Joliet Union Station

Former train station in Joliet, Illinois, U. S.

Joliet Union Station was a train station in Joliet, Illinois that served Amtrak long distance and Metra commuter trains. It was replaced by the new Joliet Transportation Center in 2018, a train station that was constructed adjacent to the Union Station's location. Train service to Joliet Union Station permanently ceased in September 2014. The station is 37.0 mile (60 km) from Chicago Union Station on the Heritage Corridor, and 40.1 mile (65 km) from Chicago LaSalle St. Station on the Rock Island District.

When it was in active service, Joliet Union Station was at the junction of the former Rock Island Line, Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, and Alton Railroad main lines. Therefore, it has two different milepost numbers depending on how far each route is to Chicago. On The Metra Rock Island District Line, Joliet is 40.2 mile (65 km) away from LaSalle Street Station, the northern terminus of the line in Downtown Chicago. On The Metra Heritage Corridor and Amtrak routes, 37.2 mile (60 km) away from Chicago Union Station, the northern terminus of the line. The Rock Island line runs via Blue Island, Illinois to LaSalle Street Station (track owned by Metra), while the Metra Heritage Corridor line runs via Summit, Illinois to Chicago's Union Station (track owned by Canadian National). The Blue Island trains leave from a single track on the south side of the station, while four tracks on the east side serve Amtrak, Metra Heritage, BNSF freight, and Union Pacific freight trains (BNSF owns the western two tracks, while UP owns the eastern two). CSX takes over ownership of the Rock Island tracks just west of the station, with trackage rights from the Iowa Interstate Railroad. The City of Joliet owns two thirds of the station and Metra owns the other third. The former waiting room has been converted to a banquet hall that can hold 350 guests. Later the number of Rock Island tracks on the south side of the building was reduced from four to one. Joliet Union Station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 1, 1978. The station was extensively renovated and made accessible accessible in 1989–1991. Eastbound U. S. Highway 30, the Lincoln Highway, passes by Joliet Union Station.

The state government of Illinois announced, on October 28, 2010, a $42 million long term plan to replace Joliet Union Station and partly rebuild the tracks. Separate tracks, dedicated solely to freight traffic, will be laid for BNSF container stacktrains. Rail passengers will be rerouted into a new multimodal train and bus station. $32 million came from "Illinois Jobs Now! ", a six year, $31 billion statewide capital program supported by 20 year state bonds and federal and local matching funds. The BNSF Railway also pledged $2.2 million and the city contributed $7.5 million. The existing Union Station building will remain, but a new terminal was built beside it. New tunnels provide Metra access to the Heritage Corridor Line trains, eliminating the need to cross the BNSF freight tracks. The project includes a new 500 car parking garage.