The northern Red Line terminal is located in downtown Hamilton, north of High Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the existing railroad tracks. The station site is currently a large surface parking lot. This above-ground station consists of a center island platform, and a rail yard and maintenance facility for Red Line trains would be located in the vicinity.

Leaving the Hamilton station, Red Line trains head south on an elevated viaduct that parallels the existing railroad tracks until crossing Dixie Highway, at which point the viaduct travels above or alongside Pleasant Avenue.

This is an above-ground station with side platforms, with fare control located in a station house at ground level. Pleasant Avenue becomes Hamilton Avenue south of this station.

This is an above-ground station with side platforms, with fare control located in a station house at ground level.

This is an above-ground station with side platforms, with fare control located in a station house at ground level.

In the vicinity of Meredith Drive, the Red Line viaduct shifts a half-block to the west of Hamilton Avenue, following an alley behind buildings facing the Mouth Healthy neighborhood business district.

This is an above-ground station with side platforms, located a half-block west of the Mount Healthy neighborhood business district. Fare control is located in a station house at ground level.

South of Stevens Avenue, the Red Line viaduct shifts a half-block to the east and resumes following Hamilton Avenue, crossing the Cross-County Highway.

This is an above-ground station with side platforms, with fare control located in a station house at ground level.

This is an above-ground station with side platforms, with fare control located in a station house at ground level.

The Red Line viaduct follows Hamilton Avenue through the LaBoiteaux Woods greenbelt, and then transitions into an underground subway before reaching Ashtree Drive. The subway continues south under Hamilton Avenue as it approaches the Northside neighborhood business district. In the vicinity of Chase Avenue, Purple Line tracks merge with the Red Line from the west.

This is an underground station with its main entrance on the southwest corner of Hamilton Avenue and Blue Rock Street, the former Vandalia Avenue right-of-way now used as a parking lot. Tracks are on two levels, with northbound Red Line and westbound Purple Line trains on the upper level, and southbound Red Line and eastbound Purple Line trains on the lower level. Fare control is on the upper track level. The dual-level track configuration allows the Purple Line and Red Line routes to split north of the station while preventing diverging trains from crossing each others’ paths.

	Vacant lot at the location of the Northside station.
	Northside neighborhood business district.

Leaving Northside, trains pass under Mill Creek and Interstate 75, and then follow Central Parkway southbound.

This is a below-grade station with side platforms. Fare control is located on a mezzanine level above the platforms.

This is a below-grade station with side platforms. Fare control is located on a mezzanine level above the platforms.

South of this station, trains enter the Hopple Street Tunnels, originally constructed in the early 1920′s as part of Cincinnati’s 1914 subway project. Trains then emerge onto a viaduct that runs alongside Interstate 75 for several blocks before re-entering the existing tunnels in the vicinity of Addison Street. The tunnels continue southbound under Central Parkway.

This is one of four existing subway stations built in the early 1920′s as part of Cincinnati’s efforts to built a comprehensive subway system. This is a shallow cut-and-cover station, with side platforms. Fare control would be located on a newly-built station house at ground level. Extensive renovation of the existing station would be required to bring it up to modern standards.

	Existing concourse leading to the outbound platform at Brighton.1
	Existing outbound platform at Brighton.2
	Existing outbound track at Brighton, facing south. The inbound track is to the right.3
	Architect’s rendering of a proposed station house at the Brighton station, presented as part of a 2008 report on light rail options for the abandoned subway.4

South of this station, Red Line trains split to the south in new tunnels under Freeman Avenue, passing under Interstate 75 and then running under Dalton Street. Purple Line trains continue southeast in the existing subway tunnels under Central Parkway.

In the vicinity of Liberty Street, Green Line tracks merge from the west before entering the Union Terminal Station. Non-revenue tracks provide a connection to the Silver Line.

This is a subway station with two island platforms, located below Dalton Street where it passes under Ezzard Charles Drive. One platform serves Silver Line trains; other platform serves Red Line and Green Line trains. The station has direct indoor access to Union Terminal via escalators and an underground concourse. Connections to taxi, bus, and streetcar service at Union Terminal are also available.

	The now-demolished concourse is shown at the upper right, and is now the site of an intermodal rail yard. A new concourse for commuter, regional, and high-speed rail service is proposed for the location. The taxi, bus, and streetcar ramps are seen on either side of the central rotunda.5
	Union Terminal’s exterior.
	Taxi, bus, and streetcar ramps leading into Union Terminal. A corresponding set of exit ramps are on the south side of the facility. These ramps are now occupied by the Cincinnati History Museum and the Museum of Natural History & Science. It is proposed that these institutions be relocated to new stand-alone buildings on either side of the approach drive to Union Terminal, where large parking lots now stand.
	The interior of Union Terminal’s historic rotunda. The entrance to the former concourse is at center.
	Aerial photo of the Union Terminal area, with an overlay showing proposed rapid transit, streetcar, and regional rail services.

Red Line trains leave the station via an underground tunnel running southbound below Dalton Street, and turn east under Dalton Avenue as they approach the Queensgate station.

The Queensgate neighborhood of Cincinnati is immediately to the west of downtown, and consists primarily of light industrial and warehouse uses. Queensgate is currently separated from downtown by the sprawling I-71/75 expressway interchange and approach ramps to the Brent Spence Bridge. With plans underway to replace the bridge and highway interchange, however, this neighborhood could potentially be reconnected to downtown and see large-scale future development.

This station consists of two elevated island platforms serving Silver Line and Blue Line, and one subway island platform serving Red Line and Green Line. The above-ground and below-ground portions of the station share a common station house at street level.

Upon departing this station, Red Line and Green Line trains continue eastward into downtown via Fifth Street, passing under Interstate 75.

Fountain Square is the primary transit hub of the Metro system, located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati. Red Line and Green Line trains travel in a subway running east-west under Fifth Street, while Gold Line and Orange Line trains travel in a subway running north-south under Vine Street. Fountain Square is located where the Vine Street subway passes under the Fifth Street subway, with fare control located on a large mezzanine between the two levels. This mezzanine is located within the shell of the Fountain Square parking garage, with entrances to the station located on Vine Street and Walnut Street, at the former vehicle entrances to the parking garage.

The Fountain Square transit hub is discussed in further detail on its own page.

Leaving Fountain Square station, Red Line and Green Line trains travel east under Fifth Street, passing under Interstate 71. East of I-71, the Red Line splits to the south, heading above-ground prior to crossing the Ohio River. The Green Line continues east under Mount Adams before turning northeast.

This is an above-ground station with side platforms, with fare control located in a station house at ground level. The Blue Line runs roughly perpendicular to the Red Line at this station, traveling on a subway below Pete Rose Way. The ground-level station house provides access to both lines.

South of this station, the Red Line utilizes the abandoned railroad right-of-way on the Newport Southbank Bridge to cross the Ohio River into Northern Kentucky.

This is the first Red Line station on the Kentucky side of the river, located immediately south of the Newport Southbank Bridge. The station is on an elevated viaduct with side platforms, fare control located in a station house at ground level facing Third Street. The station is adjacent to the Newport on the Levee shopping and entertainment complex, which includes the Newport Aquarium.

Upon leaving the station, Red Line trains cross Third Street and transition to a subway running under Saratoga Street.

This is a subway station with side platforms and fare control located on a mezzanine above the platform level. Entry to the station is via sidewalk kiosks.

South of 10th Street, the Red Line passes below a freight railroad and wooded area before continuing south under Monmouth Street.

This is a subway station with side platforms, with fare control located on a mezzanine above the platform level. Entry to the station is via an entry pavilion at the northeast corner of Monmouth Street and Carothers Road.

Leaving the station, the Red Line continues south under Monmouth Street, which becomes Alexandria Pike.

This is a subway station with side platforms, with fare control located on a mezzanine above the platform level. Entry to the station is via a ground-level entry pavilion.

After leaving this station, Red Line trains turn south and emerge alongside Interstate 471. Tracks continue at grade alongside I-471 until the highway ends at Alexandria Pike in Highland Heights. At this point the tracks ascend onto an elevated viaduct running alongside Alexandria Pike.

This is an elevated station with side platforms, with fare control in a station house located at ground level. Streetcar service connects this station to the nearby Northern Kentucky University campus.

	Typical low-density retail development at the Highland Heights station site.
	Facing north on US 27 from the Highland Heights station site.
	Facing south on US 27 from the Highland Heights station site.
	US 27 at this location is four travel lanes wide, plus two turn lanes. This discourages pedestrian-friendly development patterns and transit-oriented development.
	This TANK bus stop shelter is currently the only existing transit infrastructure at the site.

The Highland Heights station is typical of many elevated stations throughout the Metro Cincinnati system, and is discussed in further detail on its own page.

This is an elevated station with side platforms, with fare control in a station house located at ground level.

This is an elevated station with an island platform, with fare control in a station house located at ground level. A rail yard and maintenance facility for Red Line trains would be located in the vicinity.