What’s up with that?

Photograph: Martha Williams

Q What’s up with the two abandoned train stations near the Kedzie-Homan and Western El stops on the Forest Park Blue Line?

A Those train stations, Kostner and California, aren’t exactly abandoned, says CTA’s media relations manager, Wanda Taylor. They were closed in September 1973, “as CTA worked to economize its operations and provide service where ridership [was greater],” Taylor says. More riders boarded the nearby Kedzie-Homan and Western stations, so CTA kept those two open. At the same time, CTA also shut down the Central station—its remains are between the Austin and Cicero stations. It makes sense that the Forest Park Line (originally called the Congress Line) has a whopping three “ghost” stations: The town of Forest Park is home to more dead than living, as half of its land is cemetery space.

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