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East 55th (RTA cts Line Rapid Transit station)

E. 55th St.
 Red Line   Blue Line   Green Line 
GCRTA wordmark logo.svg rapid transit and light rail station
East 55 Rapid Station September 2015.jpg
Location 2890 East 55th Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44127
Coordinates 41°28′50″N 81°39′7″W / 41.48056°N 81.65194°W / 41.48056; -81.65194Coordinates: 41°28′50″N 81°39′7″W / 41.48056°N 81.65194°W / 41.48056; -81.65194
Owned by Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
Line(s)
  Red Line
  Blue Line
Platforms 1 island platform
Tracks 2
Connections GCRTA wordmark logo.svg Bus transport 16 (East 55th)
Construction
Structure type At-grade
Parking 50 spaces
Disabled access Yes
History
Opened April 11, 1920
Rebuilt 2009-2011
Services
Preceding station   GCRTA wordmark logo.svg Rapid Transit   Following station
toward Airport
Red Line
toward Tower City
Blue Line
Green Line
toward Green Road
Location
East 55th is located in Cleveland
East 55th
East 55th
Location within Cleveland
Former Services
1920-1978
Services
  Former services  
Preceding station   GCRTA wordmark logo.svg Rapid Transit   Following station
toward Airport
Airport-Windermere Line
1975-1978
toward Windermere
Van Aken
Line
1975-1978
toward Warrensville
Shaker
Line
1975-1978
toward Green
Cleveland Transit System
toward Airport
CTS Rapid Transit
1971-1975
toward Windermere
Shaker Heights Rapid Transit
Van Aken
Line
1944-1975
toward Warrensville
Shaker
Line
1944-1975
toward Green
Cleveland Interurban Railroad
Moreland
Division
1920-1944
toward Warrensville
Shaker
Division
1920-1944
toward Green

East 55th is a station on the RTA Red, Green and Blue Lines in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The station entrance is located on the east side of East 55th Street just north of the intersection with Bower Avenue and the eastern terminus of Interstate 490.

The station is fairly unusual in that it serves both high-level boarding rapid transit or heavy rail trains and low-level boarding light rail trains off of one central island platform. High-level boarding for the Red Line is located at the western end of the platform and low-level boarding for the Green and Blue Lines is located the eastern end of the platform. East 55th and East 34th are the only stations on the Blue/Green Line, other than downtown's Tower City station, to utilize an island platform. Therefore, due the fare collection procedure used on the Blue/Green Line, disembarking Blue/Green Line westbound passengers must walk to the front of the train and pay their fare or swipe/dip their farecard at the farebox before walking back through the train to exit one of the car's side left doors. Likewise, passengers departing East 55th station on the Blue/Green Line going eastbound must board the train through one of the train's left side doors and then immediately walk to the front of the train to pay their fare or swipe/dip their farecard at the farebox.

The station was first used for the Shaker Rapid Transit, the predecessor of the Green and Blue Lines. The Shaker Rapid Transit opened along private right-of-way from Shaker Square to East 34th Street on April 11, 1920. The station then consisted of a low-level island platform and a wooden stairway to East 55th Street.

The Shaker Rapid Transit was able to use an island platform at this station and at East 34th Street because it used left side running on its dual tracks west of East 65th Street (that is, each train traveled forward on the left track of the pair, instead of the right as is common and as done over the rest of the line). Therefore, the doors on the right side of each car opened onto the island platform at these stations. The switch from right to left side and vice versa was accomplished at a complex of tunnels located at East 65th Street. The tunnels also provided access from the trunk line to the Kingsbury Car Yard and Shops located in the Sidaway Valley, and they allowed for connection to the proposed line along the right-of-way eventually used by the Red Line.


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Wikipedia

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