The opening of the West Lake Corridor commuter rail branch now faces further delays. Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District President Mike Noland says he now expects the service to open closer to the end of the year. The opening was originally planned for this month.
Construction cleared a major hurdle this week, with the installation of a bridge to carry the existing CSX tracks and the new West Lake tracks over the future extension of Main Street. "So CSX gave up their tracks — no freight traffic — for a full day, which for a Class 1 railroad, is damn near and act of God, to get them to do that," Noland told the NICTD Board on Wednesday.
But he said another issue has come up. The contractor apparently failed to install equipment to stop leftover electrical current from escaping the line's right of way into the surrounding ground. Over time, that could corrode the metal on nearby utility lines.
"So it's going to require some additional taking up some work that was already completed and then putting in the proper isolation and then putting the track back in," Noland explained.
Noland said getting the necessary material quickly could pose some supply chain challenges. He said the railroad will hold the contractor accountable, and they're waiting on a final plan of how they'll redo the work.
In a press release, NICTD says the eight-mile branch from Hammond to the Munster/Dyer border is more than 95-percent complete. Test trains will begin running about a month before revenue service starts, and the railroad will work with communities to remind people to use caution near crossings. Hammond and Munster are seeking permission to implement a Quiet Zone.
The timetable is currently being finalized for the new service, which will be known as the Monon Corridor.
