Western station (CTA Humboldt Park branch)
| Company type | Private company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rapid transit |
| Founded | 1892 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | Chicago, Illinois |
Western served as a rapid transit stop on the Chicago "L", specifically on the Humboldt Park branch of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad. The station commenced operations in 1895 and ceased functioning in 1952.
History
On April 7, 1892, the Chicago City Council granted the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Company a franchise valid for 50 years, after which the company promptly began acquiring necessary rights of way. The Metropolitan's network featured a main line extending westward from the downtown area to Marshfield, where it split into three branches: one heading northwest to Logan Square, another westward toward Garfield Park, and a third southwest to Douglas Park. The Humboldt Park branch branched off just beyond Robey station from the Logan Square line. Distinct from its rivals, the Metropolitan adopted electrified tracks by May 1894, becoming the inaugural electric elevated railroad in the United States when it launched.
By October 1894, tracks near what would become Robey station were completed and were energized for testing by April 1895. Service officially started on May 6, 1895, running between Robey on the Logan Square branch and Canal on the main line. Subsequently, on May 25, the Logan Square branch extended service to Logan Square station, followed by the Humboldt Park branch opening on July 29.
On December 10, 1929, a messenger transporting $2,100 was robbed near this station while traveling downtown.
The Humboldt Park branch and Western station both terminated service on May 4, 1952.
Station details
Western station consisted of two wooden side platforms accompanied by a street-level station house made from red pressed brick accented with white limestone trim, including stone sills and a sturdy foundation. Its architectural style was consistent with other stations along the Logan Square branch such as California and Damen stations. Key features included a corniced and dentiled front bay with two doors marked "Entrance" and "Exit," along with elaborate terra cotta ornamentation. The platforms were equipped with centrally positioned hipped roof tin canopies and ornamental cast-iron railings showcasing diamond motifs. Differing from standard "L" stations, those built by Metropolitan incorporated central heating systems and basements. Construction of the Metropolitan's facilities was undertaken by the West Side Construction Company—whose leadership overlapped with that of Metropolitan—and engineered by E. W. Elliot using steel and iron materials supplied by the Carnegie Steel Company.
Operations and connections
At its inception, trains operated by Metropolitan ran at six-minute intervals from 6 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., switching to ten-minute frequencies overnight and maintaining an average speed of 16 mph. In contrast to the Lake Street Elevated line, smoking was allowed onboard Metropolitan cars until a citywide prohibition on smoking in "L" trains and streetcars was enacted during the 1918 influenza pandemic—a regulation that persists today.