service disruption to South Bend

whats up with this?

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5. South Shore delayed indefinitely
Posted by: "Dennis Parejko" [email protected] [email protected]
Date: Thu Jan 8, 2015 8:02 am ((PST))




SOUTH SHORE Trains are delayed indefinitely. We will update as soon as possible.


Until further notice we are busing passengers between South Bend and Michigan City beginning on Jan 7 with EB Train 7 and WB Train 18. This includes service on Jan 8. No bus service from Hudson Lake. EB Train 401 and WB Trains 422 & 424 are canceled. NICTD regrets the inconvenience caused by this weather related service suspension. We apologize for any inconvenience.



RAILChicago.net
More Than Chicago Railroading

I should had read deeper in the email....


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7. South Shore issued the following press release
Posted by: "Dennis Parejko" [email protected] [email protected]
Date: Thu Jan 8, 2015 8:28 am ((PST))

South Shore issued the following release Wednesday morning:

"In order to provide continuous and reliable service to our passengers the South Shore plans to temporarily bus passengers between South Bend and Michigan City on January 7-8 as temperatures are expected to fall to dangerous levels. Busing will commence after the departure of Westbound Train 14 (8:48 a.m. ET) from South Bend this morning and continue until further notice. Buses will shuttle between South Bend and Michigan City on the published train schedule. Passengers will board buses north of the train platform at the South Bend Airport.

"Due to low passenger volumes we will not bus from Hudson Lake. Hudson Lake passengers are advised to drive to Carroll Ave. Station in Michigan City.


"The following trains operating exclusively between South Bend and Michigan City are cancelled: eastbound Train 401; westbound Trains 422 and 424.

"The South Shore is an electric railroad and our overhead power system between South Bend and Michigan City is old and subject to failure during extreme temperatures. An unexpected dewirement in a remote location could hamper efforts to provide alternate transportation for those affected passengers and to restore continuous service.

"We’re planning to provide regular train service between Michigan City and Chicago during this severe weather event. However, passengers may encounter delays caused by weather related speed restrictions.

"We encourage passengers may sign up for our free text and e-mail alert service available on our website: nictd.com Passengers simply need to register by clicking the cell phone icon on our home page to stay informed of service delays and disruptions. We also post significant delays and disruptions on our home page. Passengers may also call the RTA Travel Center at 312-836-7000 between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Central Time."

RAILChicago.net
More Than Chicago Railroading

I thought they also upgraded the wire to South Bend?....

dinwitty wrote:I thought they also upgraded the wire to South Bend?....

They are working on the wire a few miles at a time. 32 miles from Michigan City to South Bend is going to take a few years to complete.


The disruption ended the next day.

Are they finally upgrading the catenary east of Michigan City?

JLJ061 wrote:Are they finally upgrading the catenary east of Michigan City?

From the January 2014 board meeting minutes:

Capital projects for 2014 will include continuing to work on the design and implementation of Positive Train Control. NICTD plans to construct a new bridge over North Point Road in Hudson Lake and NICTD will install approximately 5 miles of new catenary between Michigan City and South Bend.

North Point Road was the bridge damaged by a garbage truck a couple of years ago. It was an all wood structure. It is now a steel span with decorative concrete abutments.

The March 2014 board meeting minutes had this detail:

The Line & Signal Department requested bids for 26,000 feet of Grooved Trolley Wire & 26,000 feet of Messenger Wire. This wire is to be installed as part of the ongoing Phase 3 Catenary Rehabilitation Project and will complete approximately five (5) miles of the project. It will be strung eastward from milepost 32 (Michigan City) on support arms that are presently being mounted on poles by NICTD field forces.

The catenary was installed during several weekday outages during the year. As mentioned in my last post, NICTD plans on doing a few miles each year. At five miles per year it will take six years to reach South Bend (although if the Airport realignment gets funded the new route will break from the current line near MP 4.5).