South Shore Line extends reduced service following freight derailment; bus bridge continues through July 3

HAMMOND, Ind. — South Shore Line commuters will face another week of reduced service as the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) announced that the rail line will remain on a weekend/holiday schedule with a bus bridge from Monday, June 29, through Friday, July 3.

The operating plan mirrors the one implemented Friday, June 26, after a freight train derailment near the Hammond Gateway station disrupted service. Under the current setup, buses replace trains between Gary Miller and Hegewisch stations, serving intermediate stops at Gary Metro Center, Gary/Chicago Airport, and East Chicago. Buses will follow the holiday/weekend train schedule. Metra's Electric District continues to honor South Shore tickets for passengers seeking an alternative route.

NICTD anticipates that the bus bridge could be reduced to cover only the East Chicago–Hegewisch segment by midweek, depending on cleanup progress. Updates are available on the South Shore website.

The derailment occurred the night of June 24 when a unit coal train operated by the South Shore's contract freight operator, the Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad, went off the tracks during a severe thunderstorm with high winds. No injuries were reported, but the incident forced an indefinite suspension of passenger rail service on that segment [see "Freight derailment halts South Shore service," Trains.com, June 25, 2026].

While service disruptions have frustrated daily riders — many of whom rely on the South Shore for commutes between northwest Indiana and Chicago — NICTD officials stressed that safety and thorough track inspection remain the top priority. The prolonged bus bridge also highlights the vulnerability of shared-use rail corridors where freight and passenger trains operate on the same tracks.

— To report news or errors, contact [email protected].