Argyle (CTA station)

Argyle

View of the island platform at Argyle
Station statistics
Address 1118 West Argyle Street
Chicago, Illinois 60640
Lines
  Red Line
Structure Elevated
Platforms 1 Island platform
Tracks 4
Other information
Opened Chicago & Evanston Railroad:
May 21, 1885
Northwestern Elevated Railroad:
May 16, 1908
Rebuilt 1921
Owned by Chicago Transit Authority
Formerly Argyle Park
Traffic
Passengers (2010) 875,751[1]  2.8% (CTA)
Services
Preceding station   Chicago 'L'   Following station
toward Howard
 Red Line

Argyle is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system. It is situated between the Berwyn and Lawrence stations on the Red Line, which runs from Rogers Park at Chicago's northern city limits, through downtown Chicago, to Roseland. It is an elevated station with a single island platform located at 1118 West Argyle Street in the West Argyle Street Historic District of Chicago's Uptown community area.

Contents

Location

Argyle is situated on W. Argyle Street, close to the intersection with Broadway. The station is located in the West Argyle Street Historic District in the Uptown community area of Chicago; the area surrounding the station consists of a mixture commercial and residential areas,[2] and is particularly noted for the high concentration of Vietnamese restaurants, bakeries and shops; as well as Chinese, Cambodian, Laotian and Thai businesses.[3]

History

The site of Argyle station was first used as depot called Argyle Park on the Chicago and Evanston branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad route, which opened on May 21, 1885.[4] On opening the station houses along the route were described as "attractive frame structure built in the Gothic and Queen Anne styles."[4] In 1908 the Northwestern Elevated Railroad was extended north from Wilson, using the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and a new station was constructed on the site of the previous depot.[5][6] The station was again rebuilt to a design by architect Charles P. Rawson when the tracks between Wilson and Howard were elevated onto an embankment between 1914 and 1922.[7] In 1979 the station received a $250,000 facelift,[8] and in 1991 a Chinese-style hipped-and-gabled roof was added to the platform canopy.[9]

Facilities

The Argyle station was designed by Charles P. Rawson.[7] Its island platform is located elevated on an embankment between Broadway and Winthrop Avenue. It serves the Red Line's two tracks; the north-bound track serves trains to Howard, while the south-bound track serves trains to 95th Street. The station entrance is located on the north side of Argyle Street, built into the embankment.

Services

Argyle is part of the CTA's Red Line, which runs from Howard to downtown Chicago and 95th Street. It is situated between the Berwyn and Lawrence stations. Red Line trains serve Argyle 24 hours a day every day; trains operate roughly every 3 to 9 minutes during rush hour and midday operation, with longer headways of up to 15 minutes at night.[10][11]

References

  1. ^ "Annual Ridership Report: Calendar Year 2010" (PDF). Chicago Transit Authority. http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/ridership_reports/2010-Annual.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-28. 
  2. ^ Chicago Department of Zoning (2010). City of Chicago Zoning Map (Map). 
  3. ^ "Uptown's Argyle Street Named To Historic Register". CBS2 Chicago: Chicago Area Local News. CBS Broadcasting Inc. June 14, 2010. http://cbs2chicago.com/local/argyle.street.historic.2.1750415.html. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  4. ^ a b "The Chicago & Evanston". Chicago Daily Tribune. May 22, 1885. 
  5. ^ "Electrification of the Evanston Suburban Line of the Chicago Milwaukee & St. Paul". The Railway Age 44 (14): 467. October 4, 1907. http://books.google.com/books?id=D5RMAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA467. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  6. ^ Garfield, Graham. "Argyle". Chicago-"L".org. Graham Garfield. http://chicago-l.org/stations/argyle.html. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  7. ^ a b Borzo, Greg (2007). The Chicago "L". Chicago: Arcadia Publishing. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-7385-5100-5. 
  8. ^ Lynch, Kevin; Janega, James (April 4, 2001). "Charlie Soo 1945-2001. - Argyle Street `Mayor,' Bold Promoter of Asian Shops". Chicago Tribune. 
  9. ^ McCarron, John (February 6, 1991). "'Mayor' Brings New Life to Argyle Street". Chicago Tribune. 
  10. ^ "Red Line Route Guide". Chicago Transit Authority. http://www.transitchicago.com/riding_cta/systemguide/redline.aspx. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 
  11. ^ "Argyle Station Timetable". Chicago Transit Authority. http://www.transitchicago.com/assets/1/redline_schedules/Argyle.pdf. Retrieved July 29, 2010. 

External links