South Shore Double Track

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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At Dune Park:
20230422-DunePark1.jpg
The crosswalk at the west end of the platform was completed about an hour before this picture was taken.
20230422-DunePark2.jpg
The new path extends west to the Calumet Trail.
20230422-DunePark3.jpg
East of the station the crossover is in place (ballast work needed).

The switches are set to allow trains to pass Dune Park on the gauntlet on track 1, crossing over to track 2 at Waverly Rd. This puts track 1 back in service as far east as Tamarack.

Waverly Rd repaving has been completed with a new approach to the tracks from the north side (the crossing is closer to level). The road was not open on Saturday.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Other Saturday photos:
20230422-11thSt-Lafayette.jpg
Lafayette St in Michigan City reopened with a better approach from the south and a concrete divider.
20230422-BeverlyShores.jpg
The pedestrian crossing gates at Beverly Shores were installed by TSP. The arms were removed after this picture was taken.
20230422-ClevelandCliffs.jpg
The four track crossing at Cleveland Cliffs was completed last weekend (four lane divided heavy truck road). Not bad for a scheduled 35 hour closure. A CSS train photo bombed my picture.

Elsewhere:
Clay St closed in Miller as the new track 1 was extended across Clay to the west.
Steel catenary support poles are being placed at both Ogden Dunes and Miller stations.

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Saturnalia
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Crews are busy installing the bridge over the Cleveland-Cliffs entrance near old CP 47.5 this weekend. First of four bridges for the project. The nearby NS Chicago Line bridge appears to also be ready for span installation, with pier and abutment work complete.

Meanwhile, they were driving pile for the CSX Garrett Sub in Miller last week. The progress on the west end this year is impressive.
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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justalurker66 wrote:
Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:06 pm
The new path extends west to the Calumet Trail.
Looks like they needed a little more asphalt :shock:

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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DaveO wrote:
Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:12 am
justalurker66 wrote:
Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:06 pm
The new path extends west to the Calumet Trail.
Looks like they needed a little more asphalt :shock:
One square foot? The new asphalt touches the asphalt poured last August to connect to the trail under the bridge.
20230422-DunePark4.jpg
20230422-DunePark4.jpg (144.89 KiB) Viewed 5285 times

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Saturnalia wrote:
Sun Apr 23, 2023 10:07 am
Crews are busy installing the bridge over the Cleveland-Cliffs entrance near old CP 47.5 this weekend. First of four bridges for the project. The nearby NS Chicago Line bridge appears to also be ready for span installation, with pier and abutment work complete.
It looked like they were getting ready for a lift there but I did not see the new bridge. It is a harder area to get to (without credentials). Next week I'll need to take a closer look.
Saturnalia wrote:
Sun Apr 23, 2023 10:07 am
Meanwhile, they were driving pile for the CSX Garrett Sub in Miller last week. The progress on the west end this year is impressive.
I expected to see the pile sticking out of the dirt at Old Hobart Rd. The road was shut down for four weeks for pile driving and both sides look like a dirt ramp.

When the current bridge for NICTD over CSX was replaced a few years ago they staged it just north of the line and cut it in place on a weekend. I caught the first passenger train over the bridge ... which was packed standing room only with rail fans. :)
Last edited by justalurker66 on Sun Apr 23, 2023 6:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: South Shore Double Track

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justalurker66 wrote:
Sun Apr 23, 2023 6:28 pm
One square foot? The new asphalt touches the asphalt poured last August to connect to the trail under the bridge.
Yes. Given it's for pedestrian traffic, I have no doubt it will be rectified.
I wish I could be there as the job supervisor realizes they just needed a little more.
I enjoy following the progress via your photos.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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DaveO wrote:
Sun Apr 23, 2023 6:41 pm
Yes. Given it's for pedestrian traffic, I have no doubt it will be rectified.
Most of the Calumet Trail is unpaved. The paved section runs from a few feet west of the SR 49 bridge to where the spur of the Kankakee Trail heads north through the woods to the east side of SR 49. The trail marker on the south side of the old pedestrian crossing will need to be moved and reconfigured to point to the correct destinations. Perhaps that small area can be patched then.

People cutting the corner from the new pathway to the Kankakee Trail will probably be an issue. Perhaps the county can fund another trailhead style junction?

I am looking forward to seeing how the area is finished. There is a fence on the segment under the bridge that could be continued east to the new crossing to keep pedestrians off of the tracks. The current walkway south of the tracks can be removed (along with the crossing signals).

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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A color has been chosen for the "bricks" on the wall in 11th St. The wall has been stained the selected color along most (if not all) of 11th St.
20230430-11thSt-Wall.jpg
The walkway between the tracks has been completed on the east end of the platform (the actual track crossing will be asphalt).
20230430-11thSt-StationE.jpg
The walkway between the tracks on the west end of the platform will be completed next.
20230430-11thSt-StationW.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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At Cleveland Cliffs the 2nd bridge is in place. The new bridge is on the right. The new bridge over the NS line has not been placed and will be closer to the camera.
20230430-ClevelandCliffs.jpg
At Dune Park the pedestrian crossing protection has been added. The "black out" signs will read "Warning Another Train Coming" when lit.
20230430-DunePark1.jpg
East of the SR 49 bridge the new eastbound signals have been placed. The main signals are turned to face across the tracks. This is the signal on Track 1 which has a special head due to the combination of gauntlet and crossover. I'm not sure how the extra lamp will be used.
20230430-DunePark2.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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It was a rainy weekend and I was fortunate to get some pictures between the rain showers on Sunday (snow Monday ?!?!?). The sun was setting when I passed Beverly Shores and I noticed that the platform lights were on ... giving the final appearance of the station (sans trains). I also heard an announcement through the platform speakers - although I did not see the signs display a message.
20230430-BeverlyShores.jpg
Other notes:

Franklin St in Michigan City was scheduled to reopen Tuesday but has not been paved so I expect that will take another week or two.

Clay St in Miller was also scheduled to reopen on Tuesday but appears to have more than a day's work left to complete.

The northern approach on Mineral Springs Rd has been repaved and raised.

Signals similar to the ones at Dune Park have been installed east of Kemil Rd to provide a pedestrian crossing for the National Park. There is no trail across the track on the east side of the road. The trail crosses US 12 of the west side of Kemil Rd.

The intermediate approach signals to the new crossover at Dune Park have been installed on both tracks. I did not see the westbound signals at Dune Park (eastbounds mentioned above).

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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This week in Michigan City --- more sidewalk and curb work.
Signals are being turned to face the correct directions and the crossing gate arms are in place at Franklin St.

The west sidewalk for the track 1 platform ...
20230507-11thSt-StationW.jpg
Looking southbound on Franklin ... a center curb will extend north to about where I was standing.
20230507-11thSt-Franklin1.jpg
A closer look at the crossing signals north of the tracks.
20230507-11thSt-Franklin2.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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The south east crossing signals with everything turned in the right direction.
20230507-11thSt-Franklin3.jpg
From the south east corner there is a curb around each signal with a lower concrete curb next to the tracks. There is also a box between the tracks. These areas should outline where the decorative brick like asphalt will be laid (with non-decorative asphalt at the actual rail crossing).
20230507-11thSt-Franklin4.jpg
A closer look at the south east corner shows the pedestrian crossing arm passing between the counterweight for the main crossing arm. It looks like the arm will clear the lights above the sidewalk when it is raised.
20230507-11thSt-Franklin5.jpg
In other observations:
The pedestrian crossing arms have returned to Beverly Shores.

Track alignment is in progress for the new Track 1 past the station at Miller west past Clay St. Just west of Clay St the new Track 2 is being laid just north of the existing main. This is extending west toward the 7th St crossing. Clay St remains closed and is awaiting asphalt. It appears all the new curbing is in place. 7th St is next to be closed for the rail crossing to be installed in Miller.

Old Hobart Rd is officially closed again for the construction of the new Track 1 bridge. (Existing bridge will become Track 2.)

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Lets start this week in Miller ...
At the west end of Miller at Clay St which reopened on Friday. Looking westbound one can see one of the crossovers that will become the new universal crossover at Clay St.
20230514-MillerClaySt-WB.jpg
Looking east the second crossover has not been installed, but the road crossing is completed with the new track 1 extending east through the station.
20230514-MillerClaySt-EB.jpg
Current progress at the Miller station.
20230514-MillerStation.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Heading east, the next stop is at Mineral Springs Rd where the new double track is being built south of the existing main track.
20230514-DuneAcres.jpg
At Waverly Rd the new track is being laid to the west.
20230514-EastBailly.jpg
At Dune Park trains continue to pass the platform on the completed gauntlet.
20230514-DunePark.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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The string of cars passing Beverly Shores.
20230514-BeverlyShores.jpg
And now passing Michigan City's 11th St platform. Such a case is becoming harder as the train was traveling 20-25 MPH (stopping for grade crossings - only the "island" circuit is working at most crossings).
20230514-MichiganCity.jpg
The rebuild of Franklin St continues. The concrete boxes will be filled in with decorative asphalt.
20230514-11thSt-Franklin1.jpg
Crews were working on crossing signals though Michigan City. The gates were installed and removed at Wabash St on Sunday. I believe all the new trackside signals are in place from Dune Park through Michigan City (with another odd three headed signal westbound on track 2). Work is continuing at Ogden Dunes with the placement of steel catenary supports that will span both platforms and the tracks.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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This week in Michigan City ...
More concrete poured in the 11th St and Franklin intersection. Hopefully they can get the asphalt and decorative asphalt to finish the crossing. It is due to open on the 30th.
New crossing protection was added (overhead cantilever) at the US 12 crossing last weekend.

Pictures: A look at the walkway between the tracks at the 11th St station. Railings added for the protection of passengers.
20230521-11thSt-Station.jpg
A look at the new sidewalk and six foot fence on the north side of the tracks ... this section near Michigan Ave keeping pedestrians away from the track.
20230521-11thSt-MichiganAve.jpg
And scheduled to be open yesterday ... Green St. A lot more work to be done there.
20230521-GreenSt.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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A quick stop at SR 49 overlooking Dune Park
20230521-DunePark.jpg
Looking west at Waverly Rd, SouthShore Freight snakes though what will be an interlocking some day.
20230521-WaverlyRd.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Over in Miller, Track 1 through the new station is looking good (although it ends before Lake St).
20230521-MillerStation.jpg
7th St on the west edge of Miller closed for reconstruction. Looking west first, then east:
20230521-Miller7thSt-WB.jpg
20230521-Miller7thSt-EB.jpg
The segment of track in Miller between 7th St and Clay St has been cut over to the new alignment for Track 2.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Official update posted today:
https://www.doubletrack-nwi.com/constru ... 023-update

"NICTD plans to run revenue service trains on the new rail in Michigan City in late summer 2023. At that time, NICTD’s bus bridge will change to run from Dune Park Station to Gary Metro Center Station until the end of the project in mid-2024."

"At this time, the Double Track Project is on schedule to run passengers on trains (Revenue Service) in May 2024. Thank you to everyone who has supported this project. As construction progresses, please pardon our dust, and let us know if you have any comments or questions."

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