Chicago South Shore railroad to help fund Indiana double-track project

Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS) is joining a local two-year project aimed at increasing train capacity between Gary and Michigan City, Indiana.

The railroad will work with the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) and the Northern Indiana Public Service Co. (NIPSCO) on the project, which is designed to improve passenger-rail service between Chicago and South Bend, Indiana, and support economic growth in northwest Indiana, CSS officials said in a press release.

The $300 million undertaking will increase train capacity by an additional 17 miles of second track on 25 miles of South Shore line between Gary and Michigan City, used by NICTD passenger and CSS freight trains.

CSS will contribute $2 million to the project, which will help the railroad "continue to provide quality service for current and future freight customers," said CSS President Todd Bjornstad.

"The project will result in smoother and safer passenger and freight operations," he added.

Pending federal funding approval, work is scheduled to be completed by 2021.

In addition to handling more trains in the future, the project will allow CSS to use some of NIPSCO’s now idle Bailly Generation Station (BGS) property, which will foster business development in northwest Indiana.

Now, about 8 miles of double-track main line exist between Gary and Michigan City. The project will double-track the entire area, which will allow additional passenger and freight trains to operate more efficiently, CSS officials said.

A bottleneck exists at Burns Harbor where CSS and NICTD trains share a single-track main line. When the double-track project is completed, CSS switching operations will be conducted north of the main line.