Eastern Railroad Discussion > Indiana Rail Road, It's What I Did With Three Days Off

The guy who used to be our safety instructor went to drive for TANK (Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky) after he retired. I pulled up to him one evening and he was driving the route 1 Florence bus which is and always has been the busiest route on the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. I asked why he retired only to do the most difficult route. He replied "It's difficult if you make it difficult..." This, this is the attitude you must have to go search for the Indiana Rail Road. I posted the query on here last week...  

What Would You Do With Three Days Off?

More than one response pointed toward the INRD, which was high up on my list as well. Thursday August 4th 2022 I followed the former B&O CSX Indiana Sub with good results that I will post in a separate thread. I went up through Bedford and went to Linton Indiana and sat. I heard someone get a Track Warrant from Bear Run Mine so I went over there and sat then went closer to the mine and found two trains were there to be loaded. After talking to a mine employee I had to make the guess that the INRD train got their return Track Warrant once they got into the mine loop.

Back to Linton with a stop for food. I chose Linton as my first shots of the Indiana Rail Road as I had been here a couple times in 2005 and 2006 when what is now the INRD Chicago Sub was still the Latta Sub on CP Rail and Soo Line and The Milwaukee Road before that. I took a nap and woke up to a white car with three guys from northern Indiana and pickup from North Carolina pulling in fast. They had all chased the SAHW from Indianapolis to Switz City then came over here to see that the HWSA had a Clear signal to go across the diamond at Linton. The sky was cloudy but letting lots of light through for what should have been a good photograph. We kept on waiting and waiting. The guys from northern Indiana took off but at least I had the railfan from the Carolinas to talk to which passed the time nicely. While waiting we also heard the Indiana Rail Road Dispatcher give a Track Warrant to the Indiana Southern who uses the INRD between Beehunter and Elnora. Finally we heard the Dispatch talk to HWSA. They had been waiting on MOW to finish up somewhere on the Midland Sub. It still took a while but finally at 8:15 pm the HWSA came through Linton. Linton is around MP 95 from Indianapolis.
1) The small white building in the center of the picture was the relay house for the Automatic Interlocking that was here before INRD took control of the Latta Sub.
2) SD90MACs, whose lease is up at the end of the year.
3) HWSA at Switz City. Minutes later the shadows covered the tracks. 

---

---

---

I went over to Switz City in time to see the HWSA go by. Switz City is where the to mainline trains meet and exchange crews. The other railfan from the Carolinas showed up a little after this. 
4) The big siding at Switz City has radio toned remote power turnouts at both ends. Like many places on the Indiana Rail Road there is a track for transload (what used to be a Team Track).
5) Crossing Charlotte Ave / County Rd 600 W. The lights on the power switch turn to amber for the diverging move and a red light comes on if something is inn the switch itself, this one was also self restoring.
6) Getting ready to cross the diamond with the G&W owned Indiana Southern. Indiana Southern is former Conrail trackage.

---

---

---

One big problem for this area is the lack of hotels close by. I went with going to Terre Haute. If the SAHW had come through on it's normal time which is leaving Switz City around 6 I would have been able to have chased it up the Midland Sub and looked at Hiawatha Yard, formerly known as Latta Yard up until the CP Rail gave it up to Indiana Rail Road in May 2006. I didn't bother with looking at Hiawatha Yard as it was dark and still didn't get to Terre Haute until around 10 am.

Not really knowing what to do for Friday I drove on County and Township roads down to the Tulip Trestle. I took a nap hoping that the Bloomington local would cross so I could cross that off the the list. Noon came so I finally decided to go to Indianapolis to get the SAHW. I-69 is not yet complete and construction caused some delays. I stopped at McD's on Indiana State Rt 37 before I-465. I had been hearing things on the scanner before but after a longer wait than expected I came out and heard nothing. I asked an Indianapolis Police officer who was on Old Raymond if he had seen the train to which he had not. Frustration grew as I thought maybe as had missed them getting a Track Warrant while I was in McDonald's and they were already gone. I attempted to drive around Senate Ave Yard but Senate Ave Yard is the prototype for a hidden staging yard on a model railway layout, not much you can see from public thoroughfares. I went down to Epler Ave and found part the train from the night before was still there. I started thinking about alternatives, follow the CSX, former NYC Bee Line to Muncie and NS New Castle District home. I then decided I should stop at a Zaxby's and then follow the L&I to Seymour and the Indiana Sub home. I went to look at where a Zaxby's was and heard "We're on the move" over the scanner. I got to South Ave just in time for a grab shot just as a cloud came over. Well now what to do? Since Zaxby's saved the day I still went and stopped there, stopping to use the Zaxby's Zoilet which took a load off my mind.

Food and feeling relieved I started south again figuring I could at least get a shot of the Northbound somewhere. I went to the Tulip Trestle and found two women in a big white van. I jokingly said that I hoped they were not the Crew Van and making them walk down from the Trestle. They asked me when the train was due. I asked them how long they had been there and they had been there since 4. I told them I had seen the train leave Indianapolis at 3:30 pm and since the Tulip Trestle is around MP 75 the train should be there really any minute. I went up to the observation deck lot to park and in the distance I heard the horn! I ran down the hill waving my arms hoping that the women wouldn't give up and leave just before the train got there. They drove away unfortunately just as the train was getting within earshot. I was quite happy with my results though. I drove to other side of the trestle and found that the two women had drove down a little and stopped and were able to get pictures as well. They said they had wondered why I was waving my arms and slowed down just in time to see the train. I told them this is why I love going out an taking pictures of trains, you end up sharing information with other people and with both people's information you end up with getting pictures that you would have missed. From going from frustration and wondering why I had even came on this trip three hours previous in Indianapolis to this was great! 
7-9) SAHW crossing Tulip Trestle. If you have never seen a train on the Tulip Trestle you are missing out as it really gives an idea of how big the thing really is.
Edit: Senate Ave Yard corrected Thank you Toledopatch



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/07/22 18:17 by tq-07fan.

---

---

---

I went from there to Linton and found that the eastbound signal was lit up with Red over Green instead of clear. Instead of the HWSA coming an NS came around the connection track from the former Illinois Central, now INRD Indianapolis Sub to the former Milwaukee Road, now Chicago Sub. Not knowing anything I went down to Elnora where the Indiana Southern splits off the Indiana Rail Road on the short section they use from Beehunter. An Indiana Rail Road SUV was there to get the crew where they would tie the train down on the main. It was ten till 8 and I just didn't see getting ahead of the HWSA which had 9011 as lead so likely the same set a the night before. There was also an Indiana Southern train that was going to Bear Run Mine but I didn't see getting that either. I went on home, driving and stopping to sleep in the car a couple times. I may have to come back for another shot at the Indiana Rail Road SD90MACs as I like this kind of railfanning better than simply setting and watching at a busy place. It feels better when you work for it.\
10) NS coming around the connection track at Linton. You can see the white relay house for the Automatic Interlocking that has been replaced by CTC.
11-12) Indiana Farmland, not what many associate with coal mining but Indiana has a surprising amount in the this area. 
 
Thank you for looking!

Jim

---

---

---

Great stuff !

Great stuff- well done !

Been there and done all of that,a few years ago.
Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.

Great post! Glad to see the 90 Macs in action in 2022 before they get replaced by the CSX junk coming down the pipeline. It was great while it lasted. Thank you for all your work.