Passenger Trains > Transfer between NICTD & Amtk at SOB for $1

http://www.sbtranspo.com/routes/new-rte/rte4.pdf

Well of course, back in 1970 or thereabouts CSS&SB built a new station west of downtown South Bend, at Bendix Road, adjacent to the former NYC main. Later, Amtrak built a platform there so they could stop at Bendix Road and get out of the old downtown station. So for many years, you could transfer for free, at the same station, between Amtrak and South Shore.

Then NICTD decided to run the passenger trains to the airport via an existing industrial track (late 1990s, IIRC), so now you have to take a bus.

I remember that Bendix Drive (sounds like part of an old automobile starter motor assembly) station. When I arrived there during my 1971 journey, there was a bus to the Notre Dame campus, but those of us who wanted to go downtown (in my case to the Greyhound station) had to take a cab. Fortunately, there was a taxi waiting at Bendix; during the trip to the Dog Kennel, the driver, a former Studebaker worker, told us at great length about why his former employer became a "fallen flag of motordom".

DNRY122 Wrote:
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> I remember that Bendix Drive (sounds like part of
> an old automobile starter motor assembly) station.".

You are right. It WAS the Bendix company, as in 'Bendix springs".

BRAtkinson Wrote:
> You are right. It WAS the Bendix company, as in
> 'Bendix springs".

And brakes ...
"The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence (1924–1983) made automotive brake shoes and systems, aircraft brakes, aeronautical hydraulics and electric power systems, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers."


Most of the plant is still there. Bosch took over the plant and closed it at the end of 2011 (if I recall correctly).
The old test track west of South Bend is a public park (Bendix Woods).

NICTD stops chartered trains on the north side of the plant when they bring in fans for Notre Dame games. They transfer to buses to get to the stadium. Non-chartered fan trains continue to the airport where fans can catch a charter bus to the game. (This would have been a good year to go to a ND football game ... unless you liked the other team. 12-0!)


It is good to see Transpo making the connection ... although I don't know how many would take advantage of it. Perhaps some people from LaPorte county might find it more convenient to make the double hop to get to an Amtrak to the east. I suppose some transit fan could take Elkhart's $1 "Trolly" from the south side of Goshen to the Amtrak station in Elkhart, take Amtrak to South Bend, take the $1 Transpo ride to the airport, take NICTD to Michigan City, take the $1 MC Transit to the Amtrak station and take Amtrak to Kalamazoo or Detroit.