Prototype News

South Shore Line riders are having to take the bus between Hammond Gateway and East Chicago, Ind., after a freight train derailment on June 24 knocked out part of the catenary.

The derailment occurred on the Grand Calumet River Bridge between East Chicago and Hammond, and involved 13 empty coal cars. While there was no damage to the bridge itself, it resulted in heavy damage to the catenary supports. Because the derailment happened on the bridge, repairs have taken longer than anticipated. South Shore has not given a timeline for when regular service will resume. In the meantime, passengers are having to take buses between the Hammond Gateway and East Chicago stations. Passengers who purchased a monthly pass in June will also have their pass honored in July due to delays caused by the derailment. 

The South Shore Line is operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District and is considered by many to be America’s last interurban railroad. The Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad began operations in 1903. In the 1970s, passenger operations were spun off to the State of Indiana. The freight railroad is now part of Anacostia Rail Holdings Company.

—Justin Franz 

The post Freight Derailment Knocks Out South Shore Service appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum became the latest museum to celebrate America’s 250th birthday with the debut of a red, white and blue PCC car. 

The paint scheme is reminiscent of one Pittsburgh Port Authority Transit applied to a streetcar back in 1976, to celebrate the bicentennial. Car 1776 ran in its “Spirit of 1776” livery until it was involved in a crash in August 1982. The car was later scrapped. 

Since the original car was lost, the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum decided to paint another car in its collection, PAT 1799, into the patriotic paint scheme. That car was built by St. Louis Car Company in 1945, and operated in Pittsburgh on the South Hills routes until 1986. It was acquired by PTM in 1990. The car is not operational, but will be on display throughout the July 4th celebration. 

—Justin Franz

The post Pennsylvania Trolley Museum Debuts ‘Spirit of 1776’ PCC appeared first on Railfan & Railroad Magazine.