Conductor John Cudney walks through the cars of the South Shore line train Wednesday, November 6, 2013, as it travels through Gary, Indiana. / John Terhune/Journal & Courier
The South Shore Line, Indiana’s lone commuter rail system, runs several times a day between South Bend and Chicago’s Millenium Station.
With stops in Portage, Gary, East Chicago and Hammond, the line provides a cost-effective mode of transportation for Hoosiers who work in Illinois.
Gina Lecas of Schererville said she has taken the South Shore to work in Chicago for 17 years.
“For me, it works,” Lecas said. “I pay $155 (a month) for a pass, and I save the gas, the parking, the wear and tear, and repairs on my car.”
The system carried nearly 3.7 million passengers in 2012, according to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District.
The ride is bumpy and loud compared to Amtrak’s cars. Passengers talk or look out the windows in silence while sitting on vinyl-covered seats in stark fluorescent lighting.
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