East 55th (SHRT) (RTA Van AkenC Line Rapid Transit station)

E. 55th St.
Red Line   Blue Line   Green Line  rapid transit and light rail station
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   Green Line
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	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   Rapid Transit   Following station East 34th–Campus toward Airport Red Line East 79th toward Louis Stokes–Windermere East 34th–Campus toward Tower City Blue Line East 79th toward Warrensville – Van Aken or Green Road Green Line
Location
East 55th Location within Cleveland

Former Services 1920-1978

Services   Former services   Preceding station   Rapid Transit   Following station East 34th–Campus toward  Airport or Public Square Airport-Windermere Line 1975-1978 East 79th (CTS) toward Windermere Van Aken Line 1975-1978 East 79th (SHRT) toward Warrensville or Green Shaker Line 1975-1978 Cleveland Transit System Campus toward Airport CTS Rapid Transit 1971-1975 East 79th toward Windermere Shaker Heights Rapid Transit East 34th toward Downtown Terminal Van Aken Line 1944-1975 East 79th toward Warrensville or Green Shaker Line 1944-1975 Cleveland Interurban Railroad East 34th toward Union Terminal Moreland Division 1920-1944 East 79th toward Warrensville or Green Shaker Division 1920-1944

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.