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79th Street Chatham
79th Street (Chatham) station in May 2023.
General information
Location	79th Street between Greenwood Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue Chatham, Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates	41°45′03″N 87°35′50″W / 41.7507°N 87.5972°W / 41.7507; -87.5972
Owned by	Metra
Line(s)	University Park Sub District
Platforms	1 Island platform
Tracks	4
Connections	CTA Bus
Construction
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Fare zone	2
History
Rebuilt	2023–2024
Electrified	Overhead line, 1,500 V DC
Passengers
2018	50 (average weekday)  15.3%
Rank	212 out of 236
Services
Preceding station Metra Following station 83rd Street (Avalon Park)toward University Park or Blue Island Metra ElectricMain Line & Blue Island Branch 75th Street (Grand Crossing)toward Millennium Station
Former services Preceding station Illinois Central Railroad Following station 83rd Streettoward Richton or Blue Island Electric SuburbanMain Line & Blue Island Branch 75th Streettoward Randolph Street
Track layout Legend ME north to Millennium 79th St. Nickel Plate Road ME south to University Park or Blue Island
Location

79th Street (Chatham) is an electrified commuter rail station along the Metra Electric Main Line in the Chatham neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is located at and over 79th Street, and is 9.9 miles (15.9 km) away from the northern terminus at Millennium Station. In Metra's zone-based fare system, 79th Street is in zone 2. As of 2018, the station is the 212th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 50 weekday boardings.

East of this station is another Metra Electric station along 79th Street (known as Cheltenham) along the South Chicago Branch. Like much of the main branch of the Metra Electric line, 79th Street-Chatham is built on elevated tracks near the embankment of a bridge over 79th Street. This bridge also carries the Amtrak line that runs parallel to it, carrying the City of New Orleans and Illini and Saluki trains. Parking is available only on the southwest corner of 79th Street and Woodlawn Avenue.

History

On July 10, 2023, the station was temporarily closed for reconstruction, which involved upgrading the station, such as adding ADA-accessibility. The rebuild was initially expected to take seven months; however, the station's reopening was delayed by ten months to December 16, 2024.

The former Nickel Plate Railroad passed on a long bridge over the Illinois Central (the current tracks) just north of the station.

Bus connections

CTA

• 79 79th (Owl Service)

References

1. ^ "Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018" (PDF). Metra. April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 May 2019.
2. "Metra Railfan Tips - Metra Electric".(registration required)
3. McIntyre, Cory (22 June 2023). "Metra Electric line breaking ground on renovation at three stations - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
4. McLawhorn, Jennifer (26 June 2023). "Metra Will Begin Project Work on Three Electric Stations in July". Railway Track and Structures. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
5. "Metra to reopen 79th Street/Chatham Station after completion of rehabilitation work". Mass Transit. 19 November 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
6. Hutson, Wendell (18 November 2024). "Metra set to reopen Chatham train station as part of a $34M renovation project". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved 14 December 2024.

External links

• Metra – Stations – 79th Street (Chatham)

• Metra stations in Chicago
• Former Illinois Central Railroad stations