South Shore realignment in Michigan City

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore realignment in Michigan City

Unread post by justalurker66 »

Typhoon wrote:
justalurker66 wrote:As the last railroad added NICTD would get last priority at the crossing (just like crossing the former Michigan Central Amtrak line in Michigan City).
No they will not
What makes you say that? Typically when one railroad crosses another at grade the original railroad gets priority. They may be nice about it and install some automatic interlocking where "first come first served". Or they may negotiate something but one of the issues facing NICTD is the Amtrak crossing in Michigan City where Amtrak has priority at the interlocking and often sets a route for their trains long before their trains approach blocking NICTD trains from crossing.

Are you assuming that NICTD would somehow get priority over all of the other lines so they could set a route through whenever they wanted with no delay to NICTD trains?

Typhoon
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Re: South Shore realignment in Michigan City

Unread post by Typhoon »

justalurker66 wrote:
Typhoon wrote:
justalurker66 wrote:As the last railroad added NICTD would get last priority at the crossing (just like crossing the former Michigan Central Amtrak line in Michigan City).
No they will not
What makes you say that? Typically when one railroad crosses another at grade the original railroad gets priority. They may be nice about it and install some automatic interlocking where "first come first served". Or they may negotiate something but one of the issues facing NICTD is the Amtrak crossing in Michigan City where Amtrak has priority at the interlocking and often sets a route for their trains long before their trains approach blocking NICTD trains from crossing.

Are you assuming that NICTD would somehow get priority over all of the other lines so they could set a route through whenever they wanted with no delay to NICTD trains?
Working in the industy makes me say that. There are no other passenger trains that would cross there. The NICTD passenger trains would get across the crossing 1st. It would work the same as Metra at 75th st, BRC Junction, CP Ridge, and Brighton Park.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore realignment in Michigan City

Unread post by justalurker66 »

Typhoon wrote:Working in the industy makes me say that. There are no other passenger trains that would cross there. The NICTD passenger trains would get across the crossing 1st. It would work the same as Metra at 75th st, BRC Junction, CP Ridge, and Brighton Park.
So you're saying that passenger would get priority over all other traffic?

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Re: South Shore realignment in Michigan City

Unread post by Typhoon »

justalurker66 wrote:
Typhoon wrote:Working in the industy makes me say that. There are no other passenger trains that would cross there. The NICTD passenger trains would get across the crossing 1st. It would work the same as Metra at 75th st, BRC Junction, CP Ridge, and Brighton Park.
So you're saying that passenger would get priority over all other traffic?
99% of the time, yes. The commuter lines have contacts in high places, and the railroads have learned it is not a good idea to get on the bad side of the politically connected people.

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937TrainFan
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Re: South Shore realignment in Michigan City

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I'm going to have to agree with Typhoon, the "last railroad to cross" rule just hasn't made it to modern times. When stateline tower was still in place, they had at least 15 lines crossing in their control district, so I think it could be feasible today. NICTD wouldn't have shoved out millions for the line if it wasn't a feasible option.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore realignment in Michigan City

Unread post by justalurker66 »

937TrainFan wrote:I'm going to have to agree with Typhoon, the "last railroad to cross" rule just hasn't made it to modern times. When stateline tower was still in place, they had at least 15 lines crossing in their control district, so I think it could be feasible today. NICTD wouldn't have shoved out millions for the line if it wasn't a feasible option.
Millions? I thought Hammond and Munster bought the line with NICTD. I don't recall NICTD's contribution being millions.

As far as the plan ... I found an article from 2011 that discusses the extension:
In addition to the terminating Dyer stop, other stations proposed are an "aerial station" at a new 1.5 mile flyover bridge in Hammond, a Munster stop, and another station in Dyer. The flyover in Hammond would take the South Shore spur over three other railroads as well as the Grand Calumet River. It then would connect with the out-of-service Monon tracks purchased in the 1990s by NICTD, Hammond and Munster.

http://www.indianaeconomicdigest.net/ma ... leID=60711

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937TrainFan
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Re: South Shore realignment in Michigan City

Unread post by 937TrainFan »

Wow, a flyover track/station would be an amazing feat. And yes the ex monon ROW cost millions for all parties involved.

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