By David Zegeye, Streetsblog Chicago; October 1, 2019
Auburn Gresham used to have a commuter rail station on 79th Street as a part of the old Rock Island Railroad. After the Rock Island Railroad entered bankruptcy, the station was closed in 1978. The Regional Transit Authority took over the commuter rail service on this corridor in 1980, which became the Metra Rock Island District line, but did not bring back the Auburn Gresham station. Monday marked the groundbreaking for the new Auburn Park Metra station on the RID line, which will start construction next year.