Trains.com

South Shore/Randoph Street Station aka Millennium rat hole needs a big airy train shed and waiting room.

2290 views
6 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    March 2016
  • 1,568 posts
South Shore/Randoph Street Station aka Millennium rat hole needs a big airy train shed and waiting room.
Posted by CandOforprogress2 on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 11:41 AM

Here is a pic of the rat hole. I am sure that once opon a time things were better-

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: The 17th hole at TPC
  • 2,283 posts
Posted by n012944 on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 3:31 PM

Central Station and Millennium Station are two different stations, located a couple of blocks apart.

An "expensive model collector"

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • 1,568 posts
Posted by CandOforprogress2 on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 6:15 PM

I just noticed the brass spitoons liberaly scattered about the station. Feel sorry for the cleaning crew who had to deal with that filth.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • 9,610 posts
Posted by schlimm on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 6:21 PM

The old Central (12th Street) Station and Millenium Station are over a mile apart. And there is a heavily-used public park (Millenium Park) above the station tracks' area with the Pritzker Pavillion, Cloudgate and the Harris Theater. Besides, isn't CandOforProgress's usual transfer point a freight yard?

C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,540 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 6:55 AM

As a longtime user of Randolph Street Station, I can vouch that the whole station is a lot better than it used to be.  South Shore and Illinois Central always used separate sets of platforms, with South Shore's platforms being in the open air before Millenium Park was built.  The station area itself used to look pretty run down and a bit seedy since it didn't appear to have seen any upgrading or modernization since it was built in the 1920's.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    March 2016
  • 1,568 posts
Posted by CandOforprogress2 on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 11:56 AM

I have to take the IC Electric to CSX Riverdale Yrd. or South Shore Ry. to Grand Trunk Jct in South Bend and hitch out to Elkhart.

  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Dallas, TX
  • 6,952 posts
Posted by CMStPnP on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 12:30 PM

I don't think Randolph Street station ever had a trainshed, after initial construction it was entirely open air.......no shed.    I think the way it is now makes the most efficient use of space.    It's just a commute station anyway not a intercity station where one would expect more amneties.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy