As much as I enjoy trains, seldom do I ride the rails. It just isnt applicable for work and other trips.
This weekend we went downtown Chicago for the night and the valet parking was $40, so I jumped at the chance to ride the South Shore, leaving Dune Park at 130pm Saturday. Damage to the overhead catenary prevented this from being a smooth trip inbound. The train was about 40 minutes late and was pulled by a SS GP38 for the few miles to Portage/Ogden Dunes. Arrival was nearly an hour late, but the ride was still enjoyable. At $4 per gallon it makes sense to use public transportation as much as possible. The train was packed, all eight cars were filled and there was standing passengers.
The return trip today was very smooth with downtown departure at noon and arrival only 4 minutes late. Again, there was heavy patronage, not as busy as yesterday, but still nearly full.
Plans are being made to make the next weekend trip via the South Shore. Not only was the travel costs lower, but the ride was very enjoyable.
Dune Park, Gary, and East Chicago have very heavy loadings, much more than I realize from the past.
Never had a trip on the South Shore that wasn’t fascinating (and a bad performance would make it un-fascinating in a hurry, without cause).
We were hearing about the catenary problems most of the day yesterday–something about stuff that was old and not due to be replaced yet. No specifics, of course, except for the hour dalay. Use of the GP38s would have added to the fascination factor!
Well, there certainly is a huge difference between being pulled by a GP38 and the electric service.
The electric cars really have some giddyup. Great accelleration and braking abilities.
Got a couple of shots of the GP fronted train coming into Dune Park, but unfortunately, I left the camera behind at a Harolds Chicken in Chicago. UGGGGH.
And from what I remember, the new stainless cars are slow in comparison to the old orange cars. I remember feeling the seat hard against my back when those were accelerating.
This country is so anti-transit in so many ways. I wonder if it has occurred to ANYONE that the Gary airport might be more successful if it put in a circulator bus to meet all CSS&SB trains? It isn’t very far: to the north the airport, then the Toll Road (with some overheadlighting lowered so as not to interfere with low-flying planes, I guess), and just below that the tracks.
BTW Carl, I think you’re right, that the old cars were more vigorous pulling out. Pity that the windows were so fogged over they could hardly been seen out of.
One cool thing about the orange cars was that you could lower the windows.
The Gary west side stop is actually listed as the Gary Chicago airport (or is it Chicago Gary?). It is a flag stop. At sometime it would make sense to connect the SS with the AP. South Bend has done a pretty nice job of that.
Of course it’s occurred to someone, but the solution involves money, so here we sit.
The subject came up recently when an agreement was reached by EJ&E, NS, and CSX to relocate trackage to accommodate airport expansion. I saw one line somewhere about making (or retaining) provisions for the proposed Midwest High-speed Rail network. I have no idea of what’s entailed here–I always thought it would be somewhat parallel to the current NS main line through there (former Water Level Route)–but perhaps a station dedicated to an expanded Gary Chicago airport would make an ideal first stop for these trains. I’m saying this without knowing what the proposal entails further west of the site, but I would think that using that as an express route from the Loop, and the South Shore (with dedicated connector bus, as you suggest, Al) for regional service would indeed help.
You mean that you actually had the strength to open those windows??? I can remember boarding a rush-hour train at Randolph Street and seeing a carman using a crowbar to get enough leverage to raise the windows.
Or close them? I remember the one time I rode the South Shore. Had to be mid to late 1970’s; my cousin & I went into the the city for some variety from the C&NW NW line that we rode in on. For some reason, we decided on the South Shore. One of the things I remember clearly was sitting by an open window (a change from the C&NW’s air conditioned gallery cars on a hot & humid summer’s day) but once we got out moving-wow! What an experience. (I wonder now if I had tried to close the window, would I have been able to?) Always wanted to do it again but never got around to it…(the Railfan’s Lament).
I agree about the open windows. I was telling the girlfriend about a trip made in the late 70’s. My buddy and I caught the last train out of Chicago after a Greatful Dead concert. It was summer and the open windows was quite an experience. Just a great ride home.
Never had the problem with windows on the orange cars–my rides on those things were during the winter, when you wouldn’t want 'em to be open. I do remember a better view out the front of the orange cars, something that my daughter and I took full advantage of on the way home one evening (she was not quite two at the time; she now has kids older’n that).
Just by coincidence with all of this, there’s a nice Associated Press article on the South Shore quoted on the UTU website: