Worst El line stops (Chicago: safe, train, station)

[personone]

Originally Posted by AlwaysBeachin

You're talking about her. I've read about her, and she still has listings up.

Meet Nonya B. of WaitHereChicago in Englewood - Voyage Chicago | Chicago City Guide

Belmont was rated high, but as stated, it's due to all the traffic there. Doesn't feel unsafe, though. The most unnerving stations are those with the underground tunnels in the loop area. I'm not a fan of Roosevelt either. As long as there are others around, it's not bad. When you're the only one on the platform with a long wait, it can be concerning, especially if some shady characters show up. Best to use the app and monitor the times so you're not on the platform alone for long periods of time.

The most unsafe I've felt is at Roosevelt on a few occasions. There can be a tougher crowd there, although the good thing is (at least in pre-pandemic times), it is always very crowded.

I have also taken the Green Line out to Oak Park/Forest Park a few times, and there are some stops along that line, especially near Austin where it starts getting a little uneasy. Although the few times I went out that way I sat in the front car. The actual El "stop," is not bad at Oak Park/Forest Park. I am just careful of my surroundings and look around.

[OKParker]

Originally Posted by personone

The most unsafe I've felt is at Roosevelt on a few occasions. There can be a tougher crowd there, although the good thing is (at least in pre-pandemic times), it is always very crowded.

I have also taken the Green Line out to Oak Park/Forest Park a few times, and there are some stops along that line, especially near Austin where it starts getting a little uneasy. Although the few times I went out that way I sat in the front car. The actual El "stop," is not bad at Oak Park/Forest Park. I am just careful of my surroundings and look around.

I've taken that line 5 days a week for over a decade.. You'll occasionally see some stuff on the train but I've never felt unsafe.

On the other hand, I've rarely taken the red line south of 35th but have had a handful of disturbing experiences.

[MSchemist80]

Originally Posted by OKParker

On the other hand, I've rarely taken the red line south of 35th but have had a handful of disturbing experiences.

Just wait until they extend it further into the ghetto through Roseland and West Pullman. The trains will all have bullet holes.

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by MSchemist80

Just wait until they extend it further into the ghetto through Roseland and West Pullman. The trains will all have bullet holes.

If they don't have bullet holes now (particularly the Green line ending on Ashland in Englewood) why would they cars have bullet holes later?

Nice of you to be so optimistic.

[TBideon]

Just from personal experiences...

Roosevelt Red/Orange/Green is sketchy as hell, and we all know it.

Jackson Red, in particular the **** tunnel connecting the stop to the Blue line, is disgusting, and the city seems to proudly provide no security (or anywhere, really).

The Green line stops in between Kedzie and Austin are rough, with junkies jumping in and off, plus no shortage of loudmouth parasites causing tensions on the stations and trains themselves. You'll hear the doors between trains open quite a bit, and while it's usually benign panhandlers or cigarette vendors, it can go south quickly too.

Anecdotally, the Blue Line stops between Kedize and Austin are no picnic, but I haven't had any rough experiences on them.

Pink seems fine generally, though I was uncomfortable on Kostner a few years (after the Mexican Independence Day parade) and got eyeballed waiting on the train. Sad area.

Red line gets really rough, third-worldly south of 35th. Waiting for the 55 at the train station was not fun, and some loudmouths were menacing people. Better off taking the green if I want to hop on the 55.

[Master Jay]

TBideon, so how do you REALLY feel about this?!?

lol

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by TBideon

Red line gets really rough, third-worldly south of 35th. Waiting for the 55 at the train station was not fun, and some loudmouths were menacing people. Better off taking the green if I want to hop on the 55.

You say you are talking from personal experience but you don't seem to know what the Red line is like south of Garfield. As a matter of fact, I always preferred taking the red line to 55 instead of the Green line. Garfield and the Dan Ryan is more populated and a bit cleaner with places to sit. Garfield at the Green line stop is different and usually has far fewer people, including those students going east to Hyde Park.

Roosevelt is itself. I'm not sure it is the worse station but I know I have been through that big transfer hub on numerous occasions. It seemed ok to me.

The tunnel between the red line and the blue line at Washington is much, much better and cleaner than it was 20 years ago. Anyone who thinks it is filthy is just mistaken. I state this having experienced and having used the mass transit in NYC and having seen some real filthy areas.

Now on the CTA, I have called the office on several occasions for them to clean up their act. There is no reason for the roof at the new Green line station south of Cermak to leak. Similarly, it sometimes takes the CTA 2 or 3 days to mop out urine in the elevator on the south part of the Cermak green line stop -- that is inexcusable.

[TBideon]

I'm sure the tunnel was bad if not worse 20 years ago, but it's still disgusting. And that Jackson red stop can be chaotic; hell, they just had that mugging 1 or 2 weeks ago caught on film. And Roosevelt seems to have problems weekly these days.

[Master Jay]

Good evening...

I remember in the 1980s, my dad taking us on the L train, just to take us on rides through the neighborhoods, just to show us the buildings and homes with the territories spraypainted on them.

Man, we must have really stuck out on those rides. Being Hispanic in, sometimes not-Hispanic areas. And the 1980s was when the supergangs were in full effect.

This would have been between ages of, like, 10 and 18.

But I'll tell you what I AM grateful for: I was essentially raised to be comfortable whereEVER I went.

And honestly as an adult I still feel the same.

Hey, take a positive wherever you can, right?!?

[personone]

Originally Posted by TBideon

Just from personal experiences...

Roosevelt Red/Orange/Green is sketchy as hell, and we all know it.

Jackson Red, in particular the **** tunnel connecting the stop to the Blue line, is disgusting, and the city seems to proudly provide no security (or anywhere, really).

The Green line stops in between Kedzie and Austin are rough, with junkies jumping in and off, plus no shortage of loudmouth parasites causing tensions on the stations and trains themselves. You'll hear the doors between trains open quite a bit, and while it's usually benign panhandlers or cigarette vendors, it can go south quickly too.

Anecdotally, the Blue Line stops between Kedize and Austin are no picnic, but I haven't had any rough experiences on them.

Pink seems fine generally, though I was uncomfortable on Kostner a few years (after the Mexican Independence Day parade) and got eyeballed waiting on the train. Sad area.

Red line gets really rough, third-worldly south of 35th. Waiting for the 55 at the train station was not fun, and some loudmouths were menacing people. Better off taking the green if I want to hop on the 55.

I pretty much agree with this.