Historical Pullman District

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Twin Star Rocket

Service Attendant
Joined
Oct 14, 2012
Messages
189
Location
Texas
How safe is it to ride a Metra train from downtown Chicago to the 111th St. or 115th St. stations?

Any safety concerns walking to the District from those stations or riding the trains themselves?
 
I've been to Pullman several times and never felt unsafe. I was with friends each time, but I would definitely do the trip solo. Just be aware of your surroundings, as always.

Pullman is a rather sleepy neighborhood and is on the outskirts of the city. It doesn't feel quite as urban/dense as the neighborhoods closer to the city. In fact, I remember telling Jeb and NorthShore that I felt like we were on a movie set because it was so quiet and still.

If you can catch a tour, do so. The little visitors center is definitely worth a stop, as they show a movie about the history of Pullman and have many interesting things on display. You can even get a "Pullman Historic District" stamp if you collect National Park/Monument stamps.
 
West Pullman (a couple miles from the historic district) has some serious issues. The historic district, itself, and Metra are fine.
 
As a daily rider I can assure you that Metra Electric is quite safe. Having conductors keeps a lid on any untoward behavior (for the most part). The worst I've seen is fare dodgers arguing with conductors (female conductors especially) and homeless taking up residence in the station warming shelters.

Pullman is immediately adjacent to the station, so once you are off the train, you are there. Roseland, to the west of the tracks (and to a lesser degree, North Pullman [north of the old plan]) aren't as nice.

The neighborhood is definitely "stage set" and, in fact, was the location for a movie set in East Germany. Make sure you check out the Market Building - one of the more unique urban spaces in Chicago (and possibly, the Midwest/country).
 
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