Eastern Railroad Discussion > Muncie IN locos

What is the story on the building of locomotives in Muncie? Will they be completely built there? Is it the old Westinghouse location?
What is the progress so far?

Yes, the old Westinghouse plant.
Rumors are that they will do new ground up builds here.
That plant is too big to just do a few rebuilds.
Progress has been really moving on this building, redoing a major portion. The parking lot is about half full of cars (150 ish cars)
I know they haven't hired all the people yet.

Check the Indianarailroads.org forum for more details.

The Progress Rail web site has a bit more information:

http://www.progressrail.com/careers-muncie.asp

CG Tower

Not living anywhere close to the area, I have to ask why they didn't just reopen the LaGrange, Illinois facility that was home to EMD for so many, many years?

I've been told that the LaGrange facility isn't big enough anymore.
The Muncie site is very large and has land around it to add if needed. Toss in that NS is directly behind and only a mile north is the CSX.

irhoghead Wrote:
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> Not living anywhere close to the area, I have to
> ask why they didn't just reopen the LaGrange,
> Illinois facility that was home to EMD for so
> many, many years?

GM sold off much of the LaGrange land.

To understand why Progress Rail chose Muncie over any site in Illinois, review the business climates in Indiana and Illinois. Due to the tax and spend ideaology that dominates in the Land of Lincoln, businesses are leaving in droves. They recently passed increase in corporate and sales taxes. Another contemporary example is Relco, which relocated from Illinois to Albia, Iowa.


Look for more of the same in coming months and years.

The standard of living (wages) for the most part, is much lower in Indiana too.

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> The standard of living (wages) for the most part,
> is much lower in Indiana too.

The standard of living is more than just what you earn.

I believe he meant cost of living, standard of living makes no sense at all.

Don't forget CN moving their shops from Illinois to Gary, In. Indiana does have a lower cost of living particularly in regards to real estate and taxes. It could be argued that we also have a lower standard of living when compared to Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan.(More obesity, smoking, etc.) And the legislature is going to make another run at making Indiana a right-to-work state. (Union Unfriendly)

AmHog Wrote:
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> Don't forget CN moving their shops from Illinois
> to Gary, In. Indiana does have a lower cost of
> living particularly in regards to real estate and
> taxes. It could be argued that we also have a
> lower standard of living when compared to
> Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan.(More obesity,
> smoking, etc.) And the legislature is going to
> make another run at making Indiana a right-to-work
> state. (Union Unfriendly)

I'm not knocking unions at something like a big railroad, but we like "right to work" down here in the South. If Indiana passes "right to work", Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan had better watch out even more. Heck, we might not have quite so many jobs moving down here.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/11/11 07:49 by ts1457.