Joliet Union Station

It has been 6 months since my last train ride to Chicago and the conditions at the station are no better or even worse than the last time. There is a major construction project, though it is unclear what they are doing. However parking, access to the platforms, etc., are abysmal. This is the last time we will use Metra to take a trip into Chicago.

The trains as it is are clean and organized, yet the station itself was not what I expected. Since I was visiting the area for the first time, it was a challenge to find where exactly Union Station was located. I had to go to the police station and ask for definitive information on the address, since GPS wasn’t picking it up.
Upon arrival, I noticed that there were hardly any signs at all for the location itself. I figured out where to park, since the parking lot is directly across the street. When it came to receiving ticket information, the signs on the inside of the building were equally confusing. The employees within the station were busy at the time, so I wound up asking some of the locals about train schedules, etc.
Would I return to this station? More than likely. Is it convenient to get to? I suppose. Its okay to me, yet could use improvement.

Do Not come to this place and expect any type of customer service what so ever!!! The place has signs that lead you to no where!!! When asking a security guard that is locked behind a caged area (really whom is he securing!!) for directions he just vaguely remembers himself where I am to go and how to get there!!! Only to have to circle back and ask the same man the same questions!
Once finding the correct place to check in we are greeted an employee that is working very seriously on a personal phone call. She decides to assist my needs while continuing her important phone call.
The lady informs that the train is running late with no «clue» of how late or why!!! So two hours later and looking for alternate ways of travel we are told that the train is late due to the removal of two train cars from the train… wtf… Looks like they are happy to refund your ticket cost but now how to get from point A to point B?

I love it the Amtrak for getting down to St. Louis and this is the spot closest to my home. No fancy thrills, but it’s a pretty cool old building and their is a minor league baseball stadium on the backdrop while you wait for the train to come.
Choo choo, see you in the Lou.

My interest in this particular station is purely rail related. One, the station has an active UD tower; two, the 1912 beaux arts station is on the Natl Register of Historic Places; three, the station is a GREAT place to railfan. This bottleneck offers continuous train spotting opportunites of UP (Joliet Sub), BNSF (Chillicothe Sub), CSX, IAIS, Metra, Amtrak. Commuter parking is available across the street and city parking can be found in the multi-​level structures blocks away. The station has bathrooms, a ticket office, no wifi, and a snack bar which is open only during the early morning commute hours. The station lived up to its reputation as a premier trainspotting location. Be aware that the UD Tower will be demolished to make room for a new passenger station.

I take the metra from here often and while it is no where near comparison Chicago Union Station with Clerks Ticket agents and dining it gets you where you need to go and it nice to be able to buy your ticket on the train (as there is no agent) for no extra fee. Waiting for the train however is just ridiculous boring as they have no accommodations, aside from the grand dinning hall which is just a bunch of round though be it nicely decorated tables under lock and key.

Okay, here’s my update on JUS, based on what I observed while there on Sept 25^th with my Metra weekend pass… bathrooms have been updated, thank God. The toilets in the women’s restroom are now automatic, and each of them had toilet paper inside the dispensers next to them. The faucets in the sink still looked as if they were in desperate need of some damn CLR though! And the water fountain next to the restroom? That now has a plastic cap surrounding the spout, which is still in need of CLR. I feel a little safer now while inside the restrooms of this place or using the water fountain, but it I think that it still needs some updating and cleaning.
Maybe I wasn’t the only one to complain about the BS I saw in this place after the last time I came here. You may thank either Unilocal,commuters passing through JUS, or both.