East Chicago, Indiana, January, 1918. The Chicago, Lake Shore and South Bend Interurban Railroad. Volunteers and railroad employees are trying to clear snow from a crossover located near the junction where streetcars and interurbans shared track. The South Shore ran on the principal east-west street, Chicago Avenue. Along with South Bend to Chicago trains, a 3.4-mile streetcar line to the Indiana Harbor section of town was operated, primarily for shift-change steelworkers and a connection with the Gary Railways line at Michigan and Guthrie Street.

In the background, equipment can be seen hopelessly stuck on the streetcar track. It was critical to free the line, as milk and other essentials were starting to run out.

(C. Edward Hedstrom Collection photo - given to me in 1985) View full size.