Michigan City, Indiana

I am not going to South Bend, just Michigan City as there is a Amtrak that arrives in Michigan City at 8:30 and a South Shore train back to Chicago at 9:30. This is in July, I know that currently buses are running between the 2.

Indiana doesn't do Daylight saving. One of the few big dairy states, the cows don't like messing with their routine milking schedule.   I80 West from Pennsylvania/Ohio also does a left turn at Michigan City.  About 2hr. of insane traffic later, I80 opens again on the West side of lake Michigan.

Unfortunately Indiana is observing Daylite savings now. While in MC if time allows go to I Love Toy Trains.

@Mike CT posted:

Indiana doesn't do Daylight saving. One of the few big dairy states, the cows don't like messing with their routine milking schedule.   I80 West from Pennsylvania/Ohio also does a left turn at Michigan City.  About 2hr. of insane traffic later, I80 opens again on the West side of lake Michigan.

Mike,  Are you sure about Indiana not doing Daylight Saving?  The Calumet Region from the Illinois state line to at least Michigan City and from the lake down to just north of Lafayette change the clocks to stay on Chicago(Central) time while the remainder of the state changes to stay on Eastern time.  John

@Mike CT posted:

Indiana doesn't do Daylight saving. One of the few big dairy states, the cows don't like messing with their routine milking schedule.   I80 West from Pennsylvania/Ohio also does a left turn at Michigan City.  About 2hr. of insane traffic later, I80 opens again on the West side of lake Michigan.

State-wide Indiana has adhered to Daylight Savings since April 2006. Prior to this, we did not. This recent change has actually presented a natural experiment to determine whether DST is worth it or not. Regardless, the more pressing issue is that much of the state is on Eastern Time when really we should be on Central Time, because here in Lafayette the morning is dark and twilight is long in the summer (which, coming from Pittsburgh, I do enjoy)...

@Cincytrains posted:

I am not going to South Bend, just Michigan City as there is a Amtrak that arrives in Michigan City at 8:30 and a South Shore train back to Chicago at 9:30. This is in July, I know that currently buses are running between the 2.

Thats pretty brave to assume that amtrak will be on time to get between 2 different locations and back on another train in an hour.

Which begs the question...  why would you take the train to Michigan City, to commute to another station and go back? How much railfanning do you think you'll get done?

Boilermaker,

I've travelled this route often on the way home to the Detroit area from Chicago and from points west.  Because the city is the base for all Amtrak's trains leaving it they will all generally be on time for departure, including this route.  For example, if there are motive power problems a quick substitute can be made and the trains departure time is not affected.  On the other hand, sometimes departures are held back to compensate for late arriving transfers from incoming trains, but not often.

Also, if there are delays they usually accrue and are compounded along the entire route.  They are not huge at the beginning, but can grow to be so by the end.  Since Michigan City is not far out from Chicago there are very rarely big delays before reaching it.

The South Shore, being basically a commuter railroad will not be off timetable by more than a few minutes.

As a result of all of these significant delays are infrequent on both.  Cincy will have no trouble, except possibly with respect to his original question: "How can I get from one station to the other conveniently?"

Mike

The cows don't really care about the time change, because it doesn't affect them. It does affect the people who have to set their alarm clocks an hour earlier to get up and milk the cows however.

@Cincytrains posted:

So I am taking a rain trip to Chicago on the Lake Shore and do railfanning while I am there. I want to take Amtrak to Michigan City then take the South Shore back. Not knowing the Amtrak station in Michigan City, are there taxi's available to take me to the South Bend Station at Carrol St? Otherwise Ill use Uber,,Thanks

Well, since this discussion is talking about everything but the answer to the OP's question, perhaps this will help.  https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Michigan-City/South-Bend