About 13 South Shore Freight cars derailed just west of the South Shore Line’s East Chicago station Wednesday night, halting passenger service to and from Chicago.
No injuries were reported as a result of the derailment, Chief Experience and Engagement Officer Nicole Barker said.
Specialized equipment is needed to remove the derailed cars, she said.
South Shore Freight is a tenant railroad that uses South Shore Line tracks. It has separate management from the passenger service.
The South Shore Line got about 60 stranded passengers to their destinations safely, using employees and other means to get them home, Barker said.
The cause of the derailment was unknown, she said Thursday afternoon, but the damage to the overhead catenary system that powers trains was clear.
“There is significant damage to the catenary, including the metal supports that hold them up,” Barker said. The metal support poles, called portal beams, for the overhead wires were damaged, so it will take time to replace them.
On curves like the one where the derailment occurred, the railroad uses metal poles instead of wood.
The derailment occurred just after 8 p.m. Wednesday. The 120-car train was hauling empty coal cars westbound when the accident occurred, Barker said.
Barker said the South Shore Line, operated by Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, planned to activate the Monon Corridor route Thursday afternoon for rush hour service to Chicago. “We’re going to run all the way to and from downtown with those rush hour trains.”
The Lakeshore Corridor route, however, was still inoperable by 2 p.m. Thursday as railroad officials figured out when service could restart.
When planned disruptions occur, the railroad has used motorcoaches to transport passengers between stations, but that is set up in advance to make sure all the buses are available.
The South Shore Line wasn’t the only public transit agency with headaches Thursday.
Gary Public Transportation Corp. also had a service disruption, but that one wasn’t related to the derailment, Planning and Marketing Manager David Wright said.
A storm knocked out power in Gary’s Glen Park and Black Oak areas, rendering most GPTC buses inoperable because they couldn’t refuel or recharge. Crews had difficulty getting the generator and gas pumps to work, he said.
The Access291 paratransit service for riders with disabilities was unaffected, as were the Broadway Metro Express service running hourly along Broadway and the U.S. 30 shuttle (Route R2), Wright said.
With power restored, GPTC planned to resume all service in time for Thursday’s afternoon rush, Wright said.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
