Wilson (CTA)

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Wilson

Coordinates:	4600 N, 1100 W
Lines:	Red
Platforms:	1 island platform
Opened:	1900 (rebuilt 1907, 1923)
2006 passenger entrances:	1,670,835 5%

Wilson is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line, part of the Chicago 'L' metro system. It is located in the Uptown neighborhood at 4620 North Broadway in Chicago, Illinois (directional coordinates 4600 north, 1100 west). It is the closest station to Harry S Truman College. The station has a large central island platform serving the Red Line, there are also platforms on the outside tracks that once served Evanston express trains, but these are no longer used as Purple Line express trains pass through the station without stopping.

The station opened in 1900 as the northern terminus of the Northwestern Elevated Railroad. It was converted to a two level station in 1907, with a loop track to aid turning trains. Wilson became a through station in 1908 when the Northwestern Elevated Railroad was extended to Evanston (using tracks belonging to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway). The current station building was built in 1923, shortly after the tracks to the north were elevated. Over the years the station has been extensively reconfigured: the lower level was closed in 1949; the platforms were reconfigured in 1960; and the North Shore Line—which also used the station—ceased operation in 1963, enabling the station layout to be simplified. The CTA's 2004–2008 Capital Improvement Plan includes plans to reconstruct the station starting in 2008.

A yard and shops were built adjacent to the station in 1901, these continued in use until the Howard Yard was expanded in 1993. The shop building was badly damaged in a fire on October 26, 1996, and the site was cleared soon after. As of 2006, the site is empty but slated for the development of an Aldi store, a Target store and residences.

An elevated stub line from the station is a remnant of a connection into the former Buena Interchange Yard, where freight was exchanged with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway. The CTA stopped carrying freight in the early 1970s and the stub was demolished south of Montrose Avenue. The Lakewood Avenue branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway is now operated by the Soo Line Railroad, but no longer exists north of Diversey Avenue.