AN INTERURBAN TRADITION ENDS.

Years ago, the witticism ran that there was an interurban line circling the courthouse in every county seat in Indiana.  The last electric cars in the streets were those of the South Shore Line in Michigan City, which we noted years ago.

The Commuter Rail authorities, and the street department of Michigan City, have wanted to get the trains off the streets, and that harmonizes well with plans to add track capacity on the South Shore Line.  In this instance, it is an addition of tracks.  The right-of-way east of Gary was laid out with a second track in mind, but only a few passing sidings were provided, with well-timed meets, and spring switches to allow those to take place at speed.

The work is far enough along that a bus bridge will replace the trains through Michigan City.  "Beginning Monday, Feb. 28, buses will replace commuter trains between the Carroll Avenue station in Michigan City and Dune Park in Porter, Ind., as part of the project to double-track the South Shore main line between Gary and Michigan City."  Freight trains will run at night, as will shuttles of cars between the west end of the line and the Michigan City shops.

The last train in the interurban tradition doesn't look like a traditional interurban, does it?

Perhaps when through service resumes, there will be a Cold Spring Shops report on developments.