Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad (NICTD)

Kensington Station (Metra) and Junction

The Metra Electric platform at Kensington, shared with the South Shore Line - Westbound South Shore Line trains stop to drop off passengers on the way in to Chicago, Eastbound South Shore trains stop to make their last pickup on the way out of Chicago. (Travel between Kensington and Chicago is not permitted - Metra Electric trains serve that purpose.)

The station building is located under the tracks just north of 115th St. Storefronts have been built next to the entrance along the embankment. Entrances on 115th St under the rails, including access to the former intercity passenger train platforms, have been closed off.

Platform 2 viewed looking northbound. The platform track is Track 2.
All four tracks to the right are CN freight lines.

Platform 1 viewed looking southbound with Track 1

Photos taken in June 2009 show (to the left from left to right) METRA Track 2 (leading north to tracks 3 and 4), CN (Canadian National) mainline tracks 1 and 2 and CN "thoroughfare" tracks 3 and 4. CN's thoroughfare ends at 79th St. The CN main lines continue north crossing over METRA at 22nd St and taking the "St Charles Air Line" to a junction with Burlington Northern just south of Union Station.

In the photo to the right from right to left are METRA Track 2 (leading south through Kensington Interlocking to University Park and Blue Island) and CN main track 1. Behind the signal cabinet are CN tracks 2, 3 and 4. Between the tracks behind the signal cabinet is the top of the former staircase to the former intercity passenger train platform between CN (then IC) tracks 1 and 2).

A closer view of the CN freight lines north of the station. A planned connection between the NICTD South Shore track 2 and METRA track 4 north of the station will disrupt this arrangement. Note that for CN, the Kensington Interlocking extends north to the switch shown here on CN Track 1.

METRA tracks can be seen headed north, left to right tracks 1 through 4, with 111th St station platforms visible between Track 2 and Track 3. The center tracks are used for local trains serving 75th St through 111th St. The next crossover is at 69th St, the diversion point for the METRA South Chicago branch. The next station north served by NICTD South Shore trains is at 63rd St (University of Chicago) where three daily trains may stop.

A closer view of the CN freight lines south of the station. The NICTD ladder track is shown connecting between track 2 and crossing the freight lines. Kensington Tower is shown to the left. Just right of center is where South Shore trains climb the embankment, cross the CN (former IC) lines and join the METRA lines. A freight connector joins NICTD to the CN lines.

The above is expected to change late in 2009 when a connector track is installed between NICTD Track 2 south of Kensington Interlocking and METRA Track 4 north of the Kensington station.

Westbound signals at the end of the NICTD line as it enters Kensington Interlocking. Track 1 is controlled by a footlight signal, Track 2 by the three round signals (showing STOP).

The first eastbound signals on the NICTD line. CTCC begins on Track 1 (with signals set to Clear for an approaching train). The Track 2 signal is covered. Track 2 is operated with Absolute Block Signalling to the next control point (CP 73.8).

A southbound (eastbound) NICTD South Shore train has received the signal to proceed through Kensington Interlocking to the NICTD South Shore Line.

The signals show clearance for a train to enter Kensington Interlocking from the NICTD line (Diverging Clear).

1998 Flashback

Kensington Station in 1998.

 
Just East of the station is Kensington Yard. A close up look at the interlocking signal as it appeared in 1998 is to the right.