Michigan City and Its South Shore Trains

Could South Shore Street Running Become An Asset?

 

 

It's easy to see that Michigan City is in distress. The one-time vital downtown has many vacancies, little quality retail of general interest, and little pedestrian activity. Urban decay erodes the tax base, and declining property tax revenue contributes to deteriorating infrastructure, which contributes to further urban decay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Workers from the Chicago area seek enjoyable living arrangements outside Chicago's urban core, and their pursuit of those desires has created growth and stronger property values in some Northwest Indiana communities. Lately there's been discussion of providing commuter rail service to Valparaiso, and there appears to be sufficient demand to justify the investment. The main impediment to realizing that service is lack of available funds.

 

Michigan City already has commuter rail service connecting it with Chicago, and the South Shore's on-time performance is generally reliable because its trains do not have to contend with a host railroad's freight trains for access to the right of way, an issue that is becoming increasingly problematic on some commuter rail systems. Good maintenance and capital investment in station improvements, catenary upgrades and butt-welding of rail are steadily improving the commuter experience. To resolve capacity shortfalls the railroad has ordered 14 new Sumitomo bi-level gallery cars, with the first slated for delivery in November 2008.

 

 

Michigan City has amenities that can be built upon to restore the community's prestige and vitality. Washington Park, with its good beach and landmark lighthouse, is a short walk from 11th and Franklin and a pleasant escape from the glass and steel and concrete of urban centers; Lighthouse Place is a retail shopping destination for many people; and the Indiana Dunes with their trails, campgrounds and beautiful beaches are only a few minutes away by car, somewhat longer by bicycle on the Calumet Trail.

 

 

I've read about proposals for relocating the South Shore tracks from 11th Street to a route farther south, parallel to the CSX tracks. Relocating the line would improve train performance, reduce maintenance costs, and make available more space for commuter parking. There's no doubt that all those advantages are real.

 

Before taking an expensive action that challenges what remains of downtown, though, the South Shore management and community leaders should explore options that can build synergy between the valuable transportation resource that already exists, and a downtown in need of resuscitation.

 

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) has gained widespread favor among urban planners both in creating new communities and in bringing life back to existing ones. Generally the concept involves a commuter transportation center, usually rail, surrounded by residential, commercial and mixed-use development clustered within a ten-minute walk (half mile). The relationship of downtown Michigan City and the existing South Shore route is ideally suited for TOD.

 

Rather than moving the tracks from 11th Street, consider this:

 

Many of the properties along 11th Street are in poor condition and most do not have a pressing need for curbside access. 11th Street isn't a significant arterial street for auto and truck traffic, either. I propose providing access to street-frontage properties via reconstructed, or where needed, newly-created east-west alleys. Many street crossings on 11th Street can be eliminated, leaving every third or fourth cross-street open. The rail infrastructure can be exhumed from beneath the asphalt and reconstructed using conventional ballast and cross-tie technology and given one or more passing sidings or possibly double-tracked at least part of the way to eliminate delays when eastbound and westbound trains meet at Michigan City. Protecting the right of way with fencing and protecting the remaining cross streets with gates and flashers will allow increased train speeds with improved safety for motorists, train crews and passengers.

 

Enough street ROW can be left on either side of the tracks to provide access for emergency vehicles, light local traffic and bicyclists. Utility infrastructure should be rebuilt concurrently with the street and railroad reconstruction, to make the area more attractive for development.

 

Downtown has vacant and underutilized buildings that might be restored to commercial and residential use appropriate to Transit Oriented Development. Some have been defaced with 1970s modifications, but if they're structurally sound, they could be made into attractive properties once more. The Warren Building is pretty much architecturally intact, and it's large and of an attractive design. I can visualize it as lofts/condos, with ground-floor retail. I can't testify as to its current structural/mechanical condition.

 

 

 

The big churches appear well cared for, and they've probably been a stabilizing influence in downtown. Visually they contribute quite a lot. The downtown is fairly clean and free of tagging and other vandalism, and many buildings, though vacant, appear to be in fair-to-good condition. I like to imagine Franklin as an attractive streetscape that people want to be part of, with restored heritage buildings and appropriate infill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The South Shore trains in their present location can be an important part of making it happen.

 

Not a bad idea at all!  Great presentation :)

Wonderful!

Good to see a sign touting preservation rather than the "renewal" being done in Springfield, Ohio.

 

Great tour as always, Rob. Thanks for taking us along.

 

A couple weeks ago I went up to Michigan to pick up my mom. I hought of you as I drove through Fort Wane (off the 69, I was looking for a non-chain restaurant for dinner]. It was rush hour, heavy rain mixed with sleet -- not the best time to sightsee!

 

I have only been through Michigan City on Amtrak.Is the shoreline there nice, or is it dominated by smokestacks? Any city with Lake Michigan at its doorstep should capitalize on an asset most cities can only dream of.

 

Again, thanks for the tour , Rob.

Rob, I thought the same thing when I went there...until I saw the cooling towers for the nuclear plant looming over the city. Your second shot has a glimpse.  Looks a little too Simpsons and forboding to me.  That might be what has scared off any development.  I mean, they are right there!

 

Another interesting note, there used to be a huge Pullman rail car manufacturing plant on the site where the outlet mall now stands.  I think there is still an office building with restuarants in it near the mall from Pullman.  The factory was closed in the 70's and burned down.

 

On another note, when I was there I saw a model railroading (club) storefront on the main street.  It wasn't open...and I couldn't get any more info.  Would you know anything about it?

A couple weeks ago I went up to Michigan to pick up my mom. I hought of you as I drove through Fort Wane (off the 69, I was looking for a non-chain restaurant for dinner]. It was rush hour, heavy rain mixed with sleet -- not the best time to sightsee!

 

I have only been through Michigan City on Amtrak.Is the shoreline there nice, or is it dominated by smokestacks? Any city with Lake Michigan at its doorstep should capitalize on an asset most cities can only dream of.

 

Regarding restaurants in Fort Wayne, there's a local family-owned chain (Hall's) that's very good; quality food, nice atmosphere and good service. They have a few establishments, mostly suburban, and some convenient to I-69. Hall's Tavern at Coventry, off I-69 at Exit 102, is a good bet for an enjoyable meal.

 

Downtown there are Toscani's, a pleasant place with classy ambiance, good food and service and reasonable prices, and just across the street is JK O'Donnell's, an Irish pub that's new and very popular. Both are downtown on Wayne Street between Calhoun and Harrison. I'm partial to Henry's, a longtime neighborhood tavern on Main Street just east of Broadway. It's only a few blocks from my house, and I can always get home safely from there so long as no one steps on my hand.

 

The Lake Michigan shoreline for the most part is pretty nice. Michigan City's Washington Park has a nice beach. Just to the west of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore there's a large steel mill complex, but the state park and the national lakeshore have miles of beautiful clean sand beaches. The state park beach is a very walkable mile or so from the Dune Park South Shore station. I have photos somewhere that I'll have to dig up.

 

Rob, I thought the same thing when I went there...until I saw the cooling towers for the nuclear plant looming over the city. Your second shot has a glimpse.  Looks a little too Simpsons and forboding to me.  That might be what has scared off any development.  I mean, they are right there!

 

Another interesting note, there used to be a huge Pullman rail car manufacturing plant on the site where the outlet mall now stands.  I think there is still an office building with restuarants in it near the mall from Pullman.  The factory was closed in the 70's and burned down.

 

On another note, when I was there I saw a model railroading (club) storefront on the main street.  It wasn't open...and I couldn't get any more info.  Would you know anything about it?

 

The power plant is coal fired, not nuclear. It's owned by NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company). The plant uses scrubbers and other emissions-control technology, and there's no soot fallout or cinders on the beaches from it. Coal for the power plant is a major revenue source for South Shore Freight, the freight railroad that shares its tracks with the commuter trains. Generally they move unit trains of coal hoppers late at night after the commuter trains are all in the yards.

 

I remember when the Pullman works burned. The original mall plans called for reuse of the Pullman buildings, but an arsonist torched them after the proposal was announced. I haven't been to Lighthouse Place in years, but as I recall one of the original Pullman brick buildings survives amid the ticky-tacky construction that makes up the rest of the mall.

 

I'm not familiar with the model railroading club.

Bump. I fixed the broken links and revived this topic because I have some follow-up.

 

Back at the time I created this post, I sent letters to Michigan City's economic development director and South Shore management, using primarily the text from the post. At the time, South Shore recognized a need to eliminate slow street running and hard-to-maintain track embedded in asphalt. That embedded construction also makes it impossible to install and maintain Postive Train Control mandated by recent Federal legislation.

 

A more southern route parallel to CSX was the preferred option.

 

Here's Item 7 from the May 29, 2009 NICTD Board Meeting Minutes:

 

7. PROPOSED REALIGNMENT 10TH/11TH STREET CORRIDOR IN MICHIGAN CITY (Moved forward at Mr. Yagelski’s request.)

 

http://www.nictd.com/minutes/May292009.pdf

 

Mr. Hanas said discussion has taken place since the 1960’s regarding moving the train tracks out of the middle of the street in Michigan City. Ms. Huston cited the safety concerns over operating a railroad down the middle of city streets. Mr. Yagelski said there would be issues regarding property acquisition. Mr. Parsons said the realignment will reduce the number of grade crossings from 34 to 17, and eliminate two severe curves enabling increased operating speeds to reduce transit time through the city by 6 minutes.

 

Mr. Hanas said that last year new federal regulations gives railroads until 2015 to implement enhanced safety systems to avoid collisions. Positive train control will not work if the train’s rail is embedded in the streets.

 

Mr. Parsons shared that at one time a northerly realignment was considered but that estimate was in excess of $200 million because of a bridge over Trail Creek. Using the tracks to the south near Ames Field would cost about $65 million plus land acquisition, but that route proved difficult to maneuver train cars into NICTD’s maintenance yard.

 

Mr. Hanas suggested that the revamped 10th / 11th Street route and a new station between Franklin and Wabash Streets offers both NICTD and the city more development opportunities, including capitalizing on the proximity of Lighthouse Mall. NICTD’s current smaller stations at 11th Street near Pine Avenue and at Carroll Avenue both would be closed.

 

Mr. Evans questions whether the realignment work could go on while trains were operating. Mr. Parsons replied affirmatively. The project could be spread over several years interims of phasing and costs. There should be no service disruptions while laying the new track.

 

Mr. Hanas presented a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Michigan City and NICTD to move the South Shore tracks, now down the center of 10th and 11th Streets, to the south side of those streets. The $65 million project would require the railroad or city to acquire substantial property along the corridor and would include construction of double tracks and a modern, high-level platform station and 800-vehicle parking lot. Mr. Kovach made the motion to accept the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Michigan City and NICTD to move the South Shore tracks as presented. Ms. Graham made a second to the motion. Motion was approved.

 

Excerpts from the July 31, 2009 NICTD Board Meeting Minutes:

 

http://www.nictd.com/minutes/Jul312009.pdf

 

5. RESOLUTION 09-05 ON TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVEOPMENTS (TOD) Mr. Hanas introduced the resolution adopting a set of criteria to guide Transit Oriented Development along commuter rail corridors owned or operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District.

 

Mr. Sheldrake, of Policy Analytics, presented a brief overview. He suggested that TOD would allow NICTD, the private sector and local communities to open up new areas for development or to assist in redeveloping older, underutilized areas; access to the South Shore would be a key component of the projects. Office, retail, and residential uses that would create jobs and bring added value to South Shore patrons would be emphasized. TOD typically increases property values around it.

 

Mr. Hanas said the public agency was approached by developers last year about a gateway railroad station with commercial potential and a parking garage near Interstate 65 in Gary; a proposed corridor expansion for South Shore trains in Michigan City is creating TOD opportunities there, also. NICTD is aware of the Town of Porter’s pending $19M request from the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority to study, then develop an iconic ateway near U.S. 20 and Indiana 49 to the Indiana Dunes State Park. These proposals would have direct impact on NICTD.

 

The Dune Park station’s proximity on U.S. 12 to both the state and federal parks makes a hotel a logical project to consider. Mr. Evans made the motion to accept Resolution No. 09-05 – Resolution adopting a set of criteria to guide Transit Oriented Development along commuter rail corridors owned or operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District. There was no second to the motion.

 

Mr. Yagelski made the motion to table Resolution No. 09-05. Ms. Graham made a second to that motion. Motion was approved. The votes were cast as follows:

 

Mr. Yagelski– Yes Ms. DuPey – Yes Mr. Evans – No Mr. Kovach – Yes Ms. Graham – Yes Mr. Catanzarite – No Ms. Huston – Yes

 

 

Thanks for the photos!

Great shots!! I just hope that area doesn't turn into the next Gary. :roll: