Central station (CTA Purple Line)

For other stations on the CTA system named Central, see Central (CTA).

Central is a Purple Line station of the Chicago Transit Authority 'L' system. Located at 1024 Central Street in Evanston, Illinois (directional coordinates 2600 north, 1000 west), the elevated platform sits above Central Street, half a block west of Ridge Avenue. The station itself, a Beaux-Arts structure designed by noted transit architect Arthur Gerber, is on the south side of Central Street and is entered at street level, with an auxiliary exit on the north side of the street.

Central   2600N 1000W
Chicago 'L' rapid transit station
General information
Location	1024 Central Street Evanston, Illinois 60201
Coordinates	42.063950°N 87.685742°W / 42.063950; -87.685742
Owned by	Chicago Transit Authority
Line(s)	Evanston Branch
Platforms	1 Island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	CTA bus
Construction
Structure type	Elevated
History
Opened	May 16, 1916 (1916-05-16)
Rebuilt	1931 (1931)
Passengers
2022	125,062  13.1%
Services
Preceding station Chicago "L" Following station Linden Terminus Purple Line Noyes toward Howard or Loop (Clark/Lake)
Former services Preceding station Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad Following station Linden toward North Chicago Junction North Shore Line Shore Line Route Noyes toward Roosevelt Road Preceding station Milwaukee Road Following station Llewellyn Park Terminus Chicago – Evanston Noyes Street towards Chicago Preceding station Chicago "L" Following station Isabella Closed 1973 toward Linden Evanston Line Noyes toward Howard
Track layout Purple to Linden Central St. North Shore Line platform removed 1970 Purple to Howard or the Loop
Location

History

Structure

The station was built close by to landmarks that include the Evanston Hospital and offices of NorthShore University HealthSystem, an Evanston fire station, Canal Shores Golf Course, and Chandler Newburger Recreation Center. Ryan Field, home of the Northwestern University Wildcats football team, and Welsh-Ryan Arena, home of Northwestern's basketball team, are a few blocks west of the station. Just west of Ryan Field on the north side of the street is the locally famous hot dog stand, Mustard's Last Stand. A few blocks further west is the Central Street station on Metra's Union Pacific North Line. Less than a mile separate the two rail stations.

Former service

Footings for the former North Shore Line platform

Central was served by trains of the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad on the Shore Line Route. Like Foster and Noyes, Central had an additional side platform to the west of the southbound track for exclusive use of the North Shore Line, to prevent disembarking customers from transferring to 'L' trains for free. The platform was removed sometime after the North Shore Line ceased operations over this section of the rapid transit system in 1955, but its concrete footings can still be seen opposite the current platform south of Central Street.

The Central station house in 2023

Bus connections

CTA

• 201 Central/Ridge (Monday-Saturday only)

External links

Media related to Central (CTA Purple Line) at Wikimedia Commons

• Central Street (Evanston Line) Station Page at Chicago-'L'.org
• After Midnight, Central Street Neighbors Association (image of Central Street "L")
• CTA - Train schedule: Purple

• Ridership figures, 2009 (172 KiB)

• Central Street Station Page CTA official site
• Central Street entrance from Google Maps Street View