Station: Chicago, IL - Central Station

Central Station was located in  downtown Chicago, at the southern end of Grant Park near Roosevelt Road and Michigan Avenue. It was owned by the Illinois Central Railroad but also served other railroad companies via trackage right. It opened in 1893 replacing Great Central Station" (on the site of the current Millennium Station).

The Michigan Central utilized Central station and its predecessor via a connection with the IC at Kensington, however in later years it also used LaSalle Street Station for some trains. NYC affiliate Big Four line (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis) also used this station, as did the Chicago & West Michigan (PM) line from Grand Rapids.

In 1957, the NYC switched all MC trains to LaSalle, causing the Central Station to sue the MC for breach on contract. The case was reportedly settled for $5 million.

Central Station was closed in 1972 when Amtrak rerouted trains to Union Station, and the station was demolished in 1974. [Wiki]

The station served the following railroads:

• Big Four (CCC&St.L)
• Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville
• Illinois Central Railroad
• Michigan Central Railroad

Minneapolis, St. Paul & Sault Ste. Marie (Soo Line)

Notes

Time Line

1874. January 20. Between 3 and 4 o'clock this morning a fire broke out in the Union Central Depot building, occupied by the MC, Illinois Central and the Chicago Burlington & Quincy railroads at the foot of Lake street, and in short time made such progress as to defy the fire department and was entirely consumed. The baggage in the CB&Q baggage room was nearly all lost only a few pieces being saved and taken across the street. Nothing was saved from any of the offices all being swallowed up in the common destruction. The tracks were filled with cars and most of them were saved, but the men were unable to remove a number of fine passenger cars. The MC loses three coaches and two Pullman sleepers; the CB&Q lose three coaches including a Pullman sleeper; the IC loses four coaches partially burned; the Cincinnati Air Line one coach. The depot was frame construction, put up after the great fire for temporary use. [NDEM-1874-0124]

1874. January. Since the burning of the MC depot at Chicago, the Twenty-Second street depot is the stopping place in that city for passengers, unless persons having no baggage prefer to go to the old station. Omnibuses and baggage wagons meet the train at Twenty-Second street. [NREP-1874-0122]

1917. The MC had an operator here around-the-clock. [TRT]