(Photo courtesy, South Shore Line Facebook page)
The South Shore Line says crews continue to work on the area of a train derailment on the Grand Calumet River Bridge between the East Chicago and Hammond Stations. An update from Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) on Facebook Tuesday June 30 2026 said 13 empty freight train cars derailed on June 24, 2026, causing significant damage to several structures that hold the overhead wires trains use for power. There were no injuries reported, and officials said there was no major damage to the bridge itself.
“The location of the damage makes the repair more complicated. Because the damaged equipment is on a bridge, the wire-support structures and their mounts are specific to that location and are attached directly to the bridge,” NICTD said on social media. “NICTD is working with its partners to design, manufacture, and install the replacement structures as quickly as possible. After those structures are in place, crews can reinstall the overhead power wires and restore regular train service.”
Due to the impacts to passenger service, the South Shore Line says all June 2026 Monthly Tickets previously sold will be valid through July 2026.
The commuter line is also alerting passengers of a planned temporary power outage at the South Bend Airport Station on Wednesday July 1 2026 at 10 am ET due to airport construction. The power outage will affect the South Shore Line waiting area within the Airport, and will last about 4-6 hours. They say South Bend station announcements, digital displays, and Ticket Vending Machines will be temporarily out of service. To purchase tickets, riders can use the South Shore Line mobile app, or buy a ticket from the train conductor – but that is cash only.
