Blue Island–Vermont Street station

Blue Island–Vermont Street is a Metra station in Blue Island, Illinois, servicing the Rock Island District and Metra Electric District Lines. On the Rock Island, it is 16.4 miles (26.4 km) from LaSalle Street Station.^[2] For the Metra Electric, it is the southern terminus of the Blue Island Branch, and is 18.9 miles (30.4 km) from Millennium Station.

Blue Island Vermont Street
A platform for the Rock Island District station
General information
Location	2300 West Grove Street Blue Island, Illinois
Coordinates	41.6548°N 87.6778°W / 41.6548; -87.6778
Owned by	City of Blue Island
Line(s)	Joliet Subdistrict
Platforms	2 side platforms (Rock Island) 1 island platform (Metra Electric)
Tracks	4 (Rock Island) 3 (Metra Electric)
Connections	Pace
Construction
Parking	Yes
Accessible	Yes (both lines)
Other information
Fare zone	2
History
Opened	1868
Electrified	Overhead line, 1,500 V DC (Metra Electric only)
Passengers
2018	595 (average weekday)[1]  13.5% (Rock Island District)
Rank	84 out of 236 (RI)[1]
2018	197 (average weekday)[1]  8.8% (Metra Electric)
Rank	164 out of 236 (ME)[1]
Services
Preceding station Metra Following station Robbins toward Joliet Rock Island Beverly Branch Prairie Street toward LaSalle Street Rock Island Rush hour only 103rd Street–Washington Heights toward LaSalle Street at adjacent Blue Island station Terminus Metra Electric Blue Island Branch Burr Oak toward Millennium Station
Former services Preceding station Metra Following station Robbins toward Joliet Rock Island Rush hour only Givins closed 1984 toward LaSalle Street Preceding station Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Following station Joliet toward Colorado Springs Main Line Washington Heights toward Chicago Robbins toward Joliet Suburban Service via Main Line Givins toward Chicago Suburban Service via Beverly Blue Island Prairie Street toward Chicago Preceding station Illinois Central Railroad Following station at adjacent Blue Island station Terminus Electric Suburban Blue Island Branch Burr Oak toward Randolph Street
Track layout Legend ME north to Millennium RI north to LaSalle Street Beverly branch | main line ME platform Vermont Ave. RI platforms Grove St. Cal-Sag Channel Western Ave. RI southwest to Joliet
Location

On the Rock Island Line, as of 2022, Blue Island-Vermont Street is served by 74 trains (37 in each direction) on weekdays, by all 33 trains (16 inbound, 17 outbound) on Saturdays, and by all 28 trains (14 in each direction) on Sundays and holidays.

On weekdays, 16 inbound trains originate, and 16 outbound trains terminate, at Vermont Street. On weekends and holidays, six inbound trains originate, and six outbound trains terminate, at Vermont Street. All trains that terminate/originate from here travel along the Rock Island's Beverly Branch, with all Main Line trains originating or terminating at points further south.

On the Metra Electric Line, as of 2022, Blue Island is served by 18 trains (eight inbound, 10 outbound) on weekdays, and by eight trains (four in each direction) on Saturdays, with no service on the branch on Sundays or holidays.

The two stations share the same parking facilities and the same bus connections. Although these two stations are across the street from each other and trains do not use the same platform areas, the proximity of the two to each other functionally allows riders to transfer from one to the other with only a very short walk (less than an eighth of a mile) between them.

Blue Island-Vermont Street is one of the busiest stations on the Rock Island District. It is the centerpiece of the entire line, historically and presently. Many trains terminate here, most of them locals on the Beverly Branch, and most rush hour trains stop at this station, running express to and from this station. A coach yard is located just north of the station and is used to store out-of-service trains when not in use.

Vermont Street is a favorite of railfans due to its unique four-track setup, frequent train action, and switching movements. Later on in the day, Iowa Interstate Railroad runs a daily freight train along the Rock Island tracks, from Blue Island to Council Bluffs, Iowa. For this reason, this daily freight train is officially named the BICB. Blue Island's police and fire departments are located several blocks away from Vermont Street.

Blue Island–Vermont Street station and Blue Island station are both in zone 2 of Metra's zone-based fare system. As of 2018, Blue Island-Vermont Street station on the Rock Island District is the 84th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 595 weekday boardings.^[1] Blue Island station on Metra Electric is the 164th busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 197 weekday boardings.^[1]

History

Rock Island service was established in Blue Island in 1852,^[3] and the current brick station at Vermont Street replaced the original frame depot in 1868.^[4] The Beverly Branch splits from the main line here and runs at the base of the ridge serving stations in Blue Island and the Chicago neighborhoods of Morgan Park and Beverly before veering east to serve Brainard and reconnecting to the main line at the Gresham station at 87th and Vincennes. This branch line was created in 1889^[5] through the influence of the Blue Island Land and Building Company to serve its interests in the development of what was then the village of Morgan Park^[6] and carries most of the passenger traffic for the area, although some rush-hour trains travel north-east on the main line. In 1891, the Metra Electric station was built as a branch of the Illinois Central's commuter line from Kensington-115th Street.

On July 12, 1971, the station began service to Amtrak trains.^[7] (The sited station list shows non-Amtrak stations, and mentions that at the top of the page. The cash-starved Rock Island could not afford to join Amtrak, and ran their own intercity passenger trains until Illinois withdrew the operating subsidy and service was terminated on December 31, 1978.) By the 1980s, the station became part of the Metra system.

Tracks

The station has six tracks for in-service trains, four for the Rock Island and two for the Metra Electric. Of the Rock Island platforms, two are on the Beverly Branch, and two are on the main line. Each branch has one side platform, but all four tracks can be accessed. Most trains on the Beverly Branch terminate at this station, (except late at night,) and run inbound back to LaSalle Street Station.

The Metra Electric station at Blue Island

The Metra Electric station, being a stub terminus, has two tracks and one island platform. It is currently the only accessible station on the Blue Island branch, and one of only two stations on the branch to have more than one track, the other being West Pullman where the line has a passing siding.

Bus connections

Pace

• 348 Harvey/Riverdale/Blue Island (Weekdays only)
• 349 South Western
• 359 Robbins/South Kedzie Avenue
• 385 87th/111th/127th (Weekdays only)

References

1. "Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018" (PDF). Metra. April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 May 2019.
2. Metra Railfan Tips - Rock Island District
3. Volp, John Henry (1938). The First Hundred Years - 1835–1935, an Historical Review of Blue Island, Illinois. Blue Island: Blue Island Publishing. p. 83.
4. Blue Island Historic Preservation Commission Landmark Tour - Vermont Street Rock Island Depot
5. "Chicago Real Estate - Some Large Transfers". Chicago Daily Tribune: 2. February 7, 1889.
6. "EXCITED SUBURBANITES - WASHINGTON HEIGHTS OBJECTS TO FOOTING IT TO THE STATION - Rock Island Proposes to Moving the Dummy Tracks a Half a Mile West - Residents Say it is a Real Estate Scheme and Get an Injunction". Chicago Daily Tribune: 2. December 4, 1888.
7. July 12, 1971 Amtrak Timetables

External links

• Media related to Vermont Street (Metra) at Wikimedia Commons
• Metra – Stations – Blue Island–Vermont Street station
• Metra – Stations – Blue Island
• Old image of former Rock Island Station (Rock Island Technical Society)
• Station from Vermont Street from Google Maps Street View