Northern Indiana Railway birney car passing a South Shore train on LaSalle Street, circa 1937.
Chicago, South Bend and Northern Indiana Railway Company, or Northern Indiana Railroad was one of several electric inturburban railways that once serviced South Bend and other communities.
Northern Indiana Railway birney car passing a South Shore train on LaSalle Street, circa 1937.
Chartered January 18, 1885, the South Bend Railway Company began operation. Similiar to the South Shore, the railroad operated under several names between 1885 and June 15, 1940 when the remaining five lines ceased operation. Once known as the Chicago, South Bend and Northern Indiana Railway Company, then simply the Northern Indiana Railway, the lines serviced many Indiana communities. Besides South Bend and Mishawaka, the Northern Indiana Railway served Michigan City, LaPorte, The University of Notre Dame, Elkhart, Goshen and Bristol in Indiana. The line also ran north into Michigan to provide service to Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Niles.
Very little remains of the Northern Indiana Railway today. Between Lydick and South Bend, traces of the old right of way are still visible. East of Lydick the Edison Street crossing and former right of way can be seen. The former right of way is still visable through Lydick, if you know where to look. The former Lydick substation and passenger depot is still standing. West of Lydick the former right of way is also visable almost all the way into New Carlisle. Old track that were once visable in Meade Street, north of Bertrand Street in South Bend, were removed during the Bendix Drive relocation during the summer of 2005.
Left: Northern Indiana Railroad, Bendix Line, August 18, 1938. Car 215 is approaching the South Shore line at Meade and Orange Streets. This car is southbound. M.D. McCarter Photograph. Right: Same location, circa 2003.
Left: Downtown South Bend, date unknown. NIRR Bendix line. This picture is looking west from Michigan Street and down Washington Street. Building in the background on the left is the Tower Building. On the right, the Oliver Hotel. Right: Downtown circa 2003.
Left: Northern Indiana Railroad, Bendix Line, August 18, 1938. This car is westbound on Washington Street. In the background is the former Oliver Hotel, which was once the "best place in town." Also in the background, across the street is the JMS (John M. Studebaker) Building. M.D. McCarter Photograph. Right: Same location, circa 2003. Today City Center occupies the corner.
Left: Northern Indiana Railroad, Bendix Line, August 13, 1938. This car is eastbound on Washington Street. In the background is the O'Brien Varnish Company, later known as Fuller O'Brien Paint Company. M.D. McCarter Photograph. Right: Same location, circa 2003. Uniroyal Sealants calls the former O'Brien Varnish Company home.
Left: Northern Indiana Railroad, Bendix Line, August 13, 1938. This car is northbound on Meade Street at Rogers. M.D. McCarter Photograph. Right: Same location, circa 2003. Today Kennedy Academy occupies the area to the east of the old right of way.
Left: Northern Indiana Railroad, Bendix Line, August 13, 1938. This car is westbound on Circle Street. M.D. McCarter Photograph. Right: Same location, circa 2003. Today as back then Adams Engineering is on the west side of the street.
Left: Northern Indiana Railroad, Lincolnway West Line, August 13, 1938. This car is eastbound on Lincolnway West, just about to cross the New York Central line which passed St. Mary's College and The University of Notre Dame. In the background is the Hoosier Brewery. M.D. McCarter Photograph. Right: Same location, circa 2003. Lincolnway West is still a busy street.
Left: Car Shops and Yard facility on Notre Dame Avenue. April 1937. In 2004 the location is home to the Transpo Bus Maintenance Facility
Left: Mishawaka Avenue and 32nd Street. Motor Unit 802, November 1938. Right: Same location, December 2004.
Left: The caption on this picture says this picture was taken June 1940 on Lincolnway West. The sign on the car says "Miami Street." It is obvious that the car is just starting the return trip. Olive street was the end of the route. The church visible in the background is the Epworth Methodist Church, Lincolnway and Olive Street. Right: 2004 Photo coming soon.
Hoosier Beer wooden case on display at the Studebaker National Museum. Once a popular local brew.
#811 at Michigan and Washington Streets, June 20, 1937. Bill Volkmer collection.
Left: Northern Indiana Railroad, crossing the St. Joseph River, June 15, 1940. This car is westbound crossing the old Grand Trunk bridge. This was the last run of this line. The next day, bus service was initiated in South Bend, by Transpo. Right: Same bridge, slightly different angle. Now it is part of the East Race walking trail. Note the concrete bridge piers. They were built for a double track bridge, however, it appears that the GTW never built the second bridge.
Northern Indiana Railroad, abandoned sub-stations. Left: Lydick Indiana sub-station and depot, circa 1934 after the line was abandoned and the tracks removed. Right: Rolling Prairie sub-station and depot, looking down the abandoned right of way. Both, M.D. McCarter Photographs.
This
picture . These abutments are between the creek pictured above and Lydick.
The old Michigan Central line, or St. Joseph, South Bend and Southern Railroad,
crossed the NYC and South Shore south of this set of bridge
abutments. The NIRR right of way passed under
the SJSB&S and continued west to New Carlisle, Indiana.
Left: Motor Car #205 making its way past the Playland Public Market, Ironwood and Lincolnway East. Today, a Walgreens is replacing Don Meadow Pontiac. Right: This one was slightly harder to identify. The steeple in the left corner of the photo helped narrow down the location. That building is Thomas Jefferson school. The motor car is southbound on Eddy Street and the gas station pictured was on the corner of Eddy and Mishawaka Ave. Belmont Street runs east, north of the gas station. The houses pictured all still exist.
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