Electric Commuter Trains on the South Shore Line!

Following fast electric trains along Indiana's only commuter railroad: the South Shore Line!
In the first part of this (eventual) three part series, we follow the west end of the railroad, beginning just east of Kensington Junction and catch numerous trains as we make our way to the heart of Gary just shy of the city's Metro Center. For those interested, locations of each shot are listed in the comment section below.
Enjoy, and thanks for watching!

[@trtrproductions]

Featured Locations: 0:40 - 124th Street (Ice House) - Chicago, IL 1:08 - Hegewisch Marsh Park - Chicago, IL 1:32 - Torrence Avenue (Big Blue) - Chicago, IL 2:02 - Hegewisch Station (West End) - Chicago, IL 2:50 - SC&S Crossing (East End Hegewisch) - Burnham, IL 3:27 - State Line (East End Burnham Yard) - Burnham, IL 3:55 - Brunswick Street - Hammond, IN 4:28 - Sheffield Avenue - Hammond, IN 5:06 & 5:42 - Hammond Station (West End) - Hammond, IN 6:23 - Hammond Station (East End) - Hammond, IN 7:22 - Torrence Avenue - Hammond, IN 8:36 - Roxana (Grand Calumet River) Bridge - East Chicago, IN 9:17 & 9:34 - East Chicago Station (East End) - East Chicago, IN 9:51 - Durbin Street - Gary, IN 10:21 - Gary Airport Station - Gary, IN 11:01 - Bridge Street - Gary, IN 11:29 & 12:01 - 3rd Avenue & McKinley Street - Gary, IN 12:29 - Harrison Street (Final Approach to Metro Center) - Gary, IN

[@nobuchans906]

from Japan Nice video! The operating form of this railway is very similar to the railway form of major cities in Japan.

[@trtrproductions]

Thank you very much! I've always thought the same. The EMUs were even built by Nippon Sharyo, and have many similarities with contemporary Japanese rolling stock. Thanks for watching!

[@ellebystrainvideos2023.]

Love the Chicago South Shore South Bend Railroad.

[@seanny4296]

Another A+ video! I really enjoy how your framing has developed. Very Emery Gulash-esque. Feels like Im right back in the region, trackside, coca cola in hand on a sleepy late summer day watching the South Shore go by with my grandpa. Keep it up!

[@trtrproductions]

Your comments are always so thoughtful. If I channeled your nostalgia through my work, then I have succeeded in my own goal of bringing viewers to the action, rather than the opposite. Thank you very much for the compliments, and for watching!

[@wrrail]

It’s always nice seeing south shore. Amazing video these shots are really good!

[@trtrproductions]

I appreciate that (as always), thank you very much! I've always preferred freight action to passenger, but it's hard to beat watching the parade of commuter trains on a warm summer night! Thanks for watching!

[@ellebystrainvideos2023.]

Excellent Video

[@trtrproductions]

Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed!

[@gp3829]

Hi from the UK. Thanks for filming, editing and posting. It's great to to see the South Shore Line up and running again. Cheers.

[@trtrproductions]

Glad you enjoyed! Thank you (as always) for watching, I always look forward to reading your comments!

[@Steven_Williams]

Great video! I was just driving along Route 12 yesterday from Chicago to Michigan City, showing my wife all the changes, especially around Ogden Dunes and Beverly Shores.

[@trtrproductions]

Thank you, Steven! It is amazing how quickly they've moved with the whole project. Hope you enjoyed the scenic route too... I've always said that even without the South Shore, drives down 12 are always good for the soul!

[@Steven_Williams]

@@trtrproductions Yes indeed! So much so, that I did it again today, and I live near Wrigley Field.

[@chicagolandrailroader]

Awesome video of one of my favorite RRs. Very cool.

[@trtrproductions]

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed!

[@bobbysth6200]

Beautiful Nathan P3s on those single-level South Shore Line trains!

[@albertcarello619]

@bobbysth6200: The Nathan P3s are on the #100 NORRISTOWN -DARBY 69 TH STREET L LINE. Those cars are BUILT BY ASEA BROWN -BOVARI. Also I think the Nathan P3s would be right at home on North Shore Line's ELECTROLINERS.

[@kahunatiki6498]

Outstanding as always! Always nice to see my old stomping grounds of Hegewisch. Be sure next time if you are there on a Friday at dinner time to stop at Steve’s Lounge for a lake perch dinner. Highly recommended! Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Scott

[@trtrproductions]

Thank you very much, Scott. Reading these comments a bit late... hope you had a great thanksgiving yourself! Thanks for the recommendation too, I just might have to make a run out there tomorrow evening!

[@ThePCPitStopInc]

why at 7:22 is where the platform is there are 2 tracks so close to each other is it a space saver or something it is very odd but interesting

[@trtrproductions]

It’s known as a gauntlet track. They are essentially two overlapping sets of tracks. The passenger trains stay on the leftmost and second to right rail, while freight trains stay on the second to left and rightmost rail, for extra spacing between the platform and freight cars. Sorry for the delayed response… just saw your comment!

[@johngrantham5508]

America's last interurban is still roolling along and going strong in 2023.😊 Too bad the North Shore line is not around.😢

[@trtrproductions]

It sure is! Thanks for watching!

[@albertcarello619]

@johngratham5508: If the North Shore Line survived it would look very much like the South Shore and sound exactly the same. Also the Chicago Aurora and Elgin would have rolling stock looking very similar to the South Shore Line and also would sound exactly the same. Both of those Railroads ran at much higher speeds than the South Shore Line especially between stations.

[@albertcarello619]

@johngrantham5508: If there only a transit agency back in the1950s-1960s like NICTD OR RTA the North Shore Line might still be here today and also missed is the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad. The North Shore Line and the Chicago Aurora and Elgin ran at speeds even much higher than the South Shore Line especially between stations frequently running at speeds around 75 miles an hour.

[@albertcarello619]

@johngrantha...: I sure miss the North Shore! Unfortunately back in the early 60s and 50s there was no transit agencies to save the railroad. If the North Shore Line survived it would most likely resemble today's SOUTH SHORE LINE and sound exactly the same. They'd have single level cars resembling the South Shore Line.

[@albertcarello619]

@johngrantha: Also missed is the Chicago Aurora and Elgin. If we only had transit agencies to save these 2 railroads.

[@terryb0241]

The south shore should come to Indianapolis

[@LoovesJf.]

Excuse me, please let me know. Is the famous South Shore Railroad Line road track gone?

[@albertcarello619]

@LoovesJf: Only the street running tracks are gone. First street running elimination was September 16, 1956 in East Chicago Indiana, the second the street running in downtown South Bend IN on July 7 1970, and finally in Michigan City IN on February 27 2023. Now this RAILROAD will look more like SEPTA REGIONAL ELECTRIC RAIL in Philadelphia. The GE 1Vs look similar to the South Shore Line's single level NIPPON SHARYNO cars .

[@LoovesJf.]

@@albertcarello619 Thank you for the detailed information. I learned a lot about the history of the shared track. I thought the last shared track was abolished last year. I wanted to go to the famous 11th Street station. I'm also very impressed that the train is made in Japan. When I watched the video, I thought it looked a bit like a Tokyu train. Thank you very much for letting me know.

[@albertcarello619]

@@LoovesJf. You're Welcome! These trains also look very much like the SEPTA REGIONAL ELECTRIC RAIL CARS THE GE SILVERLINER IVs.

[@albertcarello619]

@LoovesJf:: Only the street running has been abandoned and now all tracks are on private right of way.

[@LoovesJf.]

@@albertcarello619 I see, that's very unfortunate. 25 years ago in Japan, there was a large shared track at Inuyama-bridge on the Nagoya Railroad near Nagoya city, where large express trains and diesel railcars also ran. So I’d like to watch THE GE SILVER LINER IVs. Thank you so much for your very rare information!

[@irtr36]

Be nice if they upgraded the speed limits to 100 mph

[@albertcarello619]

@irtr36: That's what the NORTH SHORE electrics use to do especially as they entered Wisconsin. The North Shore Line Interurbans made these South Shore Line Trains look like they're standing still by comparison.

[@maas1208]

​@@albertcarello619 I think once Track Improvements and Grade seperation is done, the South Shore would probably go even Faster

[@albertcarello619]

@@maas1208 April 8th is the official Grand Reopening Day eliminating the bus transfer between Gary Metro Station and Dune Park Chesterton. The need to transfer to buses between those 2 stations is an inconvenience. Train Service will resume to Portage-Ogden Dunes as well as Miller Indiana on April 8 this year. Train speeds should be even faster with street running in Michigan City IN eliminated along with complete double tracking done.

[@albertcarello619]

@@maas1208 There will always be a very sizable number of street grade crossings though most with gates and flashers.

[@albertcarello619]

@irtr36: The North Shore Line along time ago tried running at speeds 100 miles an hour and slightly faster with their Electroliners. At those speeds they outran railroad crossing protection devices and would be at the crossings before the gates and flashers had enough time to fully activate.