NICTD says train service likely to resume east of Gary in spring 2024

South Shore Line passengers could begin riding trains instead of buses between Michigan City and Gary early next year, the railroad’s top executive said Monday.

The railroad’s Double Track project between the two cities is nearly 80 percent complete now and should reach “substantial completion” in November, South Shore Line President Michael Noland told the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation Board.

“We are nearing the home stretch” on that project, he said.

After some time to test and become familiar with the new equipment, the railroad could resume running trains between Michigan City and Gary “sometime over the winter,” he said.

Train service between Michigan City and the Dune Park station near Chesterton could start earlier than that.

The new Double Track service, with more trains and a new schedule, is expected to start in May 2024.

“There seems to be no reason why we shouldn’t make that mark,” Noland said.

Buses began carrying South Shore Line passengers from Michigan City to Dune Park in early 2022, when construction on the 26-mile Double Track project started. Later that year, busing extended to Gary.

The NICTD board also learned Monday that the West Lake project, a new 9-mile rail line being built between Hammond and Dyer, along with four new stations, is about 35 percent complete.

The current construction schedule indicates that West Lake service to Chicago will begin somewhat later than the May 2025 target, Noland said, adding that he is “cautiously optimistic” that the target is still attainable.

Environmental costs — primarily, the cost of removing and landfilling contaminated soil from north Hammond sites — have been about $14 million more than the $5 million anticipated.

“We knew there was going to be stuff in the ground,” Noland said, “but you never know until you start digging.”

Future projects for the South Shore Line include adding another track to two downtown Chicago stations, to accommodate the additional West Lake and Double Track trains, and — if federal funding is approved — moving the South Bend station from the east side to the west side of the South Bend airport terminal, to cut up to 15 minutes from the scheduled running time.

“I always joke,” Noland said, “that we’re a construction company masquerading as a railroad.”

South Shore Line ridership has increased 14 percent since last year, but is still only about 54 percent what it was in 2019, before the pandemic.

Tim Zorn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

Originally Published: Jul 24, 2023 at 4:26 pm