Need help from someone who knows Chicago rails well

[Chiro75]

I want to come into Chicago for the custom knife show in Arlington Heights on Saturday, Sept. 10. It's being held at the Sheraton at 3400 West Euclid. I am having trouble planning the trip so I was hoping a local can help me out or point me to the right sites to get the info I need. I was hoping to park in Michigan City and take a commuter train in, which is supposedly something like $7. It's called the Northwest Indiana Commuter Transportation District, but I can't figure out where to get off to switch to the northwest line to get to Arlington Heights. Looking at maps, it looks like the best place to get off would be Arlington Park, but does anyone know what kind of walk it is from Arlington Park station to the Sheraton? On a map it doesn't look too far, but I have no idea of whether it is even walkable or if I'm out in the middle of a wasteland of highways/etc out there!

So, my questions:
1) Is it a decent walk from the Arlington Park stop to the Sheraton? Is it do-able, as well as not too far?

2) My choices for getting off the Indiana commuter train are Randolph, Van Buren, Roosevelt, McCormick, 57th, 63rd. The northwest line going from Chicago to Arlington Height comes out of Madison & Canal. Are any of these stops close to that?

 

[geekswithguns]

Chiro...too funny- I will definitely be there- the Arlington Station is spitting distance from the Arlington International Racetrack (Which is how I will spend the rest of the time I am not at the show- knives, booze, and the ponies- sounds like the unholy trinity of empty wallet...). I did a mapquest between the racetrack and the hotel: Total Est. Distance: 0.98 miles. If you want I can just pick up my knife there...(the Tactical Orange Peeler). Just make sure not to sell it before I get there... and I don't know where the Indiana stops are located- but judging by the street names I would guess Randolph.
-Jack

 

[Chiro75]

For a one-day trip into Chicago, doing it this way sounds like a nightmare. If I wanted to just stop downtown, taking the train in from Michigan City is definitely the way to go, but then I have to get my way to the northwest line for Metra, which isn't even close to the downtown stops for the Indiana line, and blah blah blah. $$-wise it'll be about the same as driving in and paying for gas, and I won't have to worry about the timelines as much (all of those trains only run on 2-hour schedules on the weekend). Maybe you can pick me up on the Indy border and we can hit the lights on the cruiser and speed in! Screw you, toll roads! We're on official police business!