 The station was originally built by the Illinois Central Railroad (ICRR) in 1903, and served both ICRR commuter trains and long-distance passenger trains until the railroad relinquished its passenger train service to Amtrak in 1971.A large combination station and office building for the Illinois Central was built in 1917, and demolished in the 1980s.The station had another island platform between the two non-electrified tracks on the eastern side to serve the long distance trains, such as the "Panama Limited" and "James Whitcomb Riley".