A staple feature to the town of Antioch is the Metra station, along with the many train tracks. As the town at the north-most end of the North Central Service line, residents of Antioch live within proximity to many other Metra stations, both along the North Central Service line and Milwaukee District North line. Along with fellow Tom Tom staff member Walker Winkler, I went to check out the Antioch, Lake Villa, Round Lake and Round Lake Beach stations to see what each had to offer.
We started out at the Antioch station, which had elements from all of the other locations we visited. The design of the building meshed well with the normal Metra patterns, along with a good amount of parking near the station. There are some businesses within the general area, along with downtown in walking distance. The only downside to this station was the train schedule itself, where Antioch is the last stop on the North Central Service line.
The next stop we visited was in Lake Villa, which offered a nice contrast to that of Antioch. Compared to having a couple of businesses in the area and the rest within walking distance, the station was set in the center of town. More street side stores were within walking distance and the building designs meshed well with that concept. Parking also worked well in Lake Villa, with two lots split apart by the train tracks. The only thing that was noticeably off was the motif of the station building, which did not mesh well with the normal Metra designs.
Our next station was Round Lake, the only one on the Milwaukee District North line that we reviewed. Like Lake Villa, the station was in nice proximity to the town. It also had a good overall design, helped by the fact that the advertisements posted near the tracks made the station more akin to one found in Chicago. The biggest detriment to Round Lake was the parking, as one narrow but long strip of parking spaces was all that was offered.
The final stop was Round Lake Beach, which was almost the complete opposite of Round Lake. Round Lake Beach is on the North Central Service line, with more than enough parking in the vicinity. There was also more area for people to wait for the train, including a tiny library with a couple dozen books inside. The station was the most distant from any other business, with all nearby businesses having a long walking distance.
Overall, each Metra station near Antioch has their own thing to offer. Antioch is close to town with a large amount of parking, but also has the earliest and latest train times. Round Lake and Lake Villa have businesses nearby, but offer a lower amount of parking. Round Lake Beach has a plethora of parking spots, but driving is a necessity to see the surrounding area.
Scott Steinburg • Mar 30, 2021 at 2:30 pm
You failed to notice the very large parking lot just to the north of the train station
Cynthia • Mar 30, 2021 at 12:14 pm
Unfortunately, the parking comment at the Round Lake Station on the Milwaukee District North Line is incorrect. There is plenty of parking at that station as follows: a rather large lot located along and behind the A-Tire business; another lot is located on the southeast corner of Cedar Lake Road and Rt. 134; and yet another lot just south of the station across from Rt. 134. Thus, there’s plenty of parking at this station with four lots to choose from. When reviewing Metra train stations, it’s important to check the surrounding area as not all stations have just one lot closest to the station.