Commuting from SW Michigan to Chicago, Daily? (Naperville, Buffalo: vacation home, neighborhood)

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by nearnorth

It has delays far less frequently than the CTA, in my experience. Of course, it's much more difficult to arrange alternate transportation when it happens (you can't just quickly grab a cab, bus, or zip car like you can in the city), but tons of people commute on it every day and rarely have problems.

I've worked with a handful of folks that did commute to the Loop via the South Shore and each of them had several times every season where they basically could not come in because the alternative was just too long much of a hassle. Unlike the CTA that will dispatch buses to get folks from an EL station to work there is a much spottier record of offering a secondary way to get to work. With a trusted employee and an understanding manager that can make impromptu "work from home" arrangement this is not the end of the world but for someone transfering to a new job...

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by cubssoxfan

So what happens to this ill conceived commute when winter weather wreaks havoc?

Same thing that happens when winter weather wreaks havoc on any other long commute in this area.

Originally Posted by JCandKT

So when I look at the train schedules... it says it leaves Michigan City at 646a and arrives at Millenium Station at 831a. Is that 831a Central or Eastern?

NW Indiana is on Central Time. SW Michigan is on Eastern Time. So your time change will happen between New Buffalo and Michigan City, not between Michigan City and Chicago.

Originally Posted by marothisu

Ah, didn't know it was higher than Chicago's this year. Interesting.

It was last year, too. Chicago's was only higher in 2012 because that was the year of our fluke uptick in homicides. (Or, as the national media put it: "OMG 500! 500! Chicago is the murder capital of THE WORLD!! EVERYONE IS GONNA DIE! OMG OMG OMG!!! ")

Originally Posted by Maintainschaos

The craft brewery scene in IL is getting much better, so I imagine there'd be opportunities here as well.

Yep. NW Indiana's is pretty solid, too. Besides the obvious Three Floyds in Munster there is Shoreline is MC and others popping up in places like Valparaiso and Crown Point that weren't there just a few years ago.

Originally Posted by Bluefox

OP you may also want to consider an Indiana town like Chesterton based on what you are describing.

That's what I was thinking, too-- or maybe Ogden Dunes, Beverly Shores, Long Beach, Miller, etc.

Originally Posted by Longford

I work with several people who live in: Crown Point, IN, a couple in Michigan City, IN and one or two more who are in the vicinity of those two and who take the train into Chicago to work 5 days a week. Yes, it's time consuming and expensive to ride the rails ... and even more if you drive.

Crown Point is significantly closer to downtown Chicago than Michigan City is, though, and Michigan City is significantly closer than New Buffalo. Those extra 10-20 minutes each way make a big difference when you're doing it twice a day nearly every day.

This is why Lake and Porter counties are part of the Chicago MSA, but LaPorte County isn't. Michigan City is a separate MSA, though it is part of the Chicago CSA. New Buffalo isn't even part of the CSA.

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

Frankly, MC
being right on the lake and the downtown area is just waiting for urban renewal or gentrification.

Not only that, but even as it is now there is quite a lot of money in the beach communities there, especially during the summer, when the restaurant and bar scene there really thrives. Just ask anyone who has lived there about the "FIPs" who take over their town in the summer. It's the same thing you hear from people in St. Joseph, MI and other similar places.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I've worked with a handful of folks that did commute to the Loop via the South Shore and each of them had several times every season where they basically could not come in because the alternative was just too long much of a hassle.

I think your coworkers were looking for an excuse to not see you those days. I, too, have worked with (and been friends with) many who commute via South Shore, and have even done it myself a few times, and have known of no such problems. Certainly nothing more than you see with any other commuter rail system in the U.S., anyway.

On the rare occasions that the South Shore commuters I've known can't take the train, they just drive. Unlike in downtown Chicago, most people in NW Indiana own cars.

[Bluefox]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I've worked with a handful of folks that did commute to the Loop via the South Shore and each of them had several times every season where they basically could not come in because the alternative was just too long much of a hassle. Unlike the CTA that will dispatch buses to get folks from an EL station to work there is a much spottier record of offering a secondary way to get to work. With a trusted employee and an understanding manager that can make impromptu "work from home" arrangement this is not the end of the world but for someone transfering to a new job...

Yeah but you also have to consider the fact that the vast majority of people coming into Chicago from Michigan and/or Indiana are going to have cars. I mean, I couldn't imagine walking to Dune Park station, for example, from any of the nearby residential areas. And the OP stated that if at all, she would drive to the Carroll Ave train station in Michigan City anyway. Worst case scenario, there is an interruption in service and you have to drive. More expensive, sure, but driving will probably ultimately get you to work faster anyway unless the interruption in service is due to inclement weather. It's certainly not an extraordinary burden a few times a year if you are already commuting that far anyway.

The only people I think who would be dramatically affected would be those whose spouse or other family member drops them off at the station. But everyone I knew who commuted via the South Shore drove to the station themselves and left their car there.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by nearnorth

It has delays far less frequently than the CTA, in my experience. Of course, it's much more difficult to arrange alternate transportation when it happens (you can't just quickly grab a cab, bus, or zip car like you can in the city), but tons of people commute on it every day and rarely have problems.

I don't really notice CTA delays on trains. Busses, maybe, but that's because they are driving in traffic and bunch up.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

I don't really notice CTA delays on trains.

You don't? How often do you ride CTA trains? It seems like at least once every 2-4 weeks I sit on a train for 15-30 minutes while repeatedly hearing the "We expect to be moving shortly" announcement. It's not terribly often, but it's more often than on the South Shore. In fact, though I certainly haven't ridden the SS nearly as many times, I can't think of a time that it ever happened to me.

[nearnorth]

IMO the biggest problem with the South Shore (though this isn't relevant to the OP's situation) is that its timetable is not set up to handle reverse commuters the way Metra is. I know several people who wish it was.

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by adele115

I will add, YES! Michigan City has the Uptown Arts district which is really driving renewal in the area. The link below shows that plans are in place to build Art / Living Loft spaces nearby. All this is walking distance to the train. Plans are also in line to redo that train stop. You can get great value for your buck in Michigan City so it may be worth considering.

eMichiganCity.com - The Official Web Site of the City of Michigan City, Indiana: City News

That is a good start and I hope they do restore the Station. I remember it from the 60's and there
were even some small businesses on that block (btw, I traveled there to get to South Bend when I
was 13).
I would like to see lofts or condos (and there are many empty areas near the lake or close by)
which would draw more people into the area since there is an active art community there now.
This would increase the demand for other types of businesses (restaurants, gourmet shops,
a grocery store, independent merchants other than what's at the outlet mall, coffee shops,
delis, etc...)


Lubeznik Center For The Arts | Art Classes

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by nearnorth

You don't? How often do you ride CTA trains? It seems like at least once every 2-4 weeks I sit on a train for 15-30 minutes while repeatedly hearing the "We expect to be moving shortly" announcement. It's not terribly often, but it's more often than on the South Shore. In fact, though I certainly haven't ridden the SS nearly as many times, I can't think of a time that it ever happened to me.

Daily in the winter, otherwise a couple times a week. I suppose the 5-10 minute track work delays may be more frequent in off-peak hours. But since we are comparing to commuting on the south shore line, its a moot point. And during commuting hours my time is within the same 5-10 minutes door to door 99% of the time.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

I suppose the 5-10 minute track work delays may be more frequent in off-peak hours.

The CTA delays I'm talking about are sometimes longer than 5-10 minutes and are far more common during peak hours, not off-peak. It's usually either a mechanical problem with the actual train I'm on or a similar problem on another train that backs the rest of them up. It's always between stops, too, which means you can't even get off and cab it or hoof it to where you need to go-- you're just stuck there. Once I was stuck for 30-40 minutes just a few blocks (probably a 5-10 minute walk) from where I needed to be.

The most I ever experienced on the South Shore was a train running a few minutes behind schedule.