This photo was taken during the inaugural test run of the Skokie Swift line. The name Skokie Swift has now been retired with the new downtown station. | Photo courtesy of the CTA and the Village of Skokie

A view of the original Oakton Street station, which opened in 1925 and was torn down in the '60s. For the first time in nearly 50 years, downtown has a station again. | Photo courtesy of the CTA and the Village of Skokie

Unlike the original Oakton Street station, the new downtown station does not have a concession counter of this kind. | Photo from the Bruce G. Moffat Collection

This early sign was at the entrance for parking at the Skokie Swift. | Photo courtesy of the CTA and the Village of Skokie

An old 1-50 series CTA car approaches the original downtown Skokie (named Niles Center at the time) station.The station opened in 1925, | Photo courtesy of the CTA and the Village of Skokie

An early photo shows an el train on the Skokie Swift line. | Photo courtesy of the CTA and the Village of Skokie

The view looking south from the south side of the original Oakton Street station, which was torn down in the '60s. | Photo courtesy of the CTA and the Village of Skokie

El train service was abandoned for a time and replaced by bus service until the CTA started a new line and called it Skokie Swift. | Photo courtesy of the CTA and the Village of Skokie

Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen (left), U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th) and CTA President Forrest Claypool attend Monday's opening of the new Oakton-Skokie station in downtown Skokie. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

The long-awaited $20 milion downtown Skokie CTA station, Oakton-Skokie, opened for business Monday. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

An inbound train arrives Monday at Skokie's new downtown CTA train station on the first day it was open. The station was a long-awaited dream for many. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

A crossing at the north end of downtown Skokie's new Yellow Line CTA station, Oakton-Skokie, allows riders easy access into and out of the station. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

It's uncertain whether these commuters know they are part of local history as they board a train Monday on the first day of service at downtown Skokie's Oakton-Skokie station. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

The new downtown Skokie Yellow Line station, simply called Oakton-Skokie, opened for the first time Monday. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

A train map on the platform of the new Yellow Line CTA station in downtown Skokie provides riders with arrival time information. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Seen here is the entrance to the new downtown Skokie Yellow Line CTA station off of Oakton Street at the far south end of the terminal. The station opened for the first time Monday. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

Robert Wittmann, CTA general manager of construction, provides a tour of the new downtown Skokie CTA station Monday for U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-9th, CTA President Forrest Claypool (left) and Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Media

CTA President Forrest Claypool (from left), U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-9th, and Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen meet on the platofrm of the new Oakton-Skokie downtown station Monday, the first day the station was open. | Buzz Orr~Sun-Times Me