Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad (NICTD)

East Chicago Station


East Chicago is a high platform station with gauntlet tracks. The high platforms allow for all doors to open cutting loading times to a minimum.


Looking westbound from the station toward the end of the gauntlet tracks and the back of the eastbound signals for CP 66.3. This service ramp is off limits to passengers.


Looking westbound along Track 2 with the Indiana Toll Road just north of the tracks. The alignment and original East Chicago station at this location was built in cooperation with the toll road in 1956, ending street running through East Chicago.


Looking eastbound along Track 1 the station building and large parking lot are in the distance. Note the gauntlet arrangement of the tracks, where overlapping pairs of tracks are used. Passenger trains pass close to the platform by using the rail closest and third from the platform edge. Freight and non-stopping trains use the other two rails.


Windbreak benches are located along the platform.


Enclosed warming shelters are also available at platform level.
The station building is impressive, with a large glass atrium. Vending and restooms are available along with a small shopping area and a ground floor waiting room. NICTD Transit Police have a station in this building.
2009 Flashback
Looking eastbound from the station was a 200 ft long (4 car) low boarding platform and the end of the gauntlet headed east.
This platform was used during the construction of the high level platform (extended to 8 car length by the addition of a temporary wood platform segment).
The platform was replaced with an enclosed walkway when the new eastern entrance staircase was added.		 The old station entrance as seen in 2009 after the old 1956 station building was removed. The former platform access here was filled in and capped off with concrete.
2004 Flashback
The "good old days" captured in 2004 ... a small station building at the base of the main entrance had a ticket office and waiting room. The building was closed except during peak morning boardings. To the right was the hallway / tunnel under the tracks to a staircase and broken escalator. The station had a low level platform which was partially covered. The width of the canopy was narrow to allow for passing freight trains.
A photo from the far end of the uncovered platform. The doors shown led down to Indianapolis Ave. The new station building under construction can be seen in the background on the right. A staircase was available on the west side of Indianapolis avenue for direct access to the platform. This staircase was closed and capped with concrete with the opening of the new station.
1998 Flashback


Shown to the left as it appeared in 1998, East Chicago was a low platform station located next to the Indiana Toll Road. The station was served by stairs and a single escalator, no elevator was present, nor a lift to place wheelchairs into trains. Shown below in 2003 an eastbound train stops at the old station.

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