Dune Park is the middle of the South Shore Line and where the Railroads main administrative and corporate offices are. NICTD's Accounting and Maintenance Office is at the Carroll Avenue-Michigan City Station and their Transit Police are at the East Chicago Station. The station was built in 1985 to become a regional commuter rail station and for NICTD's corporate headquarters. The station is located in the ghost town of Tremont, Indiana (that once had a station nearby) but was condemned for the creation of Indiana National Lake Shore. The station caused the closure of the Kemil Road (which only opened 1977 sponsored by and the $700 flag stop paid for by South Shore Recreation to provide better access to Indiana Dunes State Park) east of the Station on July 5, 1994 and Dune Acres west of the station, sometime in 1995 after the overflow eastern parking lot was constructed.
The current station consists of a single high-level side platform built in 2013. Construction started on April 29, 2013, the first section of high-level platform opened on August 30, 2013, and the full 8 car high-level platform opened on November 13, 2013 (Source). The line has two tracks here with freight trains using the passing siding since there's no gauntlet track for the high-level platform. Due to high ridership at the station very few trains skip it, and the passing siding is rarely used by passenger trains. The station having the only high-level platform between South Bend and East Chicago, makes it the only stop to accept bike trains on this portion of the route. At the eastern end of the platform there is a small fenced off concrete area with a Stop Here sign in case trains ever need to stop on the eastbound track. There is also a utility shed with a roll-up gate that I assume contains a mobile lift in case a train ever needs to stop on the north track. Under the Double Track Northwest Indiana Project, no high-level platform for the second track will be built in Dune Park do to the sensitivity of the dunes in the area and a narrow right-of-way across from the platform, and trains will be scheduled to stop on only one track.
The station's high-level platform has a silver canopy structure along its entire length and has ramps up to it from both ends that provide nearly all access, except for a walkway in the middle of the platform with access through the waiting area (their used to be steps down, to the low-level platform). The eastern end of the platform includes a low-level platform area where one set of train doors could open on the opposite siding track, a chain prevents access to the track bed here, and a concrete building beyond the ramp contains a ro;l-up door that presumably contains a mobile-lift for accessible access if a train has to stop on the siding.
At the western end of the platform, a walkway leads along the tracks and past the switch off the siding to a pedestrian crossing (with flashing lights and not gates). This leads to the Calumet Trail that runs along the railroad that across from the station reaches an intersection with another trail that goes towards the Lake and the Beach, Visitor Center and State Park. This pedestrian crossing is just before the bridge across the tracks of the main road into the state park.
Along the Western portion of the platform lot is the large administrative building/station house. The station/headquarters building is built in the Mediterranean style of the historic South Shore stations, such as the historic Beverly Shores Station. The single story building feels elongated, compared to the historic Beverly Shores Station due to office space inside. For passengers there is a nice waiting area; that shows the station is clearly modern with cinderblock walls and mesh seating. There are two interior lampposts and a high ceiling that try and keep with the quasi-historic feel of the station. There are also restrooms, vending machines for both snacks and tickets, and a display with a picture of Dunes.
The station's 519 parking spaces are split into two sections. The main parking lot is surrounding the station building (with designated spaces for NICTD employees near their offices). There is a second east parking lot accessed from the ramp off the eastern end of the platform. These parking lots are between the station and each have their own car entrance from Dune Highway (US-12), with a pedestrian path and connecting driveway through the dunes between the parking lots also providing access.
Photo 1: 5 May, 2018; 3-41: 14 June, 2018
