The South Shore Line’s trains will return to their regular schedule Monday for the first time in more than two months.
Precautions prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic will continue on the trains. Those include requiring customers to wear masks on train cars and at stations, asking them to practice social distancing when possible, and encouraging them to use hand sanitizer stations in each car.
Customers also will be asked to stay home if they’re feeling ill, to wash hands frequently and to avoid touching their mouth, nose or eyes while on the train.
“We want everybody to be safe,” said Michael Noland, the South Shore Line’s president.
A mask-optional car will be available for those who decide, for whatever reason, not to wear a mask.
Also Monday, the South Shore Line will resume its Bikes on Trains program. Train cars with bike racks have a bike symbol on the windows, and the railroad’s timetable has bike icons marking trains with bike racks.
The South Shore Line began running a reduced schedule on March 23, as businesses and visitor attractions in Chicago and along the line shut down because of the pandemic.
The railroad beefed up its car-cleaning regimen, adding 10 employees to the cleaning staff in Chicago and at the Michigan City shops; disinfecting seats, windows, handrails and other surfaces inside each car; mopping each car with a disinfectant; and fogging each car to disinfect the air conditioning system. Cars also will undergo ultraviolet light treatment during their regular maintenance.
The Sanitized for Rider Safety program will continue as riders return.
“Our employees understand our long-term survival depends on our customers,” Noland said. “We want everybody to be safe.”
The South Shore’s ridership fell to as low as 5% of normal during the height of the pandemic shutdown and has lately risen to about 10%, Noland said.
“It’s going to be lean for a while,” he said. “It’s not like turning on a light switch.”
Most of the riders during the height of the pandemic were health-care workers and people going to Chicago for medical appointments.
“We’ve had people call and say, ‘I have a chemo (therapy) appointment in Chicago tomorrow,’ ” Noland said. “I think of that kind of rider.”
Tim Zorn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
