Franklin Street Terminal

FRANKLIN ST. TERMINAL
Former Chicago 'L' rapid transit station
Four tracks are shown leading out to the right, before correcting themselves and going straight. Various crisscrossing occurs between them, and an additional siding leads to the tower.
The tracks leading from the Franklin Street Terminal
General information
Location258–260 S. Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois[a][1]
Owned byMetropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad Company
Line(s)Metropolitan main line
Tracks2, branching out to 4 with a siding for motor cars
Construction
Structure typeElevated
History
OpenedMay 17, 1895
ClosedOctober 11, 1897
Former services
Preceding station Chicago "L" Following station
Canal
toward Marshfield
 Metropolitan main line Terminus

The Franklin Street Terminal was a rapid transit station on the Chicago "L" that was the eastern terminus of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railroad from 1895 to 1897. The Metropolitan had intended to construct its eastern end at Fifth Avenue, a block east of Franklin Street, but right-of-way acquisition costs had proven prohibitive so it settled on Franklin Street to house its terminal and offices. Rather than demolish the buildings on the site, the company opted to gut their second and third floors and run its tracks through them.

The Metropolitan began service in 1895, although use of the Franklin Street Terminal would be delayed by a week and a half. The Loop, an elevated railroad structure connecting the downtown "L" lines, opened in 1897. The Metropolitan routed all its through the Loop and closed the terminal, which became the second shortest-lived station in "L" history. While the terminal was itself likely demolished soon afterwards, the infrastructure built to accommodate it would remain in use until the mid-20th century.

Closing the terminal created issues as the Loop frequently overflowed, leading to the railroad needing a new terminal to accommodate excess traffic. This terminal, which opened in 1904, was built at Fifth Avenue, the location that had been desired all along.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Garfield was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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