Finding the unexpected in the everyday.
December 8, 1890 Chicago’s Grand Central Station was opened. This passenger railroad terminal, which had been designed by architect Solon Spencer Beman (1853-1914) and completed by the Chicago and Northern Pacific Railroad, was specifically located downtown at 201 Harrison Street (bounded by Harrison, Wells, and Polk Streets as well as the Chicago River). On the day... Continue Reading →
October 1, 2005 A light rail station in the Fruitdale neighborhood of San Jose, California, made its official debut. This station, which was built near the intersection of Fruitdale Avenue and Southwest Expressway, is a link in the Santa Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light rail system serving that region of the Golden State. Fruitdale station... Continue Reading →
September 12, 1998 In the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon, a light rail station in the Quatama area of the city of Hillsboro was officially opened. Originally known as Quatama/NW 205th Avenue Station, this facility is part of the regional light rail system known as the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX). This station is the eighth... Continue Reading →
August 27, 2018 Regular operations began for a light rail station in the German city of Köln (Cologne). This station was built as a link within the Cologne Stadtbahn, an extensive transit system serving Cologne and several surrounding cities. The station is located in Görlinger-Zentrum (Center), part of Cologne’s district of Bocklemünd. Görlinger-Zentrum contains a... Continue Reading →
August 26, 2006 Forsyth station, part of the St. Louis MetroLink system, first went into service. This station, which was one of six on that light rail station to be opened on the same day, is located underneath the intersection of Forest Park Parkway and Forsyth Boulevard in the St. Louis suburb of University City.... Continue Reading →
July 11, 1867 A railway station in the village of Blue Mountain in the Australian colony (and present-day state) of New South Wales first went into service. This village, located on one of the eastern slopes of the Blue Mountains, had been established as far back as 1817. It was formally known as Christmas Swamp... Continue Reading →
June 18, 1972 Arroios station on what is now the Green Line of the Lisbon Metro, the rapid transit system operating in the metropolitan area centered on Portugal’s capital city, first went into service. Arroios, the area where this station is located, is a frequesia (civil parish) and district of Lisbon. The station, which was... Continue Reading →
June 17, 1977 In Belgium, Demey station of the Brussels Metro was formally opened. The Brussels Metro is a rapid transit system serving a large portion of the Brussels-Capital Region. Demey station is located in Auderghem, one of the 19 municipalities within that region. (The region also includes Belgium’s capital city of Brussels.) The station... Continue Reading →
June 13, 2024 La Dhuys station on Line 11 of the Paris Métro rapid transit system made its debut. This station was one of six built as part of a 3.7-mile (six-kilometer) extension of Line 11. All of these stations were opened to the public on the same date. (Paris Métro is among the French... Continue Reading →
June 3, 2017 Construction began on a regional rail station in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood. This station, which is located on Blue Hill Avenue at Woodhaven Street, was built as part of the Fairmount Line of the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) Commuter Rail system. Blue Hill Avenue station was opened for regular service on... Continue Reading →
Transportation History 