South Shore Double Track

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Fancy paving in progress in Michigan City at Franklin St:
20230527-11thSt-Franklin.jpg
20230527-11thSt-FranklinS.jpg
20230527-11thSt-FranklinN.jpg
Poured concrete base with pavers placed in the intersection with a different pattern for the pavers placed as crosswalks.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Highlights heading west ... First stop, the new intermediate signal east of Furnessville. Photo taken from the Calumet Trail.
20230527-Furnessville413.jpg
A quick stop at Ogden Dunes where the overhead catenary supports have been replaced. Steel posts and beams where the new platform will be built ... wood posts with longer cross beams for the approaches (which will be realigned for the track 1 gauntlet).
20230527-OgdenDunes.jpg
Raise the roof at Miller ... platform canopy construction has begun.
20230527-MillerStation.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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In Gary EJ&E 765 parked near Gary Metro has been cleaned up and repainted. It caught by eye when I drove by so I stopped and took a few pictures. While I was there one of the people involved in the clean up stopped by to take a look at the new paint.
20230527-EJE765.jpg
The work is being done by "Decay Devils". The last refresh was in 1992 done by US Steel.
The official re-dedication will be on Saturday, June 17th.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Not much to talk about this week. No new crossings reopened ... I'm thinking there might be a delay in asphalt again (which will affect the work in progress at Mineral Springs Rd if they can't get asphalt to fill in where they removed the crossing for the two new tracks).

Gary: The first segment of track (gauntlet) has been laid for the second track at the Miller station. The 7th St crossing remains closed. Work continues on the bridge supports at Old Hobart Rd.

Dune Acres: Mineral Springs Rd is currently operating as a single lane shofly around the crossing under construction. Flaggers needed 24hrs a day until complete.

Michigan City: Franklin St brickwork appears to be completed. Asphalt is needed for the roads. Green St has a little concrete work to complete and also needs asphalt. Chicago St needs asphalt. Franklin, Green and Chicago were announced as reopening on June 6th. Expect a delay.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Michigan City on Saturday - Franklin St has reopened. (Washington has not yet closed.)
Fresh asphalt and vehicles crossing have not kept the bricks clean.
20230610-11thSt-Franklin1.jpg
20230610-11thSt-Franklin2.jpg
20230610-11thSt-Franklin3.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Dune Acres (Mineral Springs Rd) on Saturday - Crossing construction completed. A lot smoother than the pre-construction crossing.
20230610-DuneAcres1.jpg
20230610-DuneAcres2.jpg
20230610-DuneAcres3.jpg
Just east of the crossing a manual crossover between new Main 2 and the old Main (new North Bally 1) is being installed.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Elsewhere along the line ---
20230610-BeverlyShores.jpg
One of the old platform signs has been mounted to the back of the station building at Beverly Shores.
20230610-GaryTaylorSt.jpg
Taylor St in Gary (under I-80/90 Toll Rd) is getting a quick weekend update. This is a one weekend closure.
20230610-GaryMetro765.jpg
Tree trimmers have come out and made NKP 765 much easier to see from 4th Ave. NICTD train cars are staged on Main 1 and the Gary Add Track behind the freshly painted steam engine.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Work began on the brick treatment for Washington St this week (and the lane divider south of 11th St). Scheduled as a three week closure.

Green St kinda opened this week ... Amtrak still has their crossing blocked on Chicago St so Green is open to local traffic only. The concrete barriers have been placed for NICTD's crossing of Chicago St and I expect that will be open next weekend.

Nothing major noted in Michigan City. Out at Waverly Rd west of Dune Park the westbound signals have been placed. The new passenger tracks west of Waverly Rd are looking nicer every time I see them. Here is a picture looking westbound from Waverly Rd.
20230618-WaverlyRdWB.jpg
At Burns Harbor the small segments of the bridge east and west of the main bridge over the Norfolk Southern tracks have been placed. All they have to do now is build the bridge in the middle. Look carefully above the white concrete columns and you can see the small bridges extending left and right with the existing single track bridge behind the new work.
20230618-BurnsHarbor.jpg
Construction is working on the bridge abutments in Miller Beach with Old Hobart Rd now closed through July 28th.

Taylor St crossing in Gary was completed last weekend. There the new track will be Track 1 and will be between the existing main line and the bridge support. That is the toll road in the background crossing over US 12/20 and the NICTD tracks.
20230618-GaryTaylorSt.jpg

GP30M4216
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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justalurker66 wrote:
Sun May 28, 2023 1:06 am
In Gary EJ&E 765 parked near Gary Metro has been cleaned up and repainted. It caught by eye when I drove by so I stopped and took a few pictures. While I was there one of the people involved in the clean up stopped by to take a look at the new paint.
20230527-EJE765.jpg
The work is being done by "Decay Devils". The last refresh was in 1992 done by US Steel.
The official re-dedication will be on Saturday, June 17th.
Not to hijack this thread but it’s great to see the fruits of the Decay Devils work on EJ&E 765. This article talks more about the repairs and rededication:

https://www.nwitimes.com/localbusinesse ... c5273.html

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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GP30M4216 wrote:
Sat Jun 24, 2023 7:31 pm
justalurker66 wrote:
Sun May 28, 2023 1:06 am
In Gary EJ&E 765 parked near Gary Metro has been cleaned up and repainted. It caught by eye when I drove by so I stopped and took a few pictures. While I was there one of the people involved in the clean up stopped by to take a look at the new paint.
20230527-EJE765.jpg
The work is being done by "Decay Devils". The last refresh was in 1992 done by US Steel.
The official re-dedication will be on Saturday, June 17th.
Not to hijack this thread but it’s great to see the fruits of the Decay Devils work on EJ&E 765. This article talks more about the repairs and rededication:

https://www.nwitimes.com/localbusinesse ... c5273.html
I agree. I have been watching 765 decay for the past couple of decades. I'm glad to see it refreshed. The Decay Devils work also included cleaning up the park and they have done some work at Gary's Union Station (just north of the South Shore station on Broadway). So much of Gary is burned out, falling down, "nobody cares". It is good to see people care.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Michigan City ...
Changes to the new traffic signals on 11th St. The second set of lights have been removed. Only the lights on the far side of each intersection remain.
Pictures at Franklin, Washington and Wabash Sts
20230625-11thSt-Franklin.jpg
20230625-11thSt-Washington.jpg
20230625-11thSt-Wabash.jpg
The Washington St reconstruction is moving along. I didn't see a lot of other work this week. Chicago St remains closed (since February 2022). The surface parking lot for 11th St Station is level and separated from the alley but I did not see progress from last weekend.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Dune Park ...
The new crosswalk is officially open and the old crossing has been barricaded. I didn't see a train this weekend but I'm looking forward to seeing the new lights in action.
20230625-DuneAcres1.jpg
20230625-DuneAcres2.jpg
20230625-DuneAcres3.jpg
Elsewhere ...
Signal installers were busy this week installing signals at several locations:
* The track 1 intermediate at Mineral Springs Rd (along with pedestrian crossing signals for a crossing just east of the road).
* Both intermediates at CP 46.5 (Bailly West)
* Both intermediates at Shadyside just west of Burns Harbor.
* Both intermediates at Tippecanoe St just east of Miller
* Three out of four signals at new CP at Clay St.

Track work is continuing in Miller. It appears the 7th St crossing is complete but work is being done on US 12/20 on the left turn lanes.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Michigan City ...
After being closed for 17 months, Chicago St has been reopened to traffic. The road was closed on February 28th, 2022, along with the eastern part of 11th St (Wabash St to the east). (The intersection with Green St at the Amtrak tracks is closed but the Amtrak crossing has also reopened.)
20230701-11thSt-Chicago.jpg
Ogden Dunes ...
The bases for the new high level platform are being installed between Track 1 and US 12. Hillcrest Rd is scheduled to be closed for a weekend at the end of July.
20230701-OgdenDunes1.jpg
20230701-OgdenDunes2.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Miller ...
Construction of the new platform and tracks are moving along. The station building is externally complete. To the west of the station 7th St is now open - Lake St at the station remains the last road crossing that needs a major rebuild (scheduled for August).
20230701-MillerStation1.jpg
20230701-MillerStation2.jpg
20230701-MillerStation3.jpg
Before the project, Clay St west of the station was a four way stop with a second four way stop on Dunes Highway just south of the tracks. Vehicles would stop on the tracks for the stop signs for the intersection. The signs have now been changed. The north/south stop signs at Dunes Highway were removed last weekend and the Clay St intersection north of the tracks is now a three way stop. Northbound traffic across the tracks does not stop. Little yellow signs have been posted, but it will probably take a while for locals to learn that it is a three out of four way stop.

The official construction site has been updated for June with pictures inside of the new Miller Station building and other photos.
https://www.doubletrack-nwi.com/constru ... 023-update

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Michigan City ... Washington St brickwork continues. Yes, individually placed bricks!
20230708-11thSt-Washington1.jpg
20230708-11thSt-Washington2.jpg
North of the station platforms the curbing is being placed for the surface parking lot.
20230708-11thSt-Parking.jpg
Construction on the parking structure should start in August.

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Elsewhere on the South Shore ... work continues in Miller on the bridge over Old Hobart Rd
20230708-Miller-OldHobartRd.jpg
At Dune Park a fence has been added between the trail connector and the track
20230708-DunePark.jpg
And every concrete worker's annoyance ... a section of sidewalk that was replaced was found by a dog while drying -Bad Dog!
20230708-11thSt-BadDog.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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Today in Michigan City ...
Traffic lights active on Franklin. The 10th and Franlkin light is fully active. 11th and Franklin is flashing red.
The bags are off all of the crossing lights in Michigan City - with gates reattached at all crossings.
20230715-11thSt-Franklin.jpg
More curbing has been placed for the parking lot between Spring St and Cedar St (north of the tracks).

Work continues at Washington St. The brickwork looks good.
20230715-11thSt-Washington1.jpg
20230715-11thSt-Washington2.jpg

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justalurker66
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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A lot of changes to the west ... several new signals have been placed.
The second intermediate (new track 2) has been placed at Mineral Springs Rd. Note the difference between the track 1 signal on the left and the track 2 signal on the right, constructed to be narrower between the main tracks and yard tracks.
20230715-MineralSprings.jpg
At Burns Harbor, the main beams for the bridge over NS have arrived.
20230715-BurnsHarbor-NS.jpg
At Ogden Dunes track work has not yet begun for the gauntlet on track 1, but the new signals have been installed. This set is west of the station at Hillcrest Rd. The signal for the east end of the gauntlet is east of the road at the east end of the station.
20230715-OgdenDunesW.jpg

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DaveO
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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justalurker66 wrote:
Mon Aug 29, 2022 12:57 am
Curbing and storm sewer installers still having a disagreement. (Will they fix this one by installing a flat grate in the asphalt?)
11thSt-20220828-Cedar.jpg
do you know how they resolved this?
i've been worried about this for almost a year. :lol:

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Saturnalia
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Re: South Shore Double Track

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justalurker66 wrote:
Sat Jul 15, 2023 10:33 pm
Today in Michigan City ...
Traffic lights active on Franklin. The 10th and Franlkin light is fully active. 11th and Franklin is flashing red.
The bags are off all of the crossing lights in Michigan City - with gates reattached at all crossings.
All of the Crossings are now in service, but are still island-only operation. The approaches are turned off, so trains approach and stop once they're in the island, wait 20 seconds, then proceed.

At this point they've completed pretty much all of the grade work. Track is quickly approaching the EJ&E diamond in Gary from the east. They also shifted the existing main east of Lake Street this past week, too. The bridge abutments at CSX and Old Hobart are also in advanced phases of construction.
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