Hudson Lake is a train stop operated by the South Shore Line in the unincorporated community of Hudson Lake, Indiana. It is one of a very few interurban stations located in a rural region of the United States, being located approximately halfway between the much larger communities of Michigan City and South Bend. The station is composed of a passenger shelter, a sign, a small concrete pad, and a small parking lot.[1] As of 2021, the Hudson Lake station is a flag stop. A customer seeking to board the train here must push a button to activate a flashing strobe light that will catch the attention of the train engineer.[1]

Hudson Lake
Hudson Lake station facing west
General information
LocationCounty Road 700N and Chicago Road, Hudson Lake, Indiana[1]
Coordinates41°42′34″N 86°32′15″W / 41.70944°N 86.53750°W / 41.70944; -86.53750
Owned byNICTD
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks1
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade platform with bus shelter
Other information
Fare zone10
History
Electrified1,500 V DC
Passengers
20191 (average weekday)[2]
Services
Preceding station NICTD Following station
Carroll Avenue South Shore Line South Bend Airport
Terminus
Former services
Preceding station NICTD Following station
Rolling Prairie
Closed 1994
South Shore Line New Carlisle
Closed 1994
Location
Map

Like most interurban railroads of the early 20th century, the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railroad was designed to string together farm communities with nearby cities. Most of these interurban railroads have ended this type of service, and the Hudson Lake station is one of the few such stations that remain. It persisted through the 1920s and 1930s as a stopping point to allow vacationers to reach the nearby lake, resorts, a casino, and dance venues.[3][4][5]

The Hudson Lake station has a passenger shelter and parking lots on both sides of the tracks (though only the one closest to the station, a small free lot, belongs to the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District).[1] The station has the shortest platform in the entire South Shore Line, as it is only long enough to berth one train car.

There has been some consideration[by whom?] of building a new New Carlisle station which might supplant the station at Hudson Lake.[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Maps and Stations". South Shore Line. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  2. ^ "2020 State of the System Report" (PDF). Metra. November 2020. p. SSL-4.
  3. ^ Ogorek 2012, p. 59.
  4. ^ Ogorek 2012, pp. 74–75.
  5. ^ Ogorek 2012, p. 121.
  6. ^ "$100,000 study underway to consider launching New Carlisle train station". South Bend Tribune. November 2, 2018. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  7. ^ Spalding, Mary Beth (July 24, 2020). "Options open for New Carlisle site as county clears old trailers". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved November 12, 2020.

Bibliography

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