IC’s Central Station, Chicago By Angela Cotey | November 12, 2017 | Last updated on August 7, 2025 Email Newsletter Get the newest photos, videos, stories, and more from Trains.com brands. Sign-up for email today! Get Updates Illinois Central opened its Central Station on Chicago’s lakefront in April 1893. This 1950s view shows the grand arched waiting room, which was marred in 1962 by the installation of a false ceiling. Demolition came in 1974. IC photo