Wells Street Terminal (Chicago)
Encyclopedia
Wells Street Terminal was a stub-end downtown
terminal on the 'L'
in Chicago, Illinois, located at Wells Street between Jackson Blvd. and Van Buren Street. The terminal was in operation from 1904 to 1953.
in 1904 to establish a terminal for rush hour elevated train traffic. Along with Chicago's other elevated railroad operators, the Metropolitan operated most of its trains on the Loop elevated
through Chicago's central business district. However, the tracks of the Loop 'L' were operating at capacity during rush hours, and could not handle the additional train traffic needed to satisfy demand. Accordingly, the Metropolitan ran some of its rush hour services to Wells Street Terminal instead of circling the Loop. Similar terminals were used by the other elevated railroad operators of Chicago, but the Metropolitan's Wells Street Terminal had the advantage of being directly adjacent to the Loop "L" tracks on Wells Street and even had a transfer bridge to the Quincy Street station
on the Loop 'L'.
The Metropolitan's services included trains operating on its Garfield Park main line, the Douglas Park branch, and the Logan Square and Humboldt Park branch. These lines are ancestors of Chicago Transit Authority
's present-day Blue
and Pink Line
services, though only small remnants of the original lines remain as part of today's Blue Line route.
In 1905, the Metropolitan's elevated trains at the terminal were joined by the interurban
trains of the Aurora Elgin and Chicago Railway. The terminal was the only downtown facility used by the interurban; their trains did not use the Loop 'L'.
Wells Street Terminal consisted of four stub-end tracks using two island platforms and in 1907, over 100 rush-hour trains used the facility.
With the completion of the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway in 1951, Logan Square trains were rerouted into the subway, originating and terminating at the new (but temporarily stub-ended) La Salle and Congress subway station
. With changing traffic patterns and increased use of automobiles resulting in lower train frequencies, CTA was able to end 'L' service to the terminal late the same year.
After the CTA took over 'L' operations after World War II, service to the Wells Street Terminal was decreased as operations were revised. In 1948, Humboldt Park branch service was cut back to Damen
at all hours except during rush, when the trains served Wells Street Terminal. At the same time, all Logan Square trains were routed onto the Loop, leaving only Humboldt trains and certain Garfield and Douglas runs serving Wells. On February 25, 1951, all Milwaukee (Logan Square) trains were rerouted into the new Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway, with all Humboldt service curtailed to a shuttle operation to Damen. Later that year, on December 9, Garfield and Douglas service was revised and those services were also withdrawn from Well Street Terminal, thus ending all 'L' service to the station.
The Chicago Aurora and Elgin continued to use the terminal, though a problem loomed as plans for a new superhighway — the Congress Street Expressway — called for the road to be built on the route of Garfield Park 'L', necessitating the demolition of the elevated structure. Though the plans included a new rapid transit rail line in the median strip of the new highway, connecting with the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and though a temporary right-of-way was established to allow rail service to continue during construction, a number of operational and political obstacles led to the interurban deciding to curtail their service to the outer terminal of the elevated line at Des Plaines Avenue in Forest Park
. Interurban riders therefore had to change trains to or from CTA trains at the Forest Park station
to continue their journey after September 20, 1953.
This change brought an end to the use of Wells Street Terminal. The building was razed in 1955 and two of the terminal tracks connected to the Loop 'L' as a temporary connection, but with the completion of the expressway and new "Congress" rapid transit line on June 22, 1958, the Garfield Park 'L' came to an end and henceforth, Congress trains were routed via the subway. The connecting tracks at the terminal's former location were removed in 1964.
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
terminal on the 'L'
Chicago 'L'
The L is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority...
in Chicago, Illinois, located at Wells Street between Jackson Blvd. and Van Buren Street. The terminal was in operation from 1904 to 1953.
History
The Fifth Avenue Terminal (as it was originally known) was built by the Metropolitan West Side Elevated RailroadMetropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad
The Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad was the third elevated rapid transit line to be built in Chicago, Illinois and was the first of Chicago’s elevated lines to be electrically powered...
in 1904 to establish a terminal for rush hour elevated train traffic. Along with Chicago's other elevated railroad operators, the Metropolitan operated most of its trains on the Loop elevated
The Loop (CTA)
The Loop is the two mile circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the 'L' rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois. The Loop is so named because the railroad loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street , Wabash Avenue , Van Buren Street , and Wells Street...
through Chicago's central business district. However, the tracks of the Loop 'L' were operating at capacity during rush hours, and could not handle the additional train traffic needed to satisfy demand. Accordingly, the Metropolitan ran some of its rush hour services to Wells Street Terminal instead of circling the Loop. Similar terminals were used by the other elevated railroad operators of Chicago, but the Metropolitan's Wells Street Terminal had the advantage of being directly adjacent to the Loop "L" tracks on Wells Street and even had a transfer bridge to the Quincy Street station
Quincy (CTA)
-External links:* at Chicago-'L'.org***...
on the Loop 'L'.
The Metropolitan's services included trains operating on its Garfield Park main line, the Douglas Park branch, and the Logan Square and Humboldt Park branch. These lines are ancestors of Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
's present-day Blue
Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Blue Line consists of a long trunk line in the Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit system which extends through Chicago's Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and across the West Side to its...
and Pink Line
Pink Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Pink Line is a rapid transit line in Chicago, run by the Chicago Transit Authority as part of the Chicago 'L' system. It began operation for a 180-day trial period on June 25, 2006, running between 54th/Cermak Station in Cicero, Illinois and the Loop in downtown Chicago...
services, though only small remnants of the original lines remain as part of today's Blue Line route.
In 1905, the Metropolitan's elevated trains at the terminal were joined by the interurban
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
trains of the Aurora Elgin and Chicago Railway. The terminal was the only downtown facility used by the interurban; their trains did not use the Loop 'L'.
Wells Street Terminal consisted of four stub-end tracks using two island platforms and in 1907, over 100 rush-hour trains used the facility.
With the completion of the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway in 1951, Logan Square trains were rerouted into the subway, originating and terminating at the new (but temporarily stub-ended) La Salle and Congress subway station
LaSalle (CTA Blue Line)
LaSalle is an 'L' station on the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line. It is a subway station with a single island platform located at 150 West Congress Parkway in the Loop district of Chicago, Illinois...
. With changing traffic patterns and increased use of automobiles resulting in lower train frequencies, CTA was able to end 'L' service to the terminal late the same year.
After the CTA took over 'L' operations after World War II, service to the Wells Street Terminal was decreased as operations were revised. In 1948, Humboldt Park branch service was cut back to Damen
Damen (CTA Blue Line)
Damen is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, serving the Blue Line. It serves the popular and growing Bucktown and Wicker Park neighborhoods...
at all hours except during rush, when the trains served Wells Street Terminal. At the same time, all Logan Square trains were routed onto the Loop, leaving only Humboldt trains and certain Garfield and Douglas runs serving Wells. On February 25, 1951, all Milwaukee (Logan Square) trains were rerouted into the new Milwaukee-Dearborn Subway, with all Humboldt service curtailed to a shuttle operation to Damen. Later that year, on December 9, Garfield and Douglas service was revised and those services were also withdrawn from Well Street Terminal, thus ending all 'L' service to the station.
The Chicago Aurora and Elgin continued to use the terminal, though a problem loomed as plans for a new superhighway — the Congress Street Expressway — called for the road to be built on the route of Garfield Park 'L', necessitating the demolition of the elevated structure. Though the plans included a new rapid transit rail line in the median strip of the new highway, connecting with the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and though a temporary right-of-way was established to allow rail service to continue during construction, a number of operational and political obstacles led to the interurban deciding to curtail their service to the outer terminal of the elevated line at Des Plaines Avenue in Forest Park
Forest Park, Illinois
Forest Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in the United States. The population was 15,688 at the 2000 census...
. Interurban riders therefore had to change trains to or from CTA trains at the Forest Park station
Forest Park (CTA)
Forest Park is a station on the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L' system, located in the city of Forest Park and serving the Blue Line. Before the Congress Line was built it served as terminal for the Garfield Line, and is possibly the only station on that line to survive today. It is the western...
to continue their journey after September 20, 1953.
This change brought an end to the use of Wells Street Terminal. The building was razed in 1955 and two of the terminal tracks connected to the Loop 'L' as a temporary connection, but with the completion of the expressway and new "Congress" rapid transit line on June 22, 1958, the Garfield Park 'L' came to an end and henceforth, Congress trains were routed via the subway. The connecting tracks at the terminal's former location were removed in 1964.