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Hi, I will be going to Chesterton, IN in two weeks and on my way I'm going to stop in Michigan City, IN. I plan to get there at a time where I can see some passenger street running action on 10th and 11th street, but is there any good time for a freight train on the line? Or is it random. Any tips for Chesterton would be appreciated too, I'm staying in the upper berth of Riley's House and plan to railfanning mostly from the balcony is the view is good.
Thanks,
Chris

Indiana Harbor Belt does not operate through any of the locations you mention.

railohio wrote:Indiana Harbor Belt does not operate through any of the locations you mention.

Sorry, got it changed

The freight will usually run at the "dead times." For example, after the last eastbound evening rush train from Chicago (last train for a few hours) a westbound local will run. They can usually find some time during daylight, too.

Get yourself a passenger timetable with times. Look for the gaps in the arrival of the passenger trains. That is when they might try and slip a freight thru.

Other then that go over to the Carrol (Shops) station, you can often seen the freight motors there.

Having been down there yesterday and seeing them go out that would indeed be the case. They fit them in when they can in between passenger trains. It's always good to start the morning at Carrol Ave and go from there. Otherwise check the coal plant in Michigan City. There is usually a coal train with foreign power there. If you want to guarantee seeing both NS and South Shore head to Burns Harbor and sit. There is usually parking and the lines parallel each other. Hope this helps!

If you see CSS&SB crew, ask. We got lucky last fall when we stopped by and asked a crew coming on duty and we were told a light engine move was gonna be on it's way east as soon as the passenger train cleared. Definitely not disappointed.


Wet Pavement and Geeps by James B, on Flickr

I can echo earlier comments - consult the NICTD passenger schedule and watch for freight action during gaps in passenger traffic. Staking out Carroll Avenue is a good place to start as that's where SSF's well maintained fleet of GP38-2s is based and where they have a freight yard. Often, a freight move (either lite units or with cars) will head west down the street running after the last of the morning inbound trains or after the first eastbound train arrives. There are a few customers east of Michigan City, but generally the further west from MI City you are, the more cars will be on their train. I was in Michigan City on a recent Sunday and caught a light engine move westbound in the mid-afternoon, so you ma even have a little luck if you're there on a weekend.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays (last I heard), SSF runs down the Kingsbury Branch from Carroll Avenue to switch freight customers. This is originally an NKP heritage line and offers some good scenery.

With prudent planning and driving, trains can often be caught leaving Carroll Ave. and seen again on the streetrunning. But it would be very difficult to see a train on 11th Street and then again on 10th street, for example. Chasing an eastbound passenger train may allow for a second street running shot while they work at the 11th Street station.

The generally-paralleling US-12 from Michigan City west to Miller allows you to cover some territory and see a train more than once if you find something interesting to follow.

And keep an eye out. In addition to the fleet of orange GP38-2, there are two SD38-2 in Iowa Interstate colors.

Someone must be a historian or buff, as they are numbered 804 and 805, just above the old little joe electrics.

It's not unheard of to see a yard crew knocking cars around at Shops on the ex-NKP line that is effectively a yard for them. That seems to happen fairly often. Also check out the yard at the power plant on the west side of MC, there is usually UP power parked there on a laid up coal train and/or a local switching the yard for random freight cars. Also, another freight hot spot is the ArcelorMittal plant just west of Chesterton on US12 (east gate to the plant, has a stop light, before US12 goes 4-lane). You can park in the Mineral Springs trail lot and walk down US12 to the crossing at Arcelor, but stay in the park and off railroad property.

The recent Trains Magazine Short Line and Regional edition featured CSS&SB freight operations. Good reading material!