CSS – Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad

Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS) has been providing safe & efficient rail freight service to customers in Chicago & Northwest Indiana for more than 100 years and has been part of Anacostia Rail Holdings since 1990. CSS has connections with every Class I & short line railroad in the Chicago rail terminal. Key markets include steel, energy, building products & chemicals.

For more information about our railroad, reference the CSS profile.

CSS is not the South Shore Line (NICTD) passenger train service that runs between South Bend, IN and Chicago, IL. For more information about passenger service, please visit www.mysouthshoreline.com.

Facility Name Transload Type City and State
Ameribulk Transport Rail-Truck Transload Facilities La Porte, IN

Ameribulk Transport

2794 State Highway 39 North
    La Porte, IN 46350

Capabilities:

  • Transloading
  • Railcar heating
  • Dry bulk loading
  • Onsite scales

Commodities:

Dry bulk and liquid transloading

Burnham Team Track Team Tracks/Public Loading/Unloading Tracks Burnham, IL

Burnham Team Track

Burnham, IL 60633

Capabilities:

Public Delivery Track

Commodities:

Miscellaneous

Overhead view of Burnham Team Track
E&L Paving and Construction – Belfast Logistics Rail-Truck Transload Facilities La Porte, IN

E&L Paving and Construction – Belfast Logistics

2792 SR 39 North
    La Porte, IN 46350

Capabilities:

  • Transload (including dump pit)
  • 30 cars
  • 3-car unloading dock (can accommodate boxcars and flatcars)
  • 70′ truck scale available on premises
  • Trucking Available

Commodities:

  • Dry bulk Commodities
  • Liquids

Contact:

Carole Loniewski (219) 872-5955
Ed Loniewski (219) 898-4000

Overhead view of E&L Paving and Construction – Belfast Logistics
Foodliner, Inc. Rail-Truck Transload Facilities Chicago, IL

Foodliner, Inc.

11861 S. Cottage Grove Avenue
    Chicago, IL

Capabilities:

  • Dry bulk and liquid rail to truck transfer
  • 42 car capacity on 4 tracks
  • Conveyor and vacuum unloading available
  • Silo storage capacity of 1,000 tons on site
  • Truck scale on premise
  • Truck wash located 1.5 miles distant at another Foodliner facility

Commodities:

  • Dry bulk commodities
  • Food and non-food grade
Overhead view of Foodliner, Inc.
Gary Team Track Team Tracks/Public Loading/Unloading Tracks Gary, IN

Gary Team Track

123 Main
    Gary, IN 55555

Capabilities:

Public Delivery Track/Transload

Commodities:

Liquids, Miscellaneous

Overhead view of Gary Team Track
Glycerin Traders Rail-Truck Transload Facilities LaPorte, IN

Glycerin Traders

3522 South S.R. 104 (Stillwell)
    LaPorte, IN 46350

Capabilities:

  • Rail-Truck transload facility
  • Loading dock for boxcar or flatcars
  • Truck scale available 1/4 mile away
  • Several truck wash locations within one hour drive of Stillwell
  • Facility is organic certified by MOSA (Midwest Organic Services Association)

Commodities:

  • Liquid and dry bulk
Overhead view of Glycerin Traders
Industrial Steel Construction Rail-Truck Transload Facilities Gary, IN

Industrial Steel Construction

86 N. Bridge St.
    Gary, IN 46404
Midwest Warehousing, LLC Rail-Truck Transload Facilities La Porte, IN

Midwest Warehousing, LLC

3999 East Hupp Road
    La Porte, IN 46350

Capabilities:

  • Transload
  • Warehousing
  • Car Storage
North American Stevedoring Co (NASCO) Rail-Truck Transload Facilities Chicago, IL

North American Stevedoring Co (NASCO)

12700 S. Butler Drive
    Chicago, IL 60633

Capabilities:

  • Storage
  • Transload Packaging

Commodities:

  • Steel
  • Lumber
  • General
Overhead view of North American Stevedoring Co (NASCO)
Port of Chicago Port Facilities Chicago, IL

Port of Chicago

3600 East 95th Street
    Chicago, IL

Capabilities:

  • Great Lakes and Inland Waterway access
  • Foreigh Trade Zone
  • #22 Grain Storage

Commodities:

  • Steel
  • Grain
  • Scrap
  • Miscellaneous

 

Overhead view of Port of Chicago
South Bend Team Track Team Tracks/Public Loading/Unloading Tracks South Bend, IN

South Bend Team Track

Pine Road & Ardmore Trace
    South Bend, IN

Capabilities:

3.22 acres

Overhead view of South Bend Team Track
South Shore Transload Team Tracks/Public Loading/Unloading Tracks Michigan City, IN

South Shore Transload

Michigan City, IN

Capabilities:

Side Dock

Commodities:

General

Contact:

Additional information can be found in this CSS South Shore Transload informational PDF.

South Shore Transload site
Site Name Zoning City and State
39 North Industrial Park Industrial Reserved La Porte, IN

39 North Industrial Park

La Porte, IN
Location: 3400 SR 39 North
Acres: 105
Zoning: Industrial Reserved
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend
Highway/Road Access: SR 39 and I-80
Utilities: Electric: AEP or NIPSCO, Water and Sewer: City of La Porte, Gas: NIPSCO
Overhead view of 39 North Industrial Park
Finatec Industrial Reserved Stillwell, IN

Finatec

Stillwell, IN
Location: 3522 State Road 104
Acres: 111,000 feet
Zoning: Industrial Reserved
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend
Highway/Road Access: State Road 104
Utilities: Water: well, Sewer: septic field, Gas: NIPSCO
CSS site Finatec
Johnson Properties Industrial Kingsbury, IN

Johnson Properties

Kingsbury, IN
Location: First Line Road
Acres: 150
Zoning: Industrial
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad
Highway/Road Access: SR 35, US 6
Utilities: Electric and Gas: NIPSCO, Water and Sewer: Kingsbury Utilities
CSS site Johnson Properties
Kingsbury Industrial Park Agriculture and Industrial Kingsbury, IN

Kingsbury Industrial Park

Kingsbury, IN
Location: Hupp Road
Acres: 500+
Zoning: Agriculture and Industrial
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend
Highway/Road Access: SR 35 and US 6
Utilities: Gas and Electric: NIPSCO, Water and Sewer: Kingsbury Utilities
CSS site Kingsbury Industrial Park
Michigan City Site Industrial/manufacturing, distribution and office development Michigan City, IN

Michigan City Site

Michigan City, IN
Location: Along U.S. 20/U.S. 35 corridor
Acres: 124
Zoning: Industrial/manufacturing, distribution and office development
Rail Access: Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad
Highway/Road Access: Access to Indiana Highway 212; Located less than one mile west from the U.S. 20/I-94 interchange.
Millenium Business Park Industrial Michigan City, IN

Millenium Business Park

Michigan City, IN
Location: Woodcreek Drive
Acres: 100
Zoning: Industrial
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend
Highway/Road Access: US Highway 20, I-94
Utilities: Electric and Gas: NIPSCO, Water and Sewer: City of Michigan City

Up to 60 acre site possible

Overhead view of Millenium Business Park
New Carlisle Rail Park Agriculture New Carlisle, IN

New Carlisle Rail Park

New Carlisle, IN
Location: U.S. Highway 20 & Similax Road
Acres: 102
Zoning: Agriculture
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend
Utilities: Electric: AEP, Sewer: City of South Bend, Gas: NIPSCO
CSS site New Carlisle Rail Park
North Point Business Park Manufacturing La Porte, IN

North Point Business Park

La Porte, IN
Location: I-80/90 to the north, CSS RR to the west, State Road 39 to the east, and and private ownership to the south
Acres: 10
Zoning: Manufacturing
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad
Highway/Road Access: State Road 39 & I-80/90
Utilities: Natural Gas provided by NIPSCO, electricity provided by American Electric Power, and water provided by City of La Porte, available off SR 39

Topography– level
24 acres

Overhead view of North Point Business Park
Smilax East New Carlisle, IN

Smilax East

New Carlisle, IN
Location: US Highway 20
Acres: 40.7
Overhead view of Smilax East
Thomas Rose Industrial Park Industrial La Porte, IN

Thomas Rose Industrial Park

La Porte, IN
Location: Genesis Drive
Acres: 100+
Zoning: Industrial
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend
Highway/Road Access: SR 35, SR 2, I-80
Utilities: Gas and Electric: NIPSCO, Water and Sewer: City of La Porte
CSS site Thomas Rose Industrial Park
Tonn & Blank Agriculture Michigan City, IN

Tonn & Blank

Michigan City, IN
Location: US Highway 20 and SR 212
Acres: 101
Zoning: Agriculture
Rail Access: Chicago, South Shore & South Bend
Highway/Road Access: US Highway 20/35, I-94
Overhead view of Tonn & Blank

Headquarters

505 North Carroll Avenue

Michigan City, IN 46360

Contact

(219) 874-9000

(219) 879-3754

Customer Service

(219) 874-9000

Contact Us

  • Director of Operations

    Peter Oliver
  • Trainmaster/SLE

    David Cain
  • Trainmaster

    Craig Mowery
  • Trainmaster

    Dennis Eldridge
  • Trainmaster

    Brian Nussel
  • Customer Service Manager

    Basia Sidor
  • Chief Mechanical Officer

    Justin T. Moon
  • Roadmaster

    Don Trent
  • Manager - Maintenance of Way

    Steve Gropp
  • Railroad Emergencies

    (219) 210-4583

Smartway logoAbout CSS

  • Location: Chicago, IL and Northwest Indiana
  • Employees: 60
  • Railroad Mileage: 75 miles shared with South Shore Line (NICTD), 27 miles of freight only and 80 miles of trackage rights for a total of 182 system miles.
  • Port Facility Served: Illinois International Port District – Lake Calumet, Chicago, IL
  • Connecting Railroads: BNSF, BOCT, BRC, CF&E, CN, CP, CRL, CSXT, GRW, IAIS, IHB, INRD, NS, SCIH, UP and WSOR
  • Sustainability: Contact CSS to discover the low carbon solutions we can provide for your freight needs.
  • Number of Customers: More than 30

Capabilities

Services: CSS provides safe, consistent and efficient rail service to its customers and interchanges almost daily with its connecting rail carriers.

  • Commodities Handled: Steel products, chemicals, coal, food products, minerals, scrap metal, pig iron and building products.
  • Equipment: 13 locomotives, 600 freight cars (including covered coil cars, open top coil cars & mill gondolas)
  • Capacity: 286k GWOR except for New Carlisle, IN and South Bend, IN
  • Annual Volume: 60,000 carloads
  • Storage Car Spots: None
  • Transloading locations: Refer to the Facilities tab above.

History

While the South Shore got its start just after the turn of the 20th century moving passengers between northwest Indiana towns such as Michigan City, Gary, East Chicago and Hammond, it wasn’t long before the booming industrial region found a need for freight service on the line as well. As the local steel industry grew, so too did related industries, by providing raw materials such as coal, coke, scrap iron, lime, and iron ore. The steel mills’ customers also set up shop in the region, building railcars and components, automobiles, trucks, skyscrapers, bridge girders, stamping plants, appliances, etc. All of this heavy industry was ideally suited to moving products and materials via rail, and the South Shore has played an integral role, meeting the regions logistical needs for nearly 100 years.

The old South Shore line survived several bankruptcies, the latest in the late 1980’s. In 1990, Anacostia presented a plan to the U.S. bankruptcy court that separated freight and commuter operations. It created a new entity to conduct freight operations. Commuter service is now provided by Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District on track shared by the freight operation and dispatched jointly in the Chicago-South Bend Corridor. In 1995, CSS commenced service to the Port of Chicago. In 2000, CSS acquired the Michigan City-LaPorte-Kingsbury line from Norfolk Southern.

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