South Shore Line extends service to Munster, Dyer with new stations

Twenty-five years ago when Curtis Vosti worked for the mayor’s office in Hammond, Indiana, he and others thought of extending the South Shore Train Line into Munster, about 8 miles south from downtown Hammond.

Two decades later and nearly $2 billion in construction costs, Vosti boarded the train with his wife, Marisol, Tuesday at the new station just blocks from his home in Munster.

“I worked on this project when it was just in the imagination stage,” Vosti said. “Working in government, you know that good projects take some time to get done. This is a very proud day for everyone.”

The $1.6 billion extension is known as the Monon Corridor, named after a rail line from decades ago that is no longer in service. The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) operates the South Shore Train Line that runs east-to-west from Millennium Station in Chicago to the South Bend Airport. The new line is its first that runs north to south, reaching Munster and Dyer.

The day got off to a rough start, with threatening skies pushing back the beginning of the dedication.

“Today is a great day for the city of Hammond and for all of Northwest Indiana,” said Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr., at the new station, just feet from the Illinois-Indiana state line. “We're here to celebrate the opening of the Monon corridor, a transformational expansion of the South Shore line and a major investment in our region's future.”

Over the past decade, NICTD leveraged federal and state dollars to make significant improvements to its line — from a double-tracking project that reduces travel times between Michigan City and Gary to the new Monon Corridor. The train line’s history dates back to the early 1900s.

“The Monon Corridor expands rail access, strengthens connectivity and positions our region for long-term growth and the impact is already being felt. This project, along with the double track expansion, is driving billions of dollars in investment, creating thousands of jobs and generating real economic momentum across our region, and here in Hammond, we're seeing it firsthand,” said Michael Noland, retiring president of the South Shore Train Line.

Besides four new train stations, the new line includes elevated train tracks to bypass freight lines in downtown Hammond. The investment in the line, Noland said, is spurring new housing and retail development.

“You're also seeing something else: attention from developers, from employers, and yes, even from organizations like the Chicago Bears, taking a serious look at Northwest Indiana,” Noland said. “Let's be clear, that kind of attention didn't happen before this project was created. This project started that momentum and we've been building this moment for years and Hammond's ready.”

Noland said the line will help grow Munster and Dyer, which are among the fastest growing communities in Northwest Indiana.

“This is a nearly $1.6 billion investment. This is not just about expanding commuter rail service in this section of state. This sends a signal to the private sector investors about Indiana's willingness to invest in large, transformational infrastructure projects that offer the opportunity to strengthen our local economy and the state's economy and greatly benefit our Hoosier quality of place and quality of life,” Noland said.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun estimates the Monon Corridor will generate some $5 billion over 20 years in new investment including 6,000 jobs. Braun wants that to include the Chicago Bears crossing the state line and calling Hammond home.

Despite being Republican, Braun has been working closely with McDermott, a Democrat.

“Sometimes the moon, the sun, the stars line up,” Braun said. “Every time I come up, there’s a vitality here [Northwest Indiana] that we have nowhere else in the state,” Braun said. “When you finally bring this to fruition, when you look at what might happen, and even if that doesn't, there's a point where synergy takes over and we all benefit.”

Braun used a golden ticket to board the new train line as its first passenger. He rode in the lead train with Noland and other dignitaries.

Hammond resident Charles Semko was also on the train.

“I'd rather see the money spent on infrastructure than wasting it on foreign wars,” the 72-year-old said. “I think it's going to bring pride to the area, put Munster on the map. It’s going to be a great commute. I know a lot of people that work downtown, and they're going to start taking it.”