User:Lost on Belmont/Avenue station

Avenue was a commuter railroad station on the Chicago and North Western Railway's Galena Division, now the Union Pacific / West Line. The station was located at Oak Park Avenue and North Boulevard, in Oak Park, Illinois. Avenue closed on December 1, 1958, as part of an effort by the Chicago and North Western to close twenty two stations within the city of Chicago and the close-in suburbs.

History
By the 1950s, Chicago and North Western management began to reassess its commuter service and came to the conclusion that the road could be operated more economically and efficiently by closing stations in and near Chicago and focusing on suburban and long-haul traffic. In June of 1958, the company went before the Illinois Commerce Commission requesting permission to abandon more than twenty stops, alter train schedules, revise its ticketing structure, and raise fares on monthly tickets. On November 14, the ICC ruled in favor of granting the majority of the North Western’s requests, including the closure of the Avenue station. The fare increase and service alterations went into effect on December 1, 1958, and Avenue was abandoned along with twenty one other stations either in or near Chicago on the Milwaukee, Galena, and Wisconsin Divisions.

After closure
Platforms remained, south tracks abandoned. CTA elevated Lake Street “L” onto CNW embankment. CTA moved ground level Oak Park station into this spot.