The Hoosier State Train, which operates commuter rail service four days a week between Indianapolis and Chicago, has experienced continued growth in both ridership numbers and ticket revenues.
Ridership increased 46 percent in September 2016, with a total of 2,428 passengers, compared to September of last year. This was the fifth straight month that saw ridership exceed the same period in 2015. Ticket revenues were up by 64 percent to $82,324 in September 2016 from the same month in 2015, marking a full year of revenue exceeding the same months the prior year.
On-time arrivals between Indianapolis and Chicago averaged 86 percent in August and 82 percent in September. CSX Transportation has recently replaced the manual switch near the Crawfordsville station with a new switch that is expected to cut 8 to 15 minutes from a one-way trip.
The Hoosier State Train is run by Iowa Pacific Holdings in partnership with Amtrak, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), and the towns of Crawfordsville, Lafayette, West Lafayette, Rensselaer and Town of Dyer.
INDOT and the on-line communities contract with Iowa Pacific Holdings to provide the train equipment, train maintenance and new on-board amenities. Under a separate contract, Amtrak serves as the train operator, works with host railroads, provides train and engine crews, and manages ticketing and reservations.