Aurora Ave.

History:

Aurora Ave. was a stop on the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad in present day Aurora. It was the penultimate stop on the Aurora branch heading west until the addition of Illinois Ave. circa late 1928.

The crossing of Aurora Avenue was selected as the location of a stop on the new Aurora, Elgin and Chicago Railway in 1902, but ultimately was not selected as a location at which the cars would stop on opening day (as was the case with many other stops). Instead it was placed in service shortly afterward. At the time, this location was just outside of the Aurora city limits, however the city would grow to eventually envelop the area.

The stop was located on the west side of Aurora Avenue and consisted of two low level platforms. As was the case with a number of AE&C stops, the platforms at Aurora Ave. were offset from each other, however they weren’t separated by the thoroughfare the stop was named for. Immediately west of the crossing was a Chicago Burlington & Quincy line which passed through the area parallel to Aurora Avenue and it was this that separated the platforms. The westbound platform was set between Aurora Avenue and the CB&Q, while the eastbound was on the west side of the CB&Q.1

Aurora Ave. was one of only a few stations on the railroad where the cars were not powered by third rail, instead drawing electricity from an overhead wire in typical interurban fashion. The Aurora substation was located a few hundred feet northwest at Hankes Avenue where the transition from third rail, to overhead wire occurred.1

Photographs of local AE&C stops from the early 1900s indicate that such stations consisted of little more than a pair of short platforms constructed of wooden planks arranged perpendicular to the rails at the crossing of a dirt road. Aurora Ave. was doubtlessly no different. Prior to 1920 the station was improved with the addition of lighting,2 while the original wooden platforms were replaced with cinder platforms that were approximately the length of one car.3

Aurora Ave. remained in use until July 3, 1957, when the CA&E suddenly withdrew passenger service which was never reinstated.