Competing Shore Shore station plans for South Bend, Ind., face growing costs
Competing plans to build a new South Shore Line station in South Bend, Ind. — one envisioning a downtown station, another for a relocated stop to replace the current terminus at the South Bend airport — have stalled several years after being floated, and each faces increasing expense. The South Bend Tribune reports the downtown station, preferred by the city — which would require new right-of-way, significant property acquisition, relocation of the city’s Amtrak stop, and demolition of buildings at a public housing complex — would cost at least $112 million, and perhaps as much as $200 million. Meanwhile, St. Joseph County’s preferred option — which would eliminate a long, indirect looping route to reach the current airport station — would cost at least $50 million, require demolition of 40 homes, and will require Federal Aviation Administration approval because of the need for tracks and catenary through a protected area near a runaway. Mike Noland, president of the South Shore’s parent, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, told the newspaper the station is now his top priority, with projects such as double-tracking between Gary and Michigan City, Ind., and a new spur line moving ahead. His desire is to find a proposal that can gain widespread approval.
Rockwood, Pa., seeks Capitol Limited stop
The Rockwood, Pa., area is asking two lobbying groups to help it pursue a stop on Amtrak’s Capitol Limited route. The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reports that Somerset County is reviving a decade-old effort to add the stop, but this time is willing to pursue a flag stop that could be added at lower cost than the original full-fledged stop which had an estimated cost of $3.9 million. When the idea was first considered, Amtrak estimated it would generate 2,100 passengers a year. The county, which already employs Washington-based lobbyist Pendulum Strategies and South Carolina-based Nelson Mullins on a $5,000-a-month contract to pursue a highway project, is asking their help in gaining support for the station plan. The newspaper says CSX Transportation has concerns about the idea, citing possible freight-train delays.
Vancouver’s TransLink to consider fare increase
The board of directors for TransLink, the transit agency for the Vancouver, British Columbia, area, will consider a 2.3% fare increase at a meeting on Thursday, after cancelling a planned increase last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The website Daily Hive reports the increase, which would be effective July 1, is capped at 2.3% under an agreement with the provincial and federal governments capping increases through 2024 in exchange for C$644 million in emergency funding. The increase would bring in about C$4 million annually.
I believe the old SS station at Bendix is the current Amtrak station. The tracks are still in place and terminate in back of the station between the NS main and the station building. Those tracks are currently used for car storage.
That whole stretch from Pittsburgh almost to Baltimore is double track, except for a couple of the tunnels. And boarding 2100 people a year (3-4 a day each way) is not going to hold up anything. Now about South Bend: it is true the South Shore station at the airport is on a looping spur but at least there’s excess parking. Does anyone know where the old SS station (Bendix?) used to be? Is the rail line pulled up? The airport location for SS is a lot better than the Amtrak station, which is in an abandoned neighborhood. There would be lots of room for parking because no one lives there! To me the Amtrak station should be where the NS line crosses the main north-south drag by the Greyhound station.
“The newspaper says CSX Transportation has concerns about the idea, citing possible freight-train delays.” First thing CSX always goes to, then they’ll want track improvements, drag it out for years etc…