Wooden stations on the South Chicago electric branch

I read in "First and Fastest" that there are plans afoot to remove the wooden 1920s-era stations on the South Chicago branch of the Metra Electric... is this true? Has work already started?

Work started on this project several years ago, and at least half of the eight stations on this branch have already been rebuilt, including the new terminal, which was moved 2 blocks south six years ago. Can't think of where the remaining wood stations are offhand, but assuming that there's still a few around, their days are numbered...

There's also a couple of former stations made of wood that still stand. And of course, although it's not on the branch, you have the dowager queen of s***hole stations, Roosevelt Road. Per my comments in another thread, it's mostly made of chicken wire and tar paper with wood platforms. It's also one of the busiest stations in Chicago in terms of train volumes.

You can find some humorous banter about that cesspool here.
http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... sc&start=0


and a video of it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdlm3JAbTQQ

I'll see if I can get a pic or two this weekend while I'm in town - it depends if I go straight from airport to train or take a night or two downtown.

It should be known that work has started on the 12th st/Roosevelt Rd station, the North ends of both North and Southbound platforms have been torn down.

I've also seen truckloads of ballast being dumped just west of the tracks south of the platforms. But so far, no removal of the abandoned walkway and no work on the stairs to the 11th St bridge.

And while Roosevelt may be the dowager queen, the transfer station at 63rd is surely of the same genes. UG-ly.

There are only two wooden stations left on the South Chicago Branch, 75th & Exchange , and 79th & Exchange. Metra is currently rebuilding these stations to be ADA compliant, just as they did the other stations on the branch.

Sounds like I better get to Chicago quick if I want to see any wooden stations....anyplace else on the Metra? Don't worry about "bad neighborhoods," I'm not vacationing, just taking a picture or two.

-otto-

Metra Electric is your only high-platforms on the Metra system other than South Shore - all the diesel routes are exclusively low platform. South Shore's home trackage high platforms are all younger than 1992 and made of concrete.

In the past few months when we unload at 12th street the whole platform would sway gently with all the people getting off the train. Plus it's about time they made this station handicap accessable.

Right Tadman, I was asking about Metra Electric- so it looks like my opportunities are few if they've already begun the work.

Good news, I took a few rides this weekend up and down the line while I was in town - I didn't hit any branches, but all mainline stations from 75th to 111th are still wood. Further, 75th is also Grand Crossing, where NYC/PRR cross IC/Metra, as well as the former NKP crossing of IC - the bridge is still there, the rest isn't. I've never got off there as it's not the greatest place to be, but I imagine during the morning rush the light would be perfect for standing on the Metra platform and taking pics of the traffic on what is now NS.

This is also the crossing where IC kidnapped the LSMS security guard after dark, built the IC tracks, and then released the guard. LSMS had yet to build, it was just a construction site at the time.

Also all of the Blue Island branch of the ME(except of the Blue Island Station which was rebuilt a few years ago) are wooden.