Tremont station (Indiana) explained

Tremont
Address:Tremont Road
Tremont, Indiana 46304
Coordinates:41.6495°N -87.0482°W
Tracks:1
Opened:Circa 1908
Closed:June 2, 1986[1]
Owned:CSS&SB
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail
Marker-Color:
  1. 888
Zoom:14

Tremont was a flag stop on the South Shore Line located at Tremont Road in Porter County, Indiana. The station was built by the Chicago, Lake Shore and South Bend Railway and opened circa 1908,[2] serving its namesake town and later the Indiana Dunes.

In 1979, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) conducted a study for the improvement of the South Shore Rail Corridor. The study recommended the construction of new station at Indiana 49 and US 12, a location within 1miles of both the Tremont and stops. The study also recommended closing Port Chester and due to low ridership, but keeping the Tremont,,,,, and stations open.[3] Land acquisition for the new station occurred in October 1982.[4]

A new entrance to the Indiana Dunes for bikers and hikers was added at Tremont Road, half a block from the South Shore station, in 1982. The entrance officially opened on the July 4 weekend, coinciding with the expansion of South Shore service to the Tremont station. Two westbound trains were added during the morning rush, four westbound trains on weekends, and one late-night train was added on Saturdays.[5]

As progress continued on Dune Park, plans continued to evolve. By late 1984, NICTD had intended to convert Tremont into a weekend-only stop and have Dune Acres remain a flag stop once Dune Park opened.[6] The following year NICTD changed course, deciding instead to close both Tremont and Dune Acres with the opening of the new Dune Park station. However, ridership increases at both stops after the study was taken caused the agency to consider waiting to close one or both stations until after overflow parking could be added at Dune Park.[7] Ultimately, Tremont closed on June 2, 1986, with the opening of . Dune Acres closed in 1994 once the additional parking lots at Dune Park were complete.[8]

Notes and References

  1. News: South Shore station opens Monday . July 27, 2022 . Vidette-Messenger of Porter County . May 29, 1986 . 3 . Newspapers.com.
  2. Book: Electric Railways of Indiana. 1960. Central Electric Railfans' Association. Chicago, Illinois. I-62.
  3. News: Study calls for new station at 49, US 12 . July 28, 2022 . Vidette-Messenger of Porter County . December 1, 1979 . . 17 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: County OKs tax breaks . July 28, 2022 . Vidette-Messenger of Porter County . October 20, 1982 . . 17 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: Park's Tremont entrance open; rail service expanded . July 28, 2022 . Vidette-Messenger of Porter County . October 20, 1982 . . 3 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: New station Completion expected by next winter . August 1, 2022 . Vidette-Messenger of Porter County . November 5, 1984 . . 2 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: Randle . Pat . South Shore station may open by March . July 28, 2022 . Vidette-Messenger of Porter County . September 5, 1985 . . 13 . Newspapers.com.
  8. News: Dodson. Paul. South Shore Railroad Will Close 7 Flagstops . August 2, 2022 . South Bend Tribune. June 17, 1994. South Bend, Indiana. B2 . Newspapers.com.