South Shore Line, Metra resume service after four-day weather shutdown

CHICAGO — Electric-powered commuter trains in northern Indiana and the Chicago area are getting back to normal operations after Arctic cold played havoc with overhead powerlines and forced the shutdown of two major lines.

The South Shore Line , which runs from Chicago to South Bend, and some Metra Electric Line trains resumed Sunday after four days without service. The Metra Electric Line was also impacted by a Wednesday freight train derailment that damaged power supplies.

Bus service is no longer in effect between South Bend and the Carroll Avenue station in Michigan City.

Temperatures that plunged last week messed up connections between the powerlines and cables that feed power to locomotives. Even as temperatures rose Friday, crews still needed time to get the system into working order.

Metra is resuming service on the entire Metra Electric Line on Monday, but trains will run on a modified weekday schedule due to repairs of the derailment damage.