New Carlisle station (South Shore Line)

New Carlisle was a South Shore Line flag stop located at the corner of Arch and Zigler Streets in New Carlisle, Indiana. The station opened circa 1908[1] and was built by the Chicago, South Bend and Northern Indiana Railway whose line was immediately north of the South Shore Line. Both lines used the station[2] until the Northern Indiana Railway abandoned its South Bend–Michigan City line leaving the South Shore as the sole occupant. The station remained in service on the South Shore Line until July 5, 1994, when it was closed as part of an NICTD service revision which also saw the closure of Ambridge, Kemil Road, Willard Avenue, LaLumiere, and Rolling Prairie.[3]

New Carlisle
Location	Arch St. and Zigler St. New Carlisle, Indiana
Coordinates	41°42′30″N 86°30′29″W
Owned by	NICTD
Platforms	1 island platform, 1 side platform
Tracks	2
Other information
Fare zone	10
History
Opened	circa 1908
Closed	July 5, 1994
Electrified	1500v DC
Services
Preceding station NICTD Following station Hudson Lake toward Millennium Station South Shore Line South Bend Airport Terminus South Bend Closed 1992 Terminus Preceding station Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad Following station Hudson Lake toward Randolph Street South Shore Line South Bend Terminus

Future

In 2018, a study was commissioned by the St. Joseph County Redevelopment Commission to look at the possibility of constructing a new station in New Carlisle.[4][5][6] The study was conducted by the South Bend engineering firm Antero Group. The study's $100,000 cost was shared by St. Joseph County and NICTD.[5][7][8] At the time the study was commissioned, two possible locations were being considered, one on the eastern edge of New Carsisle's "downtown", and another in Olive Township to the east of town.[5]

By January of 2019, St. Joseph County began eying land occupied by a mobile home park as a potential station location. The land is located on Michigan Street in the eastern side of New Carlisle, near the city's American Legion post and on the northern side of the South Shore Line tracks.[7][9] A 2-1 vote by the St. Joseph County Board of approved $8,300 in contracts for the two parcels occupied by the mobile home park to be appraised by firms.[7] By January of 2020, it was announced that St. Joseph County was purchasing the 2.67 acre pair of parcels occupied by the now-vacant mobile home park for more than $400,000, with the stated prospect of locating a future South Shore Line station there.[9][10] By July of 2020, the county began leveling the structures on the site.[10]

A station in New Carlisle would likely supplant the existing Hudson Lake station.[5][10]

The plans to build a station in New Carlisle are related to a proposed industrial complex that would be situated to the east of New Carlisle, and which has attracted controversy.[10] The plans for a new station are also intended to attract businesses to the area.[5]

The representative of the NICTD board stated in July 2020 that a new station in New Carlisle could take five or more years to materialize, if ultimately pursued at all.[10]

References

1. Electric Railways of Indiana. Chicago, Illinois: Central Electric Railfans' Association. 1960. p. I-63.
2. Ogorek, Cynthia. Along the Chicago South Shore & South Bend Rail Line. Arcadia Publishing. p. 61. ISBN 978-0738594194.
3. Dodson, Paul (June 17, 1994). "South Shore Railroad Will Close 7 Flagstops". South Bend, IN: South Bend Tribune. p. B2.
4. Kather, Esther (31 July 2018). "New Carlisle looking into building South Shore train station". ABC57. WBND-LD. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
5. "$100,000 study underway to consider launching New Carlisle train station". South Bend Tribune. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
6. "Officials consider train station along South Shore Line in New Carlisle". WSBT. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
7. Booker, Ted (20 January 2020). "St. Joseph County eyes spot for New Carlisle train station. Mobiles homes are in the way". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
8. Peterson, Mark (7 August 2020). "New Carlisle eyed for new South Shore station". WNDU. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
9. Bauer, Caleb (22 January 2020). "A future South Shore station in New Carlisle?". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
10. Spalding, Mary Beth (24 July 2020). "Options open for New Carlisle site as county clears old trailers". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 12 November 2020.