By Tom Wyatt, Post-Tribune staff writer
CHESTERTON — A $22 million project to install new overhead wiring on the South Shore Railroad will begin in September.
The wiring system powers the line and the aging catenary system of wires has been blamed for stoppages and delays.
Work on the 17-mile stretch from Gary to the Kensington Station is projected to end within 18 months, or the end of 2007.
The old system of wires has become susceptible to breaks because of the combination of age and engineering. When the temperatures dip in the winter months, the wires contract, leading to more and more frequent breaks. In the summer months, the wires sag and also are susceptible to breaks.
“The hardware is really ancient and in need of replacement,” Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District General Manager Gerald Hanas told the NICTD Board of Directors Friday. “It’s not something you maintain.”
The new system will boast two overhead wires instead of four. A constant-tension system operated by weights will prevent contraction and expansion of the wires. The system will be built in two-mile stretches with a mid-point anchor and weights every mile.
“It’s a big, radical change,” Hanas said. “It will make a huge difference in the way we operate.”
Meade Electric was awarded the $22 million contract to complete Phase 1. The second phase of catenary replacement runs from Michigan City to Gary, while the third phase runs from the South Bend airport to Michigan City.
In all, including signal and fiber optics work, the modernization plan will cost about $110 million, NICTD spokesman John Parsons said. The work is scheduled to be completed by 2010.
In other news, the board approved the expected South Shore fare increases. A 2 percent increase will go into effect in August, with another 2 percent hike to be implemented in August 2007.
NICTD also released ridership numbers, reflecting an 11.6 percent increase over last year at this point. Ridership also is up in the second quarter, attributed to the Dan Ryan construction and increases in fuel costs.