51st–53rd Street (Hyde Park) station explained

Style:Metra
Coordinates:41.801°N -87.5872°W
Line:University Park Sub District
Platform:2 island platforms (formerly 3)
Tracks:4
Passengers:671 (average weekday)
Pass Year:2018
Pass Percent:4.5
Pass Rank:78 out of 236
Rebuilt:2002
Accessible:Yes
Owned:Metra
Zone:2
Former:Madison Park
Other Services Collapsible:yes
Other Services Header:Former services
Map State:collapsed
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail
Marker-Color:
  1. ff4e00
Zoom:15

51st–53rd Street (Hyde Park) is a commuter rail station within the City of Chicago serves the Metra Electric Line north to Millennium Station and south to University Park, Blue Island, and South Chicago. As of 2018, the station is the 78th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 671 weekday boardings.[1] The station location, one of the oldest in the United States, has been in continuous use by commuters since 1856.

During peak commute hours, many express trains stop at this station. At off-peak hours, it is served mainly by local trains. Station entrances are located at E. Hyde Park Boulevard (5100 S.)/Lake Park Avenue and at 53rd Street/Lake Park Avenue. The station is located near Kenwood Academy High School, the 53rd Street commercial district, and the Regents Park apartment complex.

The East Hyde Park Boulevard (51st Street) viaduct was once the site of a graffiti mural, painted by non-profit youth organization Higher Gliffs with Metra's permission. In September 2006, the murals were whitewashed, possibly by mistake.[2]

The station was served by Illinois Central Railroad intercity-trains from Chicago to points south at an island platform on the two non-electrified tracks east of the electrified tracks.[3] Amtrak's City of New Orleans, Illini, and Saluki still pass by the station without stopping. Prior to October 16, 1966, the South Shore Line also stopped at this station. On that date trains ceased calling at 53rd and instead began stopping at 57th Street,[4] the next station south.

Bus connections

CTA

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018. April 2019. Metra. https://web.archive.org/web/20190526034459/https://metrarail.com/sites/default/files/assets/planning/ridership/2018_summary_results_report_final.pdf. 26 May 2019.
  2. Web site: City destroys local murals. Hyde Park Herald. September 20, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927164105/http://highergliffs.com/Herald.htm. September 27, 2007.
  3. Illinois Central Schedule June 1942.
  4. News: . South Shore Switches Stop to 57th Street. Chicago Tribune. October 16, 1966. 2 Section 4.