II Indiana

    a) Illinois Central Gulf

    These first several images were taken along Illinois Central’s so-called
    “Hi-Dry” line (the nick-name of which is derived from its high bridges and fills).
    It began its life as the Indianapolis Southern Railroad, but ultimately was
    a branch of the IC stretching from Effingham, Illinois, to Indianapolis.



Shuffle Creek Viaduct

On 29 January 1977, the Illinois Central Gulf ran a train southward out of Indianapolis. While some cars went along for the ride, I feel that the true goal of the movement was to clear the cuts of snow. The image above is the Shuffle Creek Viaduct, near Lake Lemon, northeast of Bloomington.






Along State Road 45

This image was taken on Mount Gilead Road, a few miles east of Bloomington, Indiana. This picture is also from 29 Junuary 1977.






Achromatic Consist

Here we see a westbound job sitting at the depot in Bloomington, Indiana. An Illinois Central GP18 and GM&O GP30 make up an interesting and fairly rare consist (most engines were painted orange and white by this time). Photograph taken mid- to late-1970s.









Southbound on Illinois Central’s line to Indianapolis

The southbound train shown here, led by GP18 9414, has just emerged from the tunnel near New Unionville, Indiana. The photograph was taken on December 9th 1977—this Illinois Central branch to Indianapolis would become the heart of the Indiana Rail Road just nine years later.






General Electric on the Hi-Dry

GE U30B number 5005 is on the point of a northbound train at Bloomington, Indiana. Units of this ilk were quite rare on the Hi-Dry as Paducah “rebuilds” were seen most often. Image made on 11 February 1977; Ron Potsch handled the lighting chores.


~ ~ ~

    b) Louisville & Nashville (former Monon)

    The Monon was present in Bloomington long before the Indianapolis Southern.
    Completed in 1853, it was built closer to the ground and has a much more organic
    feel. The L&N acquired the line in 1971.






Rogers Street Drama

A southbound freight is screeching across Rogers Street in Bloomington, Indiana. The train is coming down off the rather steep hill just northwest of town. This is the Louisville & Nashville, formerly the Monon mainline, between Louisville and Chicago.

In the first image, the train has just passed Fell Iron works on the west side of Rogers Street. In the second image, the train is moving between the sprawling Showers Brothers Furniture complex to the north and Johnson Creamery to the south.

It’s interesting to note that the GP7 that is producing all of the brake smoke is number 490, formerly of the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway. This unit is equipped with AAR switcher trucks with friction bearings, which may explain the smokey issue. Images taken in the mid- to late-1970s.









Limited Visibility

This southbound Louisville and Nashville train was photographed just north of Bloomington, Indiana, where Vernal Pike crosses over the former Monon line. One can just make out the water tower for the Westinghouse plant in the second photograph. Both images taken on January 9th 1977.






Working a Former Monon Quarry Branch

L&N 4021, a GP38AC, prowls a former Monon limestone quarry branch, north of Bloomington. Indiana limestone is some of the finest building material in all the world, and so it was very important cargo for the Monon dating back into the 19th century. This picture was taken in the mid- to late-1970s.


~ ~ ~

    c) Amtrak's Floridian

    This train ran from 1971 until 1979, but only about half of that time on the
    L&N, former Monon. (It had run on Penn Central trackage through Indianapolis
    but had to be diverted due to the terrible track conditions on the PC.)



Amtrak Action at Ketchams, Indiana

This is Amtrak’s Floridian traveling upon the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, former Monon, through southern Indiana. The lead unit, E8A 498, is formerly of the Pennsylvania Railroad (5809). Photograph taken May 7th 1977.









Street Running

This is the same southbound Amtrak Floridian with E8A number 498 as in the previous picture. The train is now running on the streets in the very center of Bedford, Indiana. The county courthouse is just out of the frame, to the right. Picture taken on May 7th of 1977.












Amtrak Floridian Boards

This southbound train was shot in heart of Bloomington, Indiana, a block west of the town square. The Monon previously had a wonderful station at this locaton, located on the other side of the tracks, where the drive-in bank is seen. It had long been demolished by the time of these images being made in the late-1970s. At this time passengers had the use a tiny cinder block structure.


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