{{short description|Commuter rail station in West Chicago, Illinois}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox station | style=Metra | name={{Metra header|West Chicago | icon={{ric|Metra|upw}}}} | type= | image=West Chicago Metra Station track 2023-10-01.jpg | image_caption=West Chicago station in October&nbsp;2023. | address=508 West Main Street<br> [[West Chicago, Illinois]] | coordinates={{coord|41.8811|-88.1989|type:railwaystation_region:US-IL|display=inline,title}} | line= | other= | structure= | platform=1 [[side platform]], 1 [[island platform]] | depth= | levels= | tracks=3 | parking=Yes | bicycle= | passengers=586 (average weekday)<ref name=":0" /> | pass_year=2018 | pass_percent=11.2 | pass_rank=88 out of 236<ref name=":0" /> | pass_system= | opened={{start date and age|1912}}{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} | closed= | rebuilt={{start date and age|1990}} | electrified= | accessible=Yes | code= | owned=Union Pacific | zone=4 | former= | services= {{Adjacent stations|system=Metra|line=Union Pacific/West|left=Geneva|right=Winfield}} |other_services_header = Former services |other_services_collapsible=yes |other_services={{Adjacent stations|system=Chicago and North Western Railway|line1=Main Line|left1=Geneva|right1=Wheaton| line2=Galena Division|left2=Geneva|right2=Winfield|line3=Freeport Branch|left3=Wayne}} | map_state = collapsed | route_map = {{Routemap|legend=track|inline=y|map= v-STR!~MFADEg\vSTR!~MFADEg\fSTR!~MFADEg ~~ ~~ ~~ {{rint|Chicago|UPW}} west to {{stl|Metra|Elburn}} SHI1+l\vSTR\fSTR PSTR(L)!~MSTRq!~hRP2q\vSTR!~MSTRq!~hRP2q\PLTr!~fSTR!~MSTRq!~hRP2eq ~~ Wilson Ave. PSTR(L)\vSTR\PLTr!~fSTRl ~~ ~~ ~~ {{BSsplit|[[Illinois Prairie Path]]|(Geneva Spur)}} PSTR(L)\vSTR\PLTr PSTR(L)\vSTR\PLTr SHI1l\vSTR\ v-STR!~MFADEf\vSTR!~MFADEf\ ~~ ~~ ~~ {{rint|Chicago|UPW}} east to {{stl|Metra|Ogilvie}} }} | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 15 | mapframe-marker-color = #ffb2b9 | mapframe-marker = rail | mpassengers= }}

'''West Chicago''' is a station on [[Metra]]'s [[Union Pacific West Line]], located in [[West Chicago, Illinois]]. The station is {{convert|29.7|mi|km}} away from [[Ogilvie Transportation Center]], the eastern terminus of the West Line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, West Chicago is in zone 4. {{As of|2018}}, West Chicago is the 88th busiest of the 236 non-downtown stations in the Metra system, with an average of 586 weekday boardings.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://metrarail.com/sites/default/files/assets/planning/ridership/2018_summary_results_report_final.pdf|title=Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018|date=April 2019|website=metrarail.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526034459/https://metrarail.com/sites/default/files/assets/planning/ridership/2018_summary_results_report_final.pdf|archive-date=26 May 2019|url-status=}}</ref> Unless otherwise announced, inbound trains use the north (side) platform and outbound trains use the south (island) platform.

As of September 8, 2025, West Chicago is served by 51 trains (26 inbound, 25 outbound) on weekdays, by all 20 trains (10 in each direction) on Saturdays, and by all 18 trains (nine in each direction) on Sundays and holidays. One inbound train originates at West Chicago on weekdays.

West Chicago station lies south of the West Chicago City Hall and next to the Wilson Avenue Bridge. It is located at ground level and consists of two platforms and three tracks. Two tracks separate the side and island platforms, and one track lies south of the island platform. The island platform is accessed via a tunnel between the parking lot and the tracks. There is an unstaffed station house at the north side of the station, with a waiting room that is open from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.

==History== The original West Chicago station served the main line of the [[Galena and Chicago Union Railroad]] which never reached its western terminus before being acquired by the [[Chicago and North Western Railway]] (C&NW) in 1864. The line became part of [[Metra]] during the 1980s, while C&NW's successor.

In 1988, the West Chicago City Council announced plans to build a new commuter train station to replace a waiting room leased by the rail company at the West Chicago Community Center.

Metra budgeted $1.69 million for projects including the station building, new lighting, track drainage, and parking spaces for 200 cars. Metra allocated $235,000 of that funding to the station building. According to policy, Metra allocated only enough money to fund a standard commuter station. West Chicago added an extra $25,000 from the city's capital projects fund to alter the modern architectural style to a vintage, 19th-century look.<ref name=stationplans>{{cite news| last=Szymczaks| first=Patricia| title=West Chicago plans old-time rail station| newspaper=The Chicago Tribune| date=December 22, 1988| page=8 (Section 2)| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51728991/chicago-tribune/| via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>

The station officially opened on July 14, 1990. The opening coincided with the city's annual "Railroad Days" celebration, celebrating West Chicago's heritage as a railroad town.<ref>{{cite news| last=Handley| first=John| title=West Chicago demonstrates the approach Metra takes toward its commuter stations| newspaper=The Chicago Tribune| date=September 26, 1990| page=24 (Section 8)| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51729142/chicago-tribune/| via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>

A new parking lot was opened in 2001 and added more than 170 spots, doubling the commuter parking available at the station.<ref>{{cite news| last=Griffin| first=Jake| title=Metra parking lot expands to meet W. Chicago needs| newspaper=The Daily Herald| date=January 18, 2001| page=4}}</ref> City officials had hoped that expansion would attract more traffic to the train station and bring commercial development to the nearby downtown area.<ref>{{cite news| last=Greco Jr.| first=Carmen| title=City hopes expanded lot adds up to more More parking for Metra riders may lead to redevelopment in West Chicago| newspaper=The Daily Herald| date=April 29, 1998| page=6}}</ref> The second lot is located east of the first lot, and started to provide daily parking at $1 per day. The original parking lot was changed to permit parking only.<ref>{{cite news| last=Gibula| first=Gary| title=Parking lot eases crowding at Metra stop| newspaper=The Chicago Tribune| date=January 18, 2001| page=3 (Section 2)| url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51729211/chicago-tribune/| via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{commons category|West Chicago (Metra)}} *{{Metra web|Union Pacific/West|west_chicago}}

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[[Category:Metra stations in Illinois]] [[Category:Former Chicago and North Western Railway stations]] [[Category:West Chicago, Illinois]] [[Category:Railway stations in DuPage County, Illinois]] [[Category:1849 establishments in Illinois]] [[Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1912]] [[Category:Union Pacific West Line]]