South Shore rail service restored in time for Black Friday rush

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South Shore rail breaks

Crews worked to repair 22 rail breaks along 10 miles of track in Porter County on Thursday, November 27, 2008. The damage forced South Shore officials to suspend train service on Thanksgiving Day. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT 24/7 News

Story Created: Nov 28, 2008 at 1:12 AM EST

Story Updated: Dec 10, 2008 at 11:39 AM EST

SOUTH BEND — After nearly an entire Thanksgiving Day of suspended South Shore service because of rail damage, train lines are back up and running in time for the Black Friday rush. The first train leaves South Bend at 6:33 a.m. Friday.

All rail service between South Bend and Chicago was halted early Thursday because of extensive rail damage caused by a freight train, according to John Parsons with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District. Service was restored late Thursday night.
 

Twenty-two rail breaks were scattered along approximately 10 miles of track. Mechanical failure of a wheel assembly on one of the cars of the 120-unit coal train caused the rail breaks along the track between the east entrance to ArcelorMittal and the LaPorte/Porter county line, according to Parsons.


South Shore Weekend Service Schedule

Complete Schedule and Fare Information: www.nictd.com or (800) 356-2079

  • Friday, Nov. 28 - Normal weekday schedule.
  • Saturday, Nov. 29 - Normal weekend schedule. Special Train: South Shore offers a special train departing Millennium Station at 5:45 p.m. making all regular stops and terminating in Michigan City. This special train will not serve Hudson Lake or South Bend.
  • Saturday Tickets: South Shore ticket agents will be on duty at South Bend, Carroll Avenue, Gary Metro Center, East Chicago, Hammond, and Hegewisch. Passengers boarding westbound Trains 502, 504, 506 and 508 should purchase tickets from the agent before boarding train. 
  • Sunday, Nov. 30 -  Normal weekend schedule.
  • Sunday Tickets: All ticket offices will be closed except South Bend, Van Buren Street and Millennium Station. Purchase tickets on the train if the agent is not on duty.

Friday, Nov 28 at 4:55 PM Randall Allen wrote ...

This is a great idea to get to may destination in no time. Why dont dump this old trains that keep braking up and get some nice and beautiful silence bullet trains? We all need all kinds of transportation and the bosses are on our butts all the time. Arrive before anyone else they say if you want to keep you job. So, we need this wonderful machines that makes feel like we are in heaven. Bullet train please to please our bosses. They will be sooo happy to see us early at work and ready for any th

Friday, Nov 28 at 4:19 PM RailFan51Mich wrote ...

That would be a miracle if anything could get to Chicago from South Bend in 5 minutes, HAH! Aerosmith says "Dream on" , let alone making it to Iron City in 10 minutes would have Harley riders screaming-SLOW THAT THING DOWN! For going that fast, ya might be better off taking your own helicopter and enjoy the scenery of traffic jams on the ground from the air, I think Forrest should ease off his meds too- Wooo! Where's Superman when you need him?

Friday, Nov 28 at 2:37 PM Dude wrote ...

No. I won't. You let one idiot get away with nonsense, then a bunch of other idiots read it and think it makes sense. Before you know it, you have the SBCSC.

Friday, Nov 28 at 1:59 PM Toby wrote ...

You'll have to forgive Forrest (The grump). He had a little too much cranberries and white wine yesterday!!!!! Talk about a Space Cadet!!!

Friday, Nov 28 at 10:53 AM Dude wrote ...

Uh, Forrest, SB to Milwaukee is 180 miles. To do that in 10 minutes, you'd need to be going 1100 miles/hr. Most bullet trains do about 200. But, yeah, we should make one that does 1100 mph, and run it between south bend and chicago, just to annoy everyone in between with the sonic boom. You should cut back on the meds a bit.

Friday, Nov 28 at 10:27 AM John wrote ...

Let's do a little math here. Five minutes to Chicago (about 90 miles) would mean the train has to travel at around 1080 MPH, about 1.4 times the speed of sound - more like the speed of a bullet than that of a train. This is assuming no stops along the way. To heck with all those people in Michigan City, Gary, etc. They can just listen to our sonic boom as we South Benders zoom on by.

Friday, Nov 28 at 8:41 AM Forrest Parker wrote ...

I am so glad that the rails were fixed. There were tons of people waiting to get to their destinations in Chicago and beyond. Parallel parking along with it the BULLET TRAINS would be better constructed along this line. Like the faster trains in Europe we will get to our destinations in no time. Five minutes from SB to Chicago is a bargain no one cant refuse. To Milwaukee will be in ten minutes. That will be so much better serve to all people who live along the lines down to Indianapolis.

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