More Friday morning rail news:
Construction on the South Shore Line’s West Lake Corridor extension, an 8-mile commuter rail branch between Hammond and Dyer, Ind., could begin in October. The Times of Northwest Indiana reports. That date reflects an expectation that the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District can finalize a grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration in September, South Shore president Mike Noland told a planning agency. If it is, he told the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission, “Construction would start immediately, would finish up in late 2024, and we’d start revenue service in early 2025.” The grant is expected to provide $355 million for the estimated $933 million project. Details on the project are available here.
Western Railway Museum seeks funds to save West’s first PCC car
The Western Railway Museum in Suisun City, Calif., is seeking funds to acquire for preservation the first Presidents’ Conference Committee streetcar in the Western United States. San Diego Electric Railway PCC car No. 502 arrived in San Diego on March 17, 1937, and operated there until 1948, when the streetcars were replaced by bus service. It subsequently operated in El Paso, Texas, then was returned to San Diego for possible use in revival of streetcar service. While in storage, it was damaged in an arson fire, then sold to a private owner for possible use in the South Lake Tahoe Area. It is now a candidate to join the collection of 107 locomotives, streetcars, interurbans, and related equipment at the museum operated by the Bay Area Electric Railway Association. To contribute to the preservation effort, visit the GoFundMe page on the museum website; the fundraising is nearly halfway to its goal.
Metra station to close for platform replacement
Metra will close the West Hinsdale, Ill., station on its BNSF line for two months to replace the station platforms — a change from the usual practice of keeping the station open and replacing a platform in sections. In a press release, Metra says the closure to begin Aug. 1 is to cut the project time in half, and reflects the current decreased ridership brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Current indications are that only about 20 passengers are using the station on weekdays; those passengers are asked to use the nearby downtown Hinsdale or Clarendon Hills stations.
