Foster station
| Company type | Chicago "L" rapid transit station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Headquarters | Evanston , United States |
Area served | Evanston, Illinois |
| Products | Rapid transit services |
Foster is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Purple Line in Evanston, Illinois. Positioned at 900 Foster Street (2000 north, 900 west), it is situated close to the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston.
Design
Unlike the typical steel framework used for 'L' tracks, Foster, similar to other stations north of Wilson, is constructed on a solid fill embankment. The station does not feature a traditional station house; instead, two stairways on the southern side of Foster Street provide access to a small area equipped with a customer assistant booth, a farecard vending machine, and two turnstiles. The concrete island platform extends northward from this entrance and is sheltered by a canopy spanning its entire length. Southbound trains stop on the western side, while northbound trains use the eastern side. Although the platform can handle six-car trains, its northern section has been removed, leaving only the supporting framework and canopy intact.
Previous operations
Foster was once served by the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad via the Shore Line Route. Along with stations like Noyes and Central, it featured an extra side platform located west of the southbound track exclusively for North Shore Line trains, which prevented free transfers to 'L' services. This additional platform was dismantled after the North Shore Line ceased operations on this segment in 1955; however, its concrete foundations remain visible opposite the current platform just north of Foster Street.
Upgrades
The possibility of closing Foster station (alongside South Boulevard) appeared in three out of six proposed plans by the CTA for upgrading the Purple Line and northern Red Line as part of the Red and Purple Modernization Project.