South Shore Line Museum Project in Northern Indiana, Indiana
Rail preservation groupOnline museum; no public building yet
The South Shore Line Museum Project is an Indiana nonprofit gathering the stories, records and railway cars of the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad, America's last classic electric interurban, with the goal of one day bringing them under one roof.
- Indiana 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- Online museum for now
- Focus years 1903 to 1932
- Collection built over 40 years
- Physical museum planned
South Shore Line Museum Project at a glance
- Hours
- Online only; no public building yet
- Admission
- Free to browse online
- Best for
- Interurban and Indiana history fans
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to South Shore Line Museum Project? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Northern Indiana.
Rally Takes the Train
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See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Saving the story of the last classic interurban
In the 1920s, fast electric interurban railways carried people across Northern Indiana and Illinois to work, to shop and to play. The Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad was one of the best of them, and today the South Shore Line is described as America's longest operating and only surviving classic electric interurban. The South Shore Line Museum Project, an Indiana nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status, is working to record how that railroad and its related companies shaped Northwest Indiana over the past 125 years.
The project is a long-term collaboration among institutions, government bodies and individuals. Its first interpretive plan centers on 1903 to 1932, from the railroad's predecessor companies through the Insull Era, and it does not shy away from that period's hard history, including the rise of the KKK and Northern Jim Crow laws. Guided by a formal collections plan, its supporters have assembled a substantial collection over some 40 years, and the long-term aim is to bring stories, documents, media and actual railway cars together under one roof.
What you can explore now
For now the museum lives online. Its website shares photo galleries of the line, such as the farm country east of Michigan City and the climb east of Lalumiere to the crest of the North-South Continental Divide near Tee Lake, along with essays on its areas of interpretation and planning. Rail historians will also find roster records there. There is no exhibit building with posted hours.
Don’t miss
- The online photo galleriesPictures of the South Shore Line crossing Northern Indiana farmland and climbing to the Continental Divide near Tee Lake.
- The planned interurban car exhibitThe project hopes to let school groups experience a convincing simulation of a ride on an original South Shore Line car from nearly a century ago.
Plans for students and school groups
There is nothing for kids to visit in person yet. The project describes itself as a place of learning for all grade levels and plans an original South Shore Line car exhibit where students could feel what a typical Indiana interurban trip was like almost a century ago. Older kids interested in history can browse the photo galleries online now.
Plan your visit: tips for South Shore Line Museum Project
- Start with the photo galleries on the project's website.
- Sign up for the mailing list to hear about progress toward a physical museum.
- The project also posts updates on its Facebook page.
A collaboration that keeps growing
The South Shore Line Museum Project is run as an Indiana nonprofit corporation and brings together many institutions, government entities and individuals. Its plans call for membership and admissions support once a museum opens, along with a gift shop and ideas such as Dinners-In-The-Diner and Pullman Car Bed and Breakfast stays. Today, joining the mailing list is the simplest way to follow along and find out how to help.
Where to see Indiana rail history in person
Because this museum is online for now, families who want to stand next to real railroad equipment should look at the train museums open across Indiana, or browse the full guide to train museums by state.
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
I love that the photos on this project's site follow the line out past Michigan City into farm country. That is what a train window is for. In our book, Rally gets an arched window on the Pacific Surfliner and watches the ocean, then says hello to a white bird. An Indiana interurban would have shown him fields and small towns instead, and I think he would have barked at every cow. The our story page tells how the book began.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Indiana
- Halloween train rides in Indiana
- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at South Shore Line Museum Project?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
South Shore Line Museum Project: 20 questions answered
What is the South Shore Line Museum Project?
The South Shore Line Museum Project is an Indiana nonprofit corporation with 501(c)(3) status working to preserve and tell the history of the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad. It describes itself as a virtual social history museum of interurban railroading in Northern Indiana and Northern Illinois, with a physical museum as its long-term goal.
Can I visit the South Shore Line Museum in person?
Not yet. As of October 2026, the project operates as an online museum and does not list a public building, address or visiting hours. Its aim is eventually to bring its collection under one roof. Sign up for the mailing list on southshorelinemuseum.org to hear when that changes.
Where is the South Shore Line Museum Project located?
The project is focused on Northwest Indiana, the region the South Shore Line has served for about 125 years, and it also covers Northern Illinois. It does not post a street address or visitor location online. Its home for now is its website, southshorelinemuseum.org.
What is the South Shore Line?
The South Shore Line is the Chicago, South Shore & South Bend Railroad, an electric interurban that links Northern Indiana with Chicago. The museum project describes it as America's longest operating and only surviving classic electric interurban railroad, and it helped shape the social, cultural and economic life of the region.
What time period does the South Shore Line Museum Project cover?
Its first interpretive plan focuses on the early predecessor companies and the railroad's operations through the Insull Era, which ended in 1932, with a formal Period of Significance from 1903 through 1932. Later planning is meant to carry the story all the way to the present day.
Does the South Shore Line Museum Project have a collection?
Yes. A substantial collection has been assembled over roughly 40 years, guided by a formal Collections Plan that decides what to acquire and what to let go. The mission covers equipment, parts and supplies, archives and infrastructure, and the long-term goal includes actual railway equipment and cars.
Is there a South Shore Line car roster online?
The project's website hosts a roster and betterments ledger as a downloadable spreadsheet, which rail historians can use to study the line's cars. Visit southshorelinemuseum.org and look through its pages and uploads for the file, or use the mailing list sign-up to ask about research materials.
Where can I see South Shore Line historic photos?
The project's website has photo galleries showing the line across Northern Indiana, including the farm country east of Michigan City and the climb east of Lalumiere to the crest of the North-South Continental Divide near Tee Lake. The galleries are free to browse online.
Does the South Shore Line Museum Project charge admission?
There is no admission to browse the online museum. Planning documents say a future physical museum would have membership and admissions income like most railroad heritage institutions, but no prices have been posted as of October 2026.
What stories does the South Shore Line Museum tell?
The project looks at the Roaring Twenties, when people rode electric interurbans to work, shopping and recreation, along with that era's darker side, including the rise of the KKK and Northern Jim Crow segregation laws. Its interpretive plan suggests about a dozen themes for audiences from students to tourists and local residents.
Is the South Shore Line Museum Project good for kids?
There is nothing for kids to visit in person yet. The project plans to be a place of learning at all grade levels, including an original South Shore Line car exhibit that would let students experience a simulated interurban trip. For now, older kids can explore the online photo galleries.
What will the future South Shore Line Museum include?
Plans describe a museum gathering stories, documents, media and actual South Shore Line cars under one roof, with an original car exhibit for school groups. Planning documents also mention a gift shop, online sales and ideas like Dinners-In-The-Diner and Pullman Car Bed and Breakfast lodging. No opening date has been posted.
Who runs the South Shore Line Museum Project?
It is an Indiana nonprofit corporation that works as a long-term collaboration among many institutions, government entities and individuals. The project has formal plans for governance, interpretation and collections. It does not list staff contacts on its main pages, so use the website and mailing list to reach it.
How can I support the South Shore Line Museum Project?
The project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so gifts may be tax deductible. The simplest first step is to join its mailing list on southshorelinemuseum.org, which will share updates and ways to help, and to follow its Facebook page. It plans membership programs once a museum opens.
Does the South Shore Line Museum Project have a Facebook page?
Yes. The project has a Facebook page under the name South Shore Line Museum Project, with more than 1,000 likes, where it shares updates and history. Search for it on Facebook by name, and pair it with the website for the full photo galleries and planning documents.
Does the South Shore Line Museum have Christmas or Halloween events?
No holiday events are listed as of October 2026, since the project does not yet have a public building. If you are looking for a seasonal train ride in Indiana, check heritage railroads around the state, and watch the project's mailing list for any future events.
Does the South Shore Line Museum Project offer school programs?
Not yet in person. The project says education at every grade level is part of its mission, and its plans include an original interurban car exhibit designed for school groups and many curriculum topics. Teachers can use the online galleries and interpretation pages in the meantime.
Why is the South Shore Line historically important?
It is described as the longest operating and only surviving classic electric interurban in the country, and over about 125 years it shaped how Northwest Indiana grew, worked and traveled. The museum project calls it the greatest interurban of its time and wants to preserve that legacy for the future.
How do I contact the South Shore Line Museum Project?
The project does not post a phone number or public email on its main pages. Use the mailing list sign-up at southshorelinemuseum.org or message its Facebook page. If you have photos, documents or artifacts related to the South Shore Line, reaching out that way is the best start.
Where can I see interurban or train history in person in Indiana?
Since the South Shore Line Museum Project has no building yet, look to Indiana's open railroad museums and heritage railroads for equipment you can see up close. Our Indiana train museums page lists them by town, including operating railroads and depot museums around the state.
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