Homewood station

Railroad station in Homewood, Illinois

Homewood, IL

Homewood Amtrak platform in January 2025\. The Metra tracks and platform are on the left.

General information
Location| 18015 Park Avenue
Homewood, Illinois
United States
Coordinates| 41°33′45″N 87°40′07″W﻿ / ﻿41.5624°N 87.6686°W﻿ / 41.5624; -87.6686
Owned by| CN/Metra[1]
Line(s)| CN Chicago Subdivision (Amtrak)
University Park Sub District (Metra)
Platforms| 2 Island platforms
Tracks| 4 (2 Amtrak, 2 Metra Electric)
Connections|  Pace
Construction
Parking| Yes
Accessible| Yes
Other information
Station code| Amtrak: HMW
Fare zone| 3 (Metra)
History
Opened| 1923; 102 years ago (1923)
Electrified| Overhead line, 1,500 V DC (Metra)
Passengers
FY 2024| 40,820 annually[2] (Amtrak)
2018| 1,171 (avg. weekday)[3] 10.5% (Metra)
Rank| 32 out of 236 (Metra)[3]
Services
| Preceding station  |  Amtrak | Following station

|
|

Kankakee

toward New Orleans

|  | City of New Orleans |  | Chicago

Terminus

Kankakee

toward Carbondale

|  | Illini and Saluki |
Preceding station  |  Metra | Following station
Flossmoor

toward University Park

|  | Metra Electric

Main Line

|  | Calumet

toward Millennium Station

Former services

| Preceding station  |  Amtrak | Following station

|
|

Chicago

Terminus

|  | James Whitcomb Riley and George Washington

1971–1974

|  | Kankakee (Penn Central)

toward Washington, D.C. or Newport News

Rantoul

toward Champaign–Urbana

|  | Campus

1971–1972

|  | Chicago–Central

Terminus

Kankakee (Penn Central)

toward St. Petersburg or Miami

|  | Floridian

(rerouted 1972)

|  | Chicago–Central

toward Chicago

Preceding station  | Illinois Central Railroad | Following station
Matteson

toward New Orleans

|  | Main Line  |  | Harvey

toward Chicago

Flossmoor

toward Richton

|  | Electric Suburban

Main Line

|  | Calumet

toward Randolph Street

Track layout

Legend

|  |  |

| CONO, Illini and Saluki

north to Chicago Union Station

|  |

ME north to Millennium

|  |

|  | Dixie Hwy.
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |
|  |

|  |
|  |

ME south to University Park

|  |

| CONO south to New Orleans

Illini and Saluki south to Carbondale

|  |  |  |  |  |

Location

Homewood station is an Amtrak intercity and Metra commuter train station in Homewood, Illinois. It is also the location of the Homewood Railroad Park Museum.

Served by the Metra Electric District, Homewood is 23.5 miles (37.8 km) from that line's northern terminus at Millennium Station.[4] It is six stops away from the line's southern terminus at University Park. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Homewood is located in zone 3. As of 2018[update], Homewood is the 32nd busiest of Metra's 236 non-downtown stations, with an average of 1,171 weekday boardings.[3] It is also 25 miles (40 km) from Union Station, the northern terminus of the three Amtrak services which stop here.

## History

[edit]

In 1851, the Illinois Central Railroad began construction of their new rail line which branched south of Chicago to what is now the Village of Homewood. The first passenger train to run on this line ran from Chicago to Kankakee, IL on August 5, 1853, and stopped in present day Homewood. Also in 1853, the Illinois Central built a one-and-a-half story depot to serve to area. When the depot was built, the nearest town to the new depot was the large village of Thornton, IL, about three miles to the east of the depot, and the depot was named the "Illinois Central Thornton Depot" for sixteen years. In 1869, the depot was officially renamed to the Homewood Station.

The Illinois Central Railroad built the current Homewood Depot in 1923 to serve the Panama Limited and Seminole Limited.[1][5] The station house, now used by Amtrak, was built in a mission revival style in order to complement the architecture of the clubhouse of the nearby Ravisloe Country Club.[5]

Three years after the station opened, commuter services began. Throughout the years, the station also served such intercity trains as the City of New Orleans, Creole, and Green Diamond. In 1971, Amtrak assumed control of the Illinois Central's passenger operations and continued to stop at Homewood. Metra purchased the commuter services in 1987. In 2003 the Homewood Rail Heritage Committee approved the installation of a train watching platform for railfans similar to that of the Rochelle Railroad Park in Rochelle, Illinois. As with many suburban Metra stations, bus connections are provided by Pace Transit Systems.

On the Metra Electric, it is a regular stop on the main line. On Amtrak, it is served by the regional Illini and Saluki and the long-distance City of New Orleans.

### 2020s renovation

[edit]

The station underwent renovations in the early 2020s. The renovations improved facilities and brought the station complex into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Prior to the renovation, among the accessibility issues was a lack of an accessible path to the platforms from the west-side of the tracks (where Amtrak's station building is located).[5][6]

The first part of the project was a $15 million renovation by Amtrak of its facilities at the station. This project utilized federal funds. The Amtrak station closed in August 2020 for the renovations.[5] Much of the architectural features of the Amtrak portion of the station were retained, as the facility is on the Illinois Register of Historical Places. It was expanded with a new structure.[5] Amtrak demolished the former boarding platform and built a new covered island platform to serve the two tracks that its trains utilize at the station.[5][6]

After Amtrak completed its renovation of its facilities, Metra separately began a $14 million renovation of their facilities at the station. Metra replaced their station structure at Harwood Avenue and Ridge Road with a new structure, and renovated the track-access tunnel. It was funded through a combined $9 million funds from the Federal Transit Administration and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, with a further $4 million coming from Metra, $585,000 coming from Homewood, and $300,000 coming from Cook County. Metra's renovation of their facilities at the Homewood station was announced in 2020, and was part of a five-year capital investment plan involving the renovation of nine stations (including Homewood) on the Metra Electric District.[5][7]

## Bus connections

[edit]

Pace

* 356 Harvey/Homewood/Tinley Park
* 359 Robbins/South Kedzie Avenue (weekdays only)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Great American Stations. Accessed March 21, 2013.
2. ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal year 2024: State of Illinois" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2025. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
3. ^ a b c "Commuter Rail System Station Boarding/Alighting Count: Summary Results Fall 2018" (PDF). Metra. April 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 26, 2019.
4. ^ Metra Railfan Tips – Metra Electric Line
5. ^ a b c d e f g Nolan, Mike (September 28, 2020). "Homewood's historic Amtrak train station overhaul underway; Metra station is next". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
6. ^ a b Sheikah, Yasmeen (September 28, 2020). "Officials Celebrate $29 Million Amtrak And Metra Station Project". Tinley Park, IL Patch. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
7. ^ Mahoney, Adam (September 28, 2020). "Homewood rail station shared by Amtrak, Metra set for $29 million upgrade". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 13, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Homewood (Amtrak station) at Wikimedia Commons

* Homewood, IL – Amtrak
* Homewood, IL – Station history at Great American Stations (Amtrak)
* Metra – Stations – Homewood
* Homewood Amtrak Station (USA Rail Guide -- Train Web)
* Homewood Railroad Park (NRHS: Blackhawk Chapter)[usurped]
* Chicago Railfan image (Homewood Station)

* v
* t
* e

Metra stations

BNSF|

* Chicago Union Station
* Halsted Street
* Western Avenue
* Cicero
* Clyde (closed)
* La Vergne
* Berwyn
* Harlem Avenue
* Riverside
* Hollywood
* Brookfield
* Congress Park
* LaGrange Road
* Stone Avenue
* Western Springs
* Highlands
* Hinsdale
* West Hinsdale
* Clarendon Hills
* Westmont
* Fairview Avenue
* Downers Grove
* Belmont
* Lisle
* Naperville
* Route 59
* Aurora

Heritage Corridor|

* Chicago Union Station
* Glenn (closed)
* Summit
* Willow Springs
* Lemont
* Romeoville
* 5th Street (closed)
* Lockport
* Joliet

Metra Electric|

* Millennium Station
* Van Buren Street
* Museum Campus/​11th Street
* 18th Street
* McCormick Place
* 27th Street
* 47th Street
* 51st–53rd Street
* 55th–56th–57th Street
* 59th Street
* 63rd Street
* 75th Street (Grand Crossing)
* 79th Street
* 83rd Street (Avalon Park)
* 87th Street (Woodruff)
* 91st Street (Chesterfield)
* 95th Street/​CSU
* 103rd Street (Rosemoor)
* 107th Street
* 111th Street (Pullman)
* Kensington/​115th Street
* Riverdale
* Ivanhoe
* 147th Street
* Harvey
* Hazel Crest
* Calumet
* Homewood
* Flossmoor
* Olympia Fields
* 211th Street
* Matteson
* Richton Park
* University Park

| South Chicago Branch|

* Stony Island
* Bryn Mawr
* South Shore
* Windsor Park
* Cheltenham
* 83rd Street
* 87th Street
* 91st Street (South Chicago) (closed)
* 93rd Street (South Chicago)

|

Blue Island Branch|

* State Street
* Stewart Ridge
* West Pullman
* Racine Avenue
* Ashland/​Calumet Park
* Burr Oak
* Blue Island

Milwaukee District
North|

* Chicago Union Station
* Western Avenue
* Healy
* Grayland
* Mayfair
* Forest Glen
* Edgebrook
* Morton Grove
* Golf
* Glenview
* North Glenview
* Northbrook
* Lake Cook Road
* Deerfield
* Lake Forest
* Libertyville
* Prairie Crossing
* Grayslake
* Round Lake
* Long Lake
* Ingleside
* Fox Lake

Milwaukee District
West|

* Chicago Union Station
* Western Avenue
* Hermosa (closed)
* Grand/​Cicero
* Cragin (closed)
* Hanson Park
* Galewood
* Mars
* Mont Clare
* Elmwood Park
* River Grove
* Franklin Park
* Mannheim
* Bensenville
* Wood Dale
* Itasca
* Medinah
* Roselle
* Schaumburg
* Hanover Park
* Bartlett
* National Street
* Elgin
* Big Timber Road

| Rockford Intercity Passenger Rail|

* Huntley (future)
* Belvidere (future)
* Rockford (future)

|

North Central Service|

* Chicago Union Station
* Western Avenue
* River Grove
* Belmont Avenue
* Schiller Park
* Rosemont
* O'Hare Transfer
* Prospect Heights
* Wheeling
* Buffalo Grove
* Prairie View
* Vernon Hills
* Mundelein
* Prairie Crossing
* Washington Street
* Round Lake Beach
* Lake Villa
* Antioch

Rock Island|

* LaSalle Street
* 35th Street
* Auburn Park (closed; future)
* Gresham
* 95th Street–Longwood
* 99th Street–Longwood (closed)
* 103rd Street–Washington Heights
* Blue Island–Vermont Street
* Robbins
* Midlothian
* Oak Forest
* Tinley Park
* Tinley Park–80th Avenue
* Hickory Creek
* Mokena
* New Lenox
* Joliet

| Beverly Branch|

* Brainerd
* 91st Street–Beverly Hills
* 95th Street–Beverly Hills
* 99th Street–Beverly Hills
* 103rd Street–Beverly Hills
* 107th Street–Beverly Hills
* 111th Street–Morgan Park
* 115th Street–Morgan Park
* 119th Street
* 123rd Street
* Prairie Street

|

SouthWest Service|

* Chicago Union Station
* Wrightwood
* Ashburn
* Oak Lawn
* Chicago Ridge
* Worth
* Palos Heights
* Palos Park
* Orland Park 143rd Street
* Orland Park 153rd Street
* Orland Park 179th Street
* Laraway Road
* Manhattan

Union Pacific
North|

* Ogilvie TC
* Clybourn
* Ravenswood
* Peterson/​Ridge
* Rogers Park
* Evanston Main Street
* Evanston Davis Street
* Evanston Central Street
* Wilmette
* Kenilworth
* Indian Hill
* Winnetka
* Hubbard Woods
* Glencoe
* Braeside
* Ravinia Park
* Ravinia
* Highland Park
* Highwood
* Fort Sheridan
* Lake Forest
* Lake Bluff
* Great Lakes
* North Chicago
* Abbott's Platform (closed)
* Waukegan
* Zion
* Winthrop Harbor
* Kenosha

Union Pacific
Northwest|

* Ogilvie TC
* Clybourn
* Irving Park
* Jefferson Park
* Gladstone Park
* Norwood Park
* Edison Park
* Park Ridge
* Dee Road
* Des Plaines
* Cumberland
* Mount Prospect
* Arlington Heights
* Arlington Park
* Palatine
* Barrington
* Fox River Grove
* Cary
* Pingree Road
* Crystal Lake
* Woodstock
* Harvard

| McHenry Branch|

* McHenry

|

Union Pacific West|

* Ogilvie TC
* Kedzie
* Oak Park
* River Forest
* Maywood
* Melrose Park
* Bellwood
* Berkeley
* Elmhurst
* Villa Park
* Lombard
* Glen Ellyn
* College Avenue
* Wheaton
* Winfield
* West Chicago
* Geneva
* La Fox
* Elburn

* Category
* Bold denotes downtown terminals
* Italics denote closed stations, future stations, and unused line segments.

* v
* t
* e

Amtrak stations in Illinois

Active stations|

* Alton
* Bloomington–Normal
* Carbondale
* Carlinville
* Centralia
* Champaign–Urbana
* Chicago
* Du Quoin
* Dwight
* Effingham
* Galesburg
* Gilman
* Glenview
* Homewood
* Joliet
* Kankakee
* Kewanee
* La Grange Road
* Lincoln
* Macomb
* Mattoon
* Mendota
* Naperville
* Plano
* Pontiac
* Princeton
* Quincy
* Rantoul
* Springfield
* Summit

Former stations|

* Aurora
* Belleville
* Cairo
* Chicago (Central)
* Chillicothe
* Decatur
* Dwight (C&A)
* East Dubuque
* East Peoria
* Elmhurst
* Eureka
* Freeport
* Galena
* Galesburg (SF Depot)
* Joliet (Union)
* Monmouth
* Rockford
* Streator
* Warren

Future stations|

* Geneseo
* Moline
* Springfield-Sangamon

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