Chesterton is known for its trains, and if Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific go ahead with their merger, there could be more daily traffic coming on the tracks.
That’s the opinion of Chesterton Councilman James Toone, R-1.
“The number of trains here will be greater than the number of railways we have,” Toon predicted at a redevelopment committee meeting on Monday.
Chesterton already has more than its share of trains, with an average of 85 trains a day passing through the city’s 1.14-mile rail corridor. Most travel on the Norfolk Southern-owned set of dual tracks that run through the heart of the city north of Broadway. CSX also has its own set of routes that it shares with Amtrak.
Toone said he has already seen Union Pacific trains pass through Chesterton, usually on weekends, as he suspects that happens when they charter use of the Norfolk Southern tracks.
Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern recently submitted their comprehensive merger application to the Federal Surface Transportation Board. If approved, the combination of the two major freight carriers would provide the first coast-to-coast service in the United States.
Norfolk Southern has a network of routes in 22 eastern states, while Union Pacific covers 23 western states. The potential merger is touted by shareholders as an economic boon, but it has drawn opposition from trade groups, unions and a rival carrier, Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
At a local level in Chesterton, the concern is about the impact on pedestrian safety.
Chesterton and the neighboring town of Porter have 11 rail crossings, nine of which are designated for pedestrian traffic.
Three pedestrians have been killed by trains since May 2023. The most recent fatality occurred on February 28, 2025, when a bicyclist at a Calumet Road crossing failed to notice two trains passing each other.
The Calumet Road crossing downtown is of particular concern to city officials.
Last summer, the city opened a new parking lot on Grant Street, just north of the tracks on Calumet Road. The area is very popular with those visiting the European Market, which runs on Saturdays from May until October.
More pedestrians walking across paths increases the potential danger to pedestrians.
The town has installed a fence in the parking lot and there are signs. The city’s Redevelopment Commission agreed to move forward with construction of the Z-gate crossing on Calumet Road.
The Z-gate crossing would cause pedestrians to zigzag when approaching the tracks, so they look in both directions.
Assistant City Engineer Matt Gavelek said Monday they have begun going through the permitting process with the railroad to allow construction of the Z-gates. He said he doesn’t think that can happen before the European market resumes on Saturdays in May.
Chesterton has learned that navigating the railroad licensing process takes time.
“I think the railroads are dragging their feet a little bit because they want to sort out this merger one way or another,” Toone said.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.