Vermont Street station

Vermont Street
Blue Island
Location	2300 West Grove Street Blue Island, Illinois
Coordinates	41°39′17″N 87°40′40″W / 41.6548°N 87.6778°W / 41.6548; -87.6778Coordinates: 41°39′17″N 87°40′40″W / 41.6548°N 87.6778°W / 41.6548; -87.6778
Owned by	City of Blue Island
Line(s)	Rock Island District
Platforms	2
Tracks	4
Connections	Pace
Construction
Parking	Yes
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	D
History
Opened	1868
Services
Ticket Vending Machines Preceding station   Metra   Following station Robbins toward Joliet Rock Island District Prairie Street toward LaSalle Street Washington Heights Rush hour toward LaSalle Street Metra Electric Burr Oak toward Millennium Station Metra Electric District Transfer at: Blue Island Terminus   Former services   Rock Island Line Midlothian toward Denver or Colorado Springs Main Line Washington Heights toward Chicago (LaSalle Street Station)

Vermont Street is a station on Metra's Rock Island District in Blue Island, Illinois, 16.4 miles (26.4 km) from LaSalle Street, the northern terminus of the line.^[1] In Metra's zone-based fare system, Vermont Street is in zone D.
Blue Island Station on the north side of Vermont Street is the western terminus of the Blue Island branch of the Metra Electric line. Vermont Street Station and Blue Island Station share the same parking facilities and the same bus connections. Although these two stations are across the street from each other and trains do not use the same platform areas, the proximity of the two to each other functionally allows riders to transfer from one to the other with only a very short walk (less than an eighth of a mile) between them.

Vermont Street is one of the busiest stations on the Rock Island District. It is the centerpiece of the entire line, historically and presently. Many trains on the Rock Island District terminate at Vermont Street, most of them locals on the Suburban Line and most rush hour trains stop at this station, running express to and from this station.

Vermont Street is a favorite of railfans due to its unique four-track setup, frequent train action, and switching movements. Later on in the day, Iowa Interstate Railroad runs a daily freight train along the Rock Island tracks, from Blue Island to Council Bluffs, Iowa. For this reason, this daily freight train is officially named the BICB. Blue Island's police and fire departments are located several blocks away from Vermont Street.

History

Rock Island service was established in Blue Island in 1852,^[2] and the current brick station at Vermont Street replaced the original frame depot in 1868.^[3] The so-called "Suburban Line" splits from the main line here and runs at the base of the ridge serving stations in Blue Island and the Chicago neighborhoods of Morgan Park and Beverly before veering east to serve Brainard and reconnecting to the main line at the Gresham station at 87th and Vincennes. This branch line was created in 1889^[4] thru the influence of the Blue Island Land and Building Company to serve its interests in the development of what was then the village of Morgan Park^[5] and carries most of the passenger traffic for the area, although some rush-hour trains travel north-east on the main line.
On July 12, 1971 the station began service to Amtrak trains.^[6] By the 1980s, the station became part of the Metra system.

Tracks

There are four tracks: two on the main line and two on the Suburban Line. Most trains on the Suburban Line terminate at this station; the lone exception being weekday middays. All other Suburban Line trains switch onto the Main Line and run inbound back to LaSalle Street Station.

Bus connections

Pace

"Route 348 – Harvey/Riverdale/Blue Island". PaceBus.com. Chicago: Pace Suburban Bus Service.  "Route 349 – South Western". PaceBus.com. Chicago: Pace Suburban Bus Service.  "Route 359 – Robbins/South Kedzie Avenue". PaceBus.com. Chicago: Pace Suburban Bus Service.  "Route 385 – 87th/111th/127th". PaceBus.com. Chicago: Pace Suburban Bus Service. 

References

External links

• Media related to Vermont Street (Metra) at Wikimedia Commons
• Metra – Stations – Vermont Street station
• Old image of former Rock Island Station (Rock Island Technical Society)
• Station from Vermont Street from Google Maps Street View