63rd Street station (Metra)

63rd Street
The 63rd Street station of Metra Electric in November 2016.
Location	63rd Street & Dorchester Street Woodlawn, Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates	41°46′47″N 87°35′26″W / 41.779785°N 87.590539°W / 41.779785; -87.590539Coordinates: 41°46′47″N 87°35′26″W / 41.779785°N 87.590539°W / 41.779785; -87.590539
Owned by	Metra
Line(s)	Metra Electric District   South Shore Line
Platforms	2 island platforms
Tracks	4
Connections	CTA Bus
Other information
Fare zone	B (Metra) 2 (South Shore)
History
Opened	1903
Electrified	1500v DC
Previous names	Woodlawn Park, 63rd Street (Woodlawn)
Services
Preceding station   Metra   Following station 59th Street/University of Chicago toward Millennium Station Metra Electric District Main Line & Blue Island Branch 75th Street (Grand Crossing) toward University Park or Blue Island Metra Electric District South Chicago Branch Stony Island toward South Chicago NICTD 55th–56th–57th Street toward Millennium Station South Shore Line Hegewisch toward South Bend Airport   Former services   Illinois Central Kensington toward New Orleans Main Line 53rd Street toward Chicago Central Station Kensington toward St. Louis St. Louis – Chicago New York Central Railroad Chicago Terminus Michigan Central Railroad Main Line Kensington toward Detroit Chicago – Cincinnati (Big Four Railroad) Kensington toward Cincinnati

The 63rd Street Station is a commuter rail station within the city of Chicago that serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and the Chicago neighborhood of South Chicago and the South Shore Line to Gary and South Bend, Indiana. Most South Shore Line trains do not stop at this station, except for one inbound train during the AM rush and three outbounds during the PM rush.

The station was originally built by the Illinois Central Railroad (ICRR) in 1903, and served both ICRR commuter trains and long-distance passenger trains until the railroad relinquished its passenger train service to Amtrak in 1971. The station had another island platform between the two non-electrified tracks on the eastern side to serve the long distance trains. It is now removed, but evidence still remains. This also serves as a stop for Mount Carmel High School students, which is directly across from the station.

This is the last stop on the main line for trains of the South Chicago branch, which splits off south of the station. Prior to the 1982, the Jackson Park branch of the South Side 'L' crossed the Metra Electric tracks on a bridge just north of this station.

CTA