South Shore Rail Passenger Train

Oh how sweet it is!

Samuel Insull purchased the railroad at public auction in June, 1925 and renamed it The Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad.

Insull immediately began a program of moderization which restored the railroad to top condition.

Insull purchased new cars, built new stations, and converted the railroad from AC electric system to its current 1500 volt DC system.

This was an important change, for new South Shore trains could operate directly and continuously over the trackage of the Illinois Central Railroad from Kensington to downtown Chicago, helping assure the South Shore's long term survival.

The railroad remained privately owned with NICTD responsible for paying for the service. Under NICTD's tutelage, a steady series of improvements was funded and ridership increased from 1.48 million passengers carried in 1978 to over 3.5 million passengers at the turn of the century.

The railroad is now in the hands of the public sector and profit is no longer the motivation for providing rail passenger service.

NICTD operates the rail service as a public service because the people and economy of Northwest Indiana need an alternative, reliable form of transportation to get to jobs, schools, museums, and recreational opportunities found in the City of Chicago.

NICTD has helped make the South Shore strong once again. In turn, by providing a balanced transportation system, the South Shore can help make, and keep, the Northwest Indiana economy strong.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• south
• shore
• train
• chicago
• gary
• miller
• hammond
• samuel
• insull
• railroad

[hudson501]

Glenn Miller's version with Tex Beneke and the Modernaires providing the vocals.

[snovotne]

Fantastic work! It's great to see the South Shore Line getting some appreciation and publicity.

[foxolita]

this is nice to see. when i was young, back in the 50's and early 60's, i rode this from dwtn So bend, to a stop called lydick. my granma lived at the lake there. i rode it every weekend back and fourth. it did sway a lot! we used to put pennies on the track when it was coming, so it would 'squash' them. sill have some! i also remember , when the brakes failed in so bend, and it went roaring thru town, and crashed into the garage where the tracks ended! they were this orange color back then.

[TheDylanJoyce]

..........love it

[css903]

The CSS&SB Railroad in my mind is the BEST there is Rail Fan and Ride. The crews are the most friendly of any line that's ever been out there!. I met many dear friends who worked for the line during the time I filmed "The South Shore in the 1970's". I rode the Hegewisch EB dead head car a lot with the crews, had coffee, Dunkin' Donuts, and never once had my ten ride ticket punched! Several of these friends are seen in my movie. I was lucky indeed to have met these

crews! "My Baby" as I call it.

[NWIDreamHomes]

Wow do I remember going downtown to the CBOT on the South Shore !

[gosshore]

I still have not ridden the new South Shore double deck trains. Maybe this Summer I will have the chance to do so.

[gosshore]

I knew someone a long time ago, she also called the South Shore Trains vomit comet. I think its great to keep the history alive of the South Shore. I am glad they are still running and hope they stay in business

[jjaagg5050]

I grew up riding these trains. I used to go downtown South Bend across the river to the storage yard and catch a ride through the car washer! Thanks! Perfect music!

[a8avexp]

I'm from South Bend and also remember when South Shore trains went all the way downtown. Oddly enough, I only rode on it once, two weeks before we moved to New Jersey in April of 1967.

[gosshore]

I have a South Shore collection;K-Line trains,posters, train schedules,many photos and 3 books about the South Shore, I wish NICTD would allow reproductions of the "Little Train That Could" decal for sale. That would be something neat to have for a collectible.