Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad (NICTD)

Modern Era Accidents - 1980 to Present

January 20, 1981 - Grade Crossing
Car 104 was leading three car westbound train 276 when a collision occurred at the Taylor Rd crossing (MP 57.0). The collision occurred at 3:28pm with the train traveling an estimated 35 MPH.
1 rail passenger was injured in the collision. No other details were reported.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report
FRA Grade Crossing Accident Report

November 11, 1983 - Grade Crossing
Car 32 was running eastbound as a single car train when a truck drove past activated automatic flashers at the Wilson Rd crossing (MP 49.18). The collision occurred at 11:30am with the train traveling an estimated 60 MPH.
23 rail passengers and the driver of the truck were injured in the collision.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report
FRA Grade Crossing Accident Report

May 18, 1984 - Switch Point Defect
Car 41 was leading two car westbound train 20 when the facing point switch failed at Olive siding (just west of New Carlisle). The rear truck of the lead car and both trucks of the second car derailed. The derailment occurred at 7:45pm with the train traveling an estimated 60 MPH.
4 passengers were injured in the derailment.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report

January 21, 1985 - Opposing Train Collision, 79 passengers, 6 crew and 2 off-duty injured
A few days of cold weather caused major damage to the line in Gary between Clark and Gary Metro Center. After some repairs the South Shore was left with the westbound track out of service and the eastbound track had a "drop pan" area with a signal in it. Trains were required to drop their pantographs and coast past the damaged section of catenary. Westbound trains had no signal on this track, eastbound trains that stopped at the signal would not be able to restart and would have required assistance from a diesel to get started again. While the eastbound train in this accident did pass a red signal without stopping or reporting it, the NTSB placed primary blame for this accident on the dispatcher for not controlling his trains. He gave permission for the westbound train to enter the eastbound track without verifying the location of the eastbound train that was scheduled to be at the same station at the same time. The collision occurred 1490 ft west of the west end of the Gary Metro Center platform.
Damages were estimated to be $2.4 million dollars. The dispatcher was demoted to engineer, the three man crew of one train were dismissed for violating rules.
(Train 123 eastbound led by car 17, Train 218 westbound led by car 26. Both cars were replaced in 1992. Cars 1, 9, 21 and 27 were also involved.)
79 passengers, 6 crew members and 2 off-duty crew employees were injured in the collision.
NTSB Report (3.23m PDF)

October 30, 1986 - Obstructed Grade Crossing, 55 passengers and 1 crew injured
Car 41 was leading eight car eastbound train 119 toward Clay St in Gary (MP 55.71). Per the FRA equipment accident report, the engineer was instructed to reduce speed and prepare to stop short of the crossing should it be blocked by a truck. The trailer had become stuck on the crossing leading to the drive shaft breaking. A collision occurred at 6:37pm with the train traveling an estimated 45 MPH.
55 rail passengers and 1 crew were injured in the collision. (Car 41 was replaced in 1993.)
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report
FRA Grade Crossing Accident Report

April 1, 1987 - Signal Failure on Obstructed Track, Engineer killed / 2 passengers injured
Car 37 was leading westbound train 216. After making all stops between Gary and Hammond, the train encountered a green signal at the State Line interlocking. After passing through the interlocking the engineer discovered freight cars had fouled the main line. The engineer put the train into emergency. A collision occurred at 4:54pm with the train traveling an estimated 10 MPH.
The engineer was killed and two passengers were injured.

Per the FRA accident report, the signal failed to show the presence of the freight car due to a rusty rail condition. The freight car was pushed out of the yard by a crew switching bad order cars out of a string of cars on the siding. The crew had estimated how far they could push the cars and the brakeman did not ride point on the shove.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report

January 18, 1993 - Opposing Train Collision, 7 passengers killed / 95 people injured
In the first passenger fatal accident since 1926, Train 7 from Chicago ran a red signal on the western approach to the gauntlet bridge, went into emergency stop, and paused for 5 to 30 seconds before being hit by Train 12 from South Bend. The lead cars, Car 27 eastbound and Car 36 westbound, sliced into each other killing 7 passengers, including a 10 year old boy. 95 people were injured. The NTSB held both engineers at fault, Train 7 for running the red light and Train 12 for failing to react.
A second bridge was added at the site in 1997 and the gauntlet is no longer in operation. The engineer of Train 7 was the dispatcher in the 1985 accident. NO CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE FILED, but both engineers were fired. Damages were estimated at $854,000.
(Cars 27 and 36 were destroyed. These cars were rebuilt in 2001. Cars 14, 16 and 31 were also involved.)
(Photograph of the gauntlet bridge in 1998)
NTSB Report (1.46m PDF)

July 18, 1996 - Grade Crossing
Car 40 was leading two car westbound train 118 toward Bethlehem Rd near Dune Park (MP 46.00). An auto had struck a pole at the crossing and was foul of the main line track. The engineer placed the train into emergency when seeing the obstruction. The collision occurred at 5:05pm with the train traveling an estimated 60 MPH.
1 crew was injured in the collision.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report
FRA Grade Crossing Accident Report

June 18, 1998 - Obstructed Grade Crossing, 3 killed / 5 injured
The first train of the day, Train 102 from Michigan City to Chicago, collided with a steel roll trailer left parked over the South Shore line while the driver waited for a passing train on the parallel Conrail line at Midwest Steel's main entrance. The NTSB estimated that the engineer had less than 6 seconds to react. Three passengers, including an off-duty South Shore employee, were crushed as the steel roll pushed through the first car, nearly reaching the center. Five others were injured of the 19 on the train that morning. Damages were estimated at $886,000.
The truck driver was cited for 15 violations, including being 70,000 pounds overweight, having malfunctioning brakes, and a trucker's log that was nearly a month out of date. He also tested positive for marijuana. The Federal Railroad Administration reduced rail speeds from 65mph to 40mph within 1.5mi of the crossings and banned trucks over 55ft long from crossing the rails. An overpass bridge was built and Midwest's grade crossings were closed.
(Train 102 was led by car 11 which was destroyed. This car was rebuilt in 2001. Car 45 was the second car of the train.)
(Photograph of the crossing and damaged car in 1998)
NTSB Report (1.16m PDF)
Damage photos on flicker: 1 2

Railroad Special Investigation Report
On the day of the June 18th accident Senator Richard Lugar and Congressman Peter J. Visclosky wrote a letter to the NTSB chairman citing three previous accidents and expressing concern over the safety of operations at NICTD. The NTSB produced a detailed report on the safety of NICTD grade crossings, safety programs and corporate safety culture.
NTSB Special Report (449k PDF)

March 19, 2006 - Grade Crossing
Car 4 was leading a four car westbound train toward Springville Rd/CR 400W in Michigan City (MP 27.59). A southbound driver failed to stop for the crossing and hit the side of the train. (She reported that her cell phone fell when it rang and she was trying to pick it up.) The collision occurred at 1:50pm with the train traveling an estimated 60 MPH.
2 rail passengers and the driver were injured in the collision (73 people were on the train).
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report
FRA Grade Crossing Accident Report

September 2, 2006 - Opposing Train Collision - No injuries
"Train 600 was to meet a Eastbound CSS freight at Tamarack. Back when they were still under ABS and spring switches all WB moves headed into the siding. Train 600 went into the siding while the freight held the main. 600's engineer thought that the freight was the usual short train and figured it would clear the signal before he got there, so they started to pick up speed (On an approach signal!) After crossing Brown Road they put the train into emergency before crashing into the side of the freight train and ripping open a covered hopper full of sand. The head two cars of 600 (Cars 106 & 17) derailed and almost tipped onto their sides."
Forum Report
Car 106 was leading six car westbound train 600 through the siding at Tamarack. The engineer failed to stop for the red signal at the end of the siding and collided with car 53 of a 66 car freight train. The last 12 cars of the train were not clear. The collision occurred at 5:36am with the passenger train traveling an estimated 24 MPH.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report (NICD)
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report (CSS)

October 13, 2007 - Operation Failure on Obstructed Track
Car 12 was leading westbound train 504 in dark territory (no signals) at Michigan City Shops. The engineer failed to stop the train before hitting equipment on the add track. Car 22 on the add track derailed one set of trucks. The collision occurred at 9:08am with the train traveling an estimated 14 MPH.
4 passengers were injured in the collision.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report

November 14, 2012 - Excessive Crossover Speed
Car 313 was leading five car eastbound train 209 through CP 64.9 in East Chicago Indiana. The engineer passed through the diverging route at an excessive speed damaging equipment and catenary. The incident occurred at 4:05pm with the train traveling an estimated 68 MPH.
The crossover (along with two others) was upgraded from 15 MPH to 40 MPH in 2016.
1 crew was injured in the incident.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report

October 26, 2016 - Track Obstruction
Car 12 was leading six car westbound train 20 toward Virginia St in Gary (MP 58.44). The driver of a semi truck had hit a gate near the track leaving it obstructing the track. The collision occurred at 5:22pm with the train traveling an estimated 60 MPH.
1 crew was injured in the collision.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report

October 5, 2017 - Yard Derailment
Car 304 was leading a string of 13 cars in the Michigan City Shops and derailed three cars passing over an improperly lined switch. The derailment occurred at 8:30pm with the train traveling an estimated 11 MPH.
1 crew was injured in the derailment.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report

February 22, 2020 - Switch Point Defect
Car 4 was leading seven car westbound train 600 into Millennium Station in Chicago. The facing point switch failed and Car 4 and part of Car 28 derailed. The derailment occurred at 7:03am with the train traveling an estimated 9 MPH.
3 passengers and 1 crew were injured in the derailment.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report

September 28, 2021 - Grade Crossing
Car 108 was leading two car westbound train 118 toward County Line Rd in Gary (MP 52.52). A driver drove southbound in the northbound lanes past crossing gates on the NS track that runs parallel to the South Shore and continued across the South Shore tracks. The collision occurred at 3:14pm with the train traveling an estimated 75 MPH.
1 rail passenger and 4 occupants of the car were injured in the collision (65 people were on the train).
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report
FRA Grade Crossing Accident Report

September 27, 2023 - Freight Operation over Derail
"On September 27, 2023 at approximately 9:42pm CSS assignment AF-4 was preparing to depart Bailly Yard, when the lead unit struck a derail while exiting the north Bailly track at Bailly Yard. The engineer was the sole occupant in the lead locomotive. The conductor was in a contractor van positioned at the first crossing ahead of movement prepared to flag the crossing. An assisting utility employee was lining the main line switch for this trains movement. Seeing the utility employee ahead, the engineer extinguished the headlamp on the lead locomotive as a courtesy to the employee on the ground ahead. By doing so, the engineer was unable to see the obstruction ahead subsequently striking derail. As a result, the three lead locomotives (804-2010-2009) derailed along with two (2) railcars containing plate steel. TTPS-806376 & NKCR-3817. The derail in question is used solely for providing track protection to third-party contractors working at Bailly when Form Ds are in effect. Form D limits within the area of Bailly expired at 8:01pm on September 27, 2023. The MOW lock used on this derail had been removed and a high security lock with a NICTD tag was left in its place with the derail in the derailing position."

The consist was 85 loaded and 30 empty freight cars pulled by three engines and was traveling a recorded 10 MPH at the time of derailing. This incident occurred during the Double Track NWI construction. No injuries reported.
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report (CSS) (quoted above)
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report (NICD) (same narrative)

June 10, 2024 - Grade Crossing
Car 312 was leading three car westbound train 14 toward Rutledge St in Gary (MP 60.42). The driver of a dump truck stalled his vehicle on the tracks as the gates were lowering. The driver ran from the vehicle. The collision occurred at 7:45am with the train traveling an estimated 24 MPH.
2 rail passengers and 2 crew were injured in the collision (101 people were on the train).
FRA Rail Equipment Accident Report
FRA Grade Crossing Accident Report