Day 67: The Heart of the Old in the New(er)

     In 1911, the Chicago and North Western Railway built a railroad station in order to replace the aging Wells Street station.  This was still the era of the classic stations(i.e. Dearborn Station)  The station itself was designed by the same team who put up the original LaSalle Street Station in 1903.  The main station house featured a gloriously appointed waiting room, as well as a concourse for intercity passengers, washrooms, and dressing rooms. The station even included a doctor's office.  Over the years, the station served some of the most well-known and loved train lines, including the famed "City" trains run by the Union Pacific Railroad.

     Unfortunately, like all good things, this too had to come to an end. The era of train travel in America had been on the downturn ever since the 1960s, when cars and the highway system provided Americans with an opportunity to get places faster and cheaper than the train.  In 1969, Chicago's Grand Central Station closed, and the two remaining lines from that station moved into the Chicago and North Western's Terminal.  On May 1, 1971, Amtrak assumed operations of most of the country's intercity rail lines.  Consequentially, those lines that were to be taken over ceased operation the day before the changeover.

     In 1974, with encouragement from Illinois Governor Richard Ogilvie, the Illinois General Assembly created the Regional Transportation Authority.  The RTA was tasked with administering all the commuter rail coming in and out of Chicago.  Ten years later, the RTA created Metra, a unified body responsible for all of the city's commuter rail.  Around this same time, the old Chicago and North Western station was being renovated.  In a radical move, the entire 1911 head house was demolished and replaced with a 42-story office building. The renovations were completed by 1987.

     In 1991, Metra bought the train shed from the Chicago and North Western and assessed its condition.  The conclusion was reached that repairs were needed to shore up the integrity of the building.  The renovations posed an interesting challenge, since the station was to remain open during the renovation, which included repainting the entire station, replacing all of the tracks, and very extensive structural repairs.  After 4 years and $138 Million, the renovation was completed in 1995.  2 years after that, the station was renamed to honor Richard Ogilvie.

     Entering the station today, you're immediately confronted by a large glass-filled atrium with various shops.  From there, you can either go further into the lower level and run into the food court, with its selection of anything from Panda Express, to Chutney Joe's, to Popeye's, and even an old standard like Taco Bell.  After you get done eating, you go up the escalator to the ticket counters, where you can purchase carriage aboard any of the 3 lines that serve Ogilvie Station.  After you've bought your ticket, the first instinct is to board the train.  But hold up there for a second.  If you walk all the way down the platform, you'll see a descending stairway.  Follow those stairs down and you'll be in the MetraMarket, which features more restaurants, a drug store, multiple other retail stores, and even a French Market.  After that, you can feel free to board your train and depart the same station that one would have departed over a hundred years ago, while having just experienced the amenities of today.  How's that for progress?