Passenger Trains > Monon Corridor Opening Day - Hammond/Munster Indiana 3-31

A few pictures from opening day of the South Shore Line Monon Corridor (March 31st).

1) The inaugural first revenue train is staged at the Monon platform on the upper level of the Hammond Gateway station. The line is elevated on approach to a bridge over the CSX rail line near the station.
2) Looking west at the end of the inaugural train as it extends over the pedestrian tunnel between the parking lot and the platforms.
3) Looking east at the upper level platform. The Lakeshore Corridor platform (trains to Gary, Michigan City and South Bend) is out of frame to the left.

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4) The platform sign shows the departure time for train 1109 (the 9 slightly missing). In regular service 1109 serves as a shuttle train between Hammond Gateway and Munster/Dyer, connecting passengers who arrive on train 109 from Chicago.
5) Train1109 waits for passengers.
6) Meanwhile the ribbon cutting takes place in a tent in the parking lot.

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7) The lead car adorned with flags and green class lights (not normally used).
8) Other flags representing Indiana including IU, Purdue, Notre Dame and some Chicago team Indiana would like to move to Hammond (which borders Illinois).

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The South Hammond station.
9) The platform on the edge of a large park and ride lot.
10) Looking north along the line (the Monon Trail is on the street side of the fence).
11) Looking south to the passing siding south of the station.

This siding is used twice daily on weekdays as part of the regular schedule.

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Munster Ridge Rd
12) This is a neighborhood station with a smaller parking lot.
13) Looking north along the platform.
14) Looking south along the platform.

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Munster / Dyer Main St
15) The station as seen from the large park and ride lot - looking across the CSX tracks that were the former Monon Line.
There is a pedestrian tunnel accessible by ramps and stairs that passes below both tracks (CSX and NICTD),
16) The building in the park and ride lot where the pedestrian tunnel rises to the surface.
17) The current end of the line. Hopefully some day the line will be extended south to serve Lowell or beyond,
 

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18) A two car shuttle train awaits the return trip north.
19) Green signals ahead for the train awaiting its departure time.

The story of the South Shore continues as they add a new corridor of service.

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Excellent coverage! Did you get a chance to ride?

Posted from iPhone

How far a wallk is it from the terminus to the Amtrak station ?

joemvcnj Wrote:
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> How far a wallk is it from the terminus to the
> Amtrak station ?

a very long walk, several miles

If you’re referring to the distance from the new South Shore station in Dyer to the Amtrak one in Dyer, about a 20 minute walk or so. About 0.8 miles along Sheffield Ave according to google. I don’t know if there is a sidewalk or not though.

Edit, it appears there isn’t a sidewalk the whole way, and the road is fairly narrow and moderately busy. I suppose you could uber for a few dollars easily enough though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/26 11:04 by TheIndianaConnection.

SensiblySarcastic Wrote:
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> a very long walk, several miles

You are way wrong. It only a half mile south of the new South Shore station. Unfortunately, there is not a sidewalk in the area of the CSXT crossing.

Posted from iPhone

kevink Wrote:
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> Excellent coverage! Did you get a chance to ride?

I was on the first train south and the return first train north. I then drove to the stations so I could get station pictures.

Some fans made all stops ... Hammond Gateway to Dyer, Dyer to Hammond South, Hammond South to Ridge Rd, Ridge Rd to Hammond Gateway (whew!).

My bad, as I re-read his question, I see that I assumed he was talking about Hammond, not Dyer. My answer is correct for Hammond, and yours is correct for the question he was actually asking....

I'm surprised some of the signals are approach-lit.  Why bother in the age of LED signals?

Most but not all crossings have 4 quadrant gates.

Are the storage tracks at Hammond new?  How will they be used?
 

filmteknik Wrote:
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> I'm surprised some of the signals are approach-lit.  Why bother in the age of LED signals?

It seems to be the popular choice. The South Shore uses constant lit signals in rare instances (closely spaced) although they have wired some closely spaced signals to be lit when their neighbor is lit to resolve the issue of not being able to see the next signal in time to react. I see more rail lines with approach lit than constant lit. Your experience may vary.

> Most but not all crossings have 4 quadrant gates.

Yes. Add in the pedestrian gates on all four approaches and there is no reason not to know a train is approaching.

> Are the storage tracks at Hammond new?  How will they be used?

The yard is new. The tracks are used to store the train cars used on the Monon Corridor overnight so they don't have to deadhead them back to Michigan City for storage.

Eventually there will be a maintenance shop at Hammond. A train wash is also planned.