Posted November 16, 200915 yr Commuter Rails Through Indiana's Duneland October 19, 2009 All Images Copyright © 2009 by Robert E Pence On selected weekends in 2009 service east of Gary Metro Center was suspended so that crews could install a new catenary system that replaces overhead infrastructure dating to the 1920s. The new catenary will improve reliability by providing constant tension to compensate for expansion and contraction due to seasonal temperature changes. A crew takes advantage of the interval between passenger trains to do some freight switching at the Carroll Avenue (Michigan City) Facility. In addition to the weekend interruption east of Gary Metro, all service between Carroll Avenue and South Bend was suspended for about two weeks to allow reconstruction of two bridges and the removal and fill of a bridge over the former Pere Marquette right-of-way. Buses were substituted for trains during that time. Central Avenue runs north from US 12 to a Dunes National Lakeshore beach. Mind the crossing gates and signals, and click the photo to see a train pass. The path to the beach. The Lake Michigan shoreline, with the coal-fired NIPSCO Michigan City Generating Station in the distance. A private wind turbine at a home in Beverly Shores. A solar-powered National Park Service overlook. A Lustron home from around 1949-1950. Lustrons have a factory prefabricated steel frame and all interior, exterior, and roof panels are made from porcelain-enameled steel. Protect them from impact damage, and they'll outlast just about any other residential construction material or technology. The Spanish Colonial Revival 1929 Beverly Shores depot is the only survivor of ten built on the line during Samuel Insull's ownership. It was boarded up and rotting when NICTD undertook restoration funded by a Federal grant in 1998. The front portion is a waiting room, and the remainder of the building, originally the station agent's residence, now houses a gallery and museum. It's 6:59pm and Train 115 from Chicago, terminating at Carroll Avenue, is due. Beverly Shores is a flag stop for this train; click the photo to see if there are passengers to detrain here. Next up, a set of new 300-series bi-level cars dropping off a few commuters. Click the photo for action.
November 16, 200915 yr Thanks for the great photos Rob! Gorgeous shot. I could look at that view all day: Those locos in the beginning, were those GP40's, or GP38's? They were really nice looking.
November 16, 200915 yr Great pics... While living in Chicago, one of my favorite escapes from the city was US 20 through the Indiana Dunes area.
November 16, 200915 yr Wonderful shots! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
November 16, 200915 yr ... Those locos in the beginning, were those GP40's, or GP38's? They were really nice looking. They're GP38-2's (2,000 hp). South Shore Freight, a separate business entity from the commuter operation (Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District - NICTD), owns ten of them. I don't think they own any other motive power. I like the color scheme, and they keep them spiffy. That probably requires frequent trips to the wash rack, because they do a lot of work around the steel mills.
November 16, 200915 yr Those are sexy colors on a sexy train. Do you know where the fill over the Pere Marquette ROW was at?
November 16, 200915 yr Those are sexy colors on a sexy train. Do you know where the fill over the Pere Marquette ROW was at? The Pere Marquette bridge removal and fill is at milepost 25.45; that puts it about ten miles east of Michigan City's Carroll Avenue yard, still within La Porte County, I believe. The colors are heritage South Shore. Some late-1920s cars I photographed in Chicago around 1980 (although grimy-filthy) still carried their original scheme that dated to the Samuel Insull era:
November 16, 200915 yr Thanks for the clarification, Rob. I always get the EMD GP38-2 and GP40 models mixed up. Those are sexy colors on a sexy train. I totally agree, Sherman.
November 16, 200915 yr Those "click for action" photos were awesome, Rob. Thanks for doing that! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 28, 200915 yr I read this in yesterday morning's paper: Published: November 27, 2009 3:00 a.m. Last holiday in Dunes park homes 25 years after buying land, feds take over Associated Press BEVERLY SHORES – Dozens of people who live within the boundaries of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore celebrated their final Thanksgiving in their homes Thursday, months before the government is set to take possession of their properties. The Lakeshore will claim the houses overlooking Lake Michigan on Sept. 30, forcing many elderly residents to find new homes after 40 or more years in the same dwelling. [ ... ] more at http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091127/NEWS07/311279955
Create an account or sign in to comment