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South Shore president apologizes for Thursday's GRIDLOCK

Sarah Reese

The South Shore commuter rail line issued an apology Thursday night after some passengers became stuck for up to five hours on trains unable to move because of ice on overhead lines.

Michael Noland, president and general manager of the South Shore Line, also acknowledged in a letter that communication "was not what it should be."

"We need to provide updates in a timely and informative fashion, and we fell short of that responsibility," Noland wrote.

The South Shore Line was operating on a full weekday schedule Friday, a day after an ice storm caused the rail line to suspend service and return stalled trains east to their originating stations, said John Parsons, spokesman for South Shore operator Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District.

The line's first rush-hour train did not experience any issues Thursday, but the eight westbound trains that followed were affected by "a severe flash-freeze situation on the western portion" of the line, officials said. Trains lost power, or became underpowered as they lost contact with overhead wires.

Crews attempted to resolve the issues, but a decision was made to suspend service and return riders to their originating stations. A continuing buildup of ice on overhead wire and train pantagraphs hampered efforts to return passengers "within a reasonable amount of time," Noland wrote.

Passengers on westbound Trains 104 and 6 waited the longest: up to five hours, Parsons said.

The South Shore Line will investigate the service disruption and communications to determine what it can do better next time, Noland wrote.

"We all know that extreme weather events like that which occurred (Thursday) can happen again, and we assure you that we will bettered prepared to respond," the letter said.

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NIGHTMARE Commute On South Shore: Commuters STUCK FOR HOURS

January 12, 2017 1:35 PM

CHICAGO (CBS) — Trains were running on a limited basis Thursday after weather was blamed for shutting down the South Shore Line.

Ice on overhead electric lines stopped several trains literally in their tracks.

Riders trying to get into the city found themselves sitting on trains for six or seven hours. Eventually, a decision was made to return them to their originating stations. And even then it was taking hours to get them back to where they started.

One commuter who has been riding the South Shore for nearly 20 years said it “was absolutely the worst day on the train” after being stranded on the southeast side around 111th Street for hours. Eventually a diesel engine pushed the train back east to originating stations in Hegewisch and Northwest Indiana.

“I’ve taken it in much worse [conditions] with maybe an hour or so delay. Nothing like this. Trains literally could not move.