Hammond Gateway station#History

Hammond Gateway station features three tracks{{nbsp}}— two for the original South Shore Line and one for the future Monon Corridor. An island platform between the rerouted main line tracks replaced the side platforms on the old Hammond station; a side platform will serve the Monon Corridor at an elevated single-track railroad. The two platforms will be connected via a pedestrian walkway.

Monon Corridor trains are planned to either continue to Millennium Station at peak service hours or terminate here as short turns at other times, with transfers available on the main line platform.{{Cite report|url=http://www.nictdwestlake.com/assets/documents/DEIS_Alternatives.pdf|title=West Lake Corridor Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Chapter 2: Alternatives Considered)|last1=Simón|first1=Marisol R.|last2=Noland|first2=Michael|date=2 December 2016|publisher=NICTD|last3=Federal Transit Administration|last4=USDoT|last5=US Army Corps of Engineers|access-date=16 July 2017|author-link3=Federal Transit Administration|author-link4=United States Department of Transportation|author-link5=United States Army Corps of Engineers}}{{cite web |title=Chapter 2 Alternatives Considered |url=http://www.nictdwestlake.com/assets/documents/FEIS_Chapter2.pdf |publisher=NICTD |access-date=18 July 2020}}

File:SS 100 WB Hammond Aug80xx4 (12008667626).jpg

Originally, South Shore Line trains called at a station located at 4531 Hohman Avenue, which was simply named {{visible anchor|Hammond station}}. It consisted of a pair of high-level platforms located between the crossings of Hohman and Johnson Avenues. The southern platform was a side platform that served eastbound trains to Michigan City and South Bend while the northern platform, situated between the two tracks, was an island platform that served westbound trains to Chicago. The tracks through the station were gauntlet tracks which permitted the passage of freight trains. A stucco-finished station building was located east of Hohman Avenue, south of the tracks. Early on, it featured a lunch counter, restrooms, a waiting room, and a staffed ticket counter.{{sfn|Ogorek|2012|p=53}} The station staff were later removed, with it instead only being equipped with a ticket machine.{{cite web|title=South Shore Stations, Locations, Address, Directions|url=http://www.nictd.com/riding-the-train/maps-stations/station-locations|publisher=Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District|access-date=November 1, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031210206/http://www.nictd.com/riding-the-train/maps-stations/station-locations|archive-date=October 31, 2015}} To the east of the station was a parking lot with capacity for 718 cars.

File:Hammond Station (26580130391).jpg

The station originally had ground-level platforms, but in 1998, those were replaced with high-level platforms to allow for level boarding and increased accessibility. A new station building was constructed that year.{{sfn|Longest|2007|p=107}} A bench and some platform pavers were salvaged from the old depot and reused to furnish the new structure.{{sfn|Ogorek|2012|p=89}}

In 2017, the NICTD began demolition of houses between Hanover and Brunswick streets to begin construction of a new right-of-way and station.{{cite news|last1=Gonzalez|first1=Michael|title=Train plans unsettle Hammond neighborhood|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/ct-ptb-hammond-west-footprint-st-0103-20161230-story.html|work=chicagotribune.com|access-date=18 July 2020}} The City of Hammond's financial contribution to the West Lake Corridor project was dependent on construction of the new interchange station.{{cite news |last1=Bierschenk |first1=Ed |title=Hammond may make a new commitment to the proposed South Shore extension |url=https://www.nwitimes.com/business/transportation/hammond-may-make-a-new-commitment-to-the-proposed-south-shore-extension/article_afb75efc-71ae-55fe-af19-81d288328c28.html |access-date=November 1, 2020 |agency=The Times of Northwest Indiana |date=July 19, 2017}} The new station, dubbed Hammond Gateway, opened on October{{nbsp}}18, 2024;{{cite news |title=South Shore opens new Hammond, Ind., station |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/south-shore-opens-new-hammond-ind-station/ |access-date=October 18, 2024 |work=Trains |publisher=Firecrown Media |date=October 18, 2024}} the previous station, located {{convert|0.15|mi}} to the east, was closed on the same day.{{cite news |title=South Shore Line to open new Hammond Gateway Station on Friday |url=https://www.wndu.com/2024/10/17/south-shore-line-open-new-hammond-gateway-station-friday/ |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=WNDU |date=17 October 2024 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=South Shore Line announces new Hammond Gateway Station to open October 18 |url=https://wimsradio.com/2024/10/18/south-shore-line-announces-new-hammond-gateway-station-to-open-october-18/ |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=WIMS |date=18 October 2024}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book | last=Longest | first=David E. | title=Railroad Depots of Northern Indiana | publisher=Arcadia Publishing | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-7385-4131-0 | ol=OL7901853M | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5Won-pAJo7AC}}
• {{Ogorek-South Shore}}

• {{Commons category-inline|Hammond Gateway station}}
• {{Commons category-inline|Hammond station (South Shore Line)}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090615211043/http://www.nictd.com/stations.html South Shore Line - Stations]
• [http://southshore.railfan.net/ss-69.html Hammond Station since 1998 (South Shore Railfan.net)]

{{Hammond, Indiana}}

{{South Shore Line navbox}}

Category:Hammond, Indiana

Category:South Shore Line stations in Indiana

Category:Railway stations in Lake County, Indiana

Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 2024

Category:2024 establishments in Indiana