Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad (NICTD)
Midwest Steel Crossing
This crossing was the site of the June 1998 accident where a steel roll rig left its second
trailer over the South Shore line while waiting for a passing Conrail train on the far line.
As shown here, the gates at the crossing in use close (as usual) as well as the gate protecting
the line not currently in use. This is intended to protect the line in case that a train comes
on the other systems line. Unfortunately a tandem truck carrying steel rolls was trapped between
the crossing gates when the first South Shore train of the day came through the morning fog.
The result was death for three passengers in the first car and the damage shown below. The tarp
on the front covers the entry point for the steel roll - the second tarp covers the hole needed
to remove the steel roll from the car - a process needed before the car could be moved.
Hearings are currently underway to decide what to do to fix this situation. There have been
several other near misses at this crossing. One of the options is to build an extension of
nearby SR 249 as a bridge over the tracks and close all the grade crossings.
Now large signs have been added to the already noticable "High Speed Trains - Do not block track"
signs.
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