South Shore Line Questions

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chertling

chertling

Lead Service Attendant
Joined
Jul 7, 2005
Messages
264
Location
Lawrence, KS
I am planning a trip to South Bend, IN for a Notre Dame football game. We will be arriving at Chicago Union Station via the SW Chief and then will be transferring to the South Shore line at Millennium station. (We will actually only be riding the South Shore to Michigan City - 11th street on Friday as we were unable to secure a hotel in South Bend on such short notice)

I have two questions...

1. I noticed that CTA Bus 60 serves both stations with very nice (7-14 minute) service intervals... is this the best way to transfer between stations, or is there an easier way? I would prefer to avoid a cab, unless it would actually be cheaper. We will be packing very light for this trip (IE: small backpacks) so hauling luggage won't be a concern.

2. Given that we will probably be reaching Millennium at the start of Friday afternoon's rush hour, are seats on the South Shore reserved, or is it first come-first served? Do we need to worry about sold out trains? With the service frequency, it won't be too big of an issue, but we do need to coordinate with relatives who will be picking us up in Michigan City.

Thanks!!!

Chris
 
chertling said:
2. Given that we will probably be reaching Millennium at the start of Friday afternoon's rush hour, are seats on the South Shore reserved, or is it first come-first served? Do we need to worry about sold out trains? With the service frequency, it won't be too big of an issue, but we do need to coordinate with relatives who will be picking us up in Michigan City.
Thanks!!!

Chris
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No reserved seats - first come first served. They will allow folks to stand and ride, too, if all the seats are full, I think.

I have taken the bus from CUS to the South shore Station, but can't member the number. I thought it was 53 or 57, but maybe not.

Forum member rmadisonwi could tell you. If he doesn't see this soon, PM him.
 
Depending on the weather, and just how much you're carrying, it's not a horrible walk either. It's a 12 block walk to Millennium (down Adams and up Michigan) or an 8 block walk right down Jackson to the Van Buren Station where one can also catch the South Shore Line. The trains originate at Millennium, so it would be a bit easier to get a seat there, but it is a longer walk.

And yes, it would appear that the #60 would get you to Millennium and the #7 bus would run you right down Jackson to Van Buren if you didn't want to make that walk.
 
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Chertling, however the transfer from Chicago Union Station to Millennium works out, enjoy the ride on "America's last interurban." It's kind of a drag out of Chicago until the South Shore departs the Metra Electric main line. Then it starts to open up and make some serious time.

From a railfan standpoint it's a blast to stand up front, look out forward, get a gander at the speedometer in the cab, hear the horn, and revel in the speed.

And at Michigan City, just past the South Shore shops, there's rare street running.

csssb-gf-500.jpg
 
If you don't get to Chicago much and it's still early enough in the fall, you might enjoy a water taxi. $2/person, same as the bus.
 
The sheer fun of the street running may just force me to have to take a ride on the length of the South Shore line just for the fun of it...
 
zoltan said:
The sheer fun of the street running may just force me to have to take a ride on the length of the South Shore line just for the fun of it...
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If you get a chance to visit Boston, make sure you ride the E branch of the MBTA Green Line as far as it's been running for the last 20 years; the far end of it runs in the automobile lanes (and the temporarily suspended portion of the E branch continues running in the automobile lanes for a much greater distance).
 
Joel N. Weber II said:
If you get a chance to visit Boston, make sure you ride the E branch of the MBTA Green Line as far as it's been running for the last 20 years; the far end of it runs in the automobile lanes (and the temporarily suspended portion of the E branch continues running in the automobile lanes for a much greater distance).
Click to expand...
It would be nice if it was "temporary" was to the extent that it'll be back next summer...

I definitely do need to see some of the fun bits of the T that I didn't manage this year!
 
zoltan said:
Joel N. Weber II said:
If you get a chance to visit Boston, make sure you ride the E branch of the MBTA Green Line as far as it's been running for the last 20 years; the far end of it runs in the automobile lanes (and the temporarily suspended portion of the E branch continues running in the automobile lanes for a much greater distance).
Click to expand...
It would be nice if it was "temporary" was to the extent that it'll be back next summer...
Click to expand...
About a year ago (I think) I walked from the end of the Orange Line to where the E branch has been terminating for the last 20some years along the temporarily suspended part of the route. Some of the track is gone, some of the poles in the sidewalk to support the overhead wiring are gone, and all of the overhead wiring itself is gone, IIRC.

I don't think there's any chance the T will even manage to fix the Back Bay Station ventilation by next summer, and that's a vastly simpler project with no major political pressure (other than ``saving money'') in its way.

I think the right long term answer is to build a tunnel for the E branch, but nobody really wants to talk about spending that much money on the E branch these days...
 
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Joel N. Weber II said:
About a year ago (I think) I walked from the end of the Orange Line to where the E branch has been terminating for the last 20some years along the temporarily suspended part of the route. Some of the track is gone, some of the poles in the sidewalk to support the overhead wiring are gone, and all of the overhead wiring itself is gone, IIRC.
Click to expand...
That sounds more former soviet bloc than the United States... *sigh*
 

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