond the station Lake Street begins running parallel to what is now the Metra Union Pacific West Line and the Green Line joins the same ROW, taking over two of the former tracks of this line in 1962 that was finally made grade-separated because of this project.
The current station has two modern side platforms that look slightly different than most renovated stops on the green line because they were designed later. There are separate canopies over each platform, except for the eastern quarter of the platforms where they are left exposed to the elements. The western end of the station has the one set of turnstiles and the station entrance with a small fare control area directly on the inbound platform. There are two staircases, one to each of the southern corners of Laramie Avenue and Lake Street, and an elevator up from the SE corner for entering passengers. From here an enclosed with a roof and with windscreens ramp gradually rises to an overpass that connects the two platforms and is over about the middle of the platform. There are also staircases here from the overpass that is no use to passengers entering to board outbound trains. These staircases continue down off both platforms to high exit only turnstiles at street level (one on each side of Lake Street). At the opposite end of the ramp down to the outbound platform is its main exit (across from the entrance) staircase down to a high exit turnstile on the west side of Laramie Avenue just before the Metra overpass.
All Photos taken on 4 July, 2013
