Conrail's Indianapolis Line is the ex NYC mainline from Cleveland, OH to Indianapolis, IN. This double track mainline was known by many names, the most popular being the Big Four line(name of a NYC predecessor), and the other being the Bee Line which dates back to the original builder of the line from the 1850's. Its also the home terroritory of our friend and fellow member Pat Livingston, who dispatched this line during his career with NYC, PC, and CR.
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CR 3289 leads a Triple Crown train past the diamonds with CSX at CP54 in Greenwich, OH in this undated photo. Jay Williams photo, Chris Howe collection
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CR 3344 leads Mail-44 thru Muncie, IN on December 20, 1996 as NS 144 waits for the signal in the background at the left of the photo.
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A short OCS train heads west on Conrails Big Four at CP-230 bound for Indianapolis on track 2 meeting a eastbound Auto Rack train on August 25, 1997. Kevin Nelson photo with permission
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CR 5513 and a CSX EMD leads train SEIN-9 on the Indianapolis line at Crestline, OH on May 29, 1999. Chris Howe photo
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CR 6080, 6703, and a EMD leads a westbound freight at Marshall, IL on April 25, 1998
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Conrail C40-8W 6109 leads a northbound (eastbound time table direction) loaded coal train through Crestline, OH sometime between Nov and Dec in 1996. This train is moving on Conrail's Indianapolis Line (ex-NYC mainline) after having just come through Galion, OH. It is crossing over the diamond which is Conrail's Fort Wayne Line (ex-PRR Phila-Chicago mainline). In the background is Crestline tower and behind it the connecting track between the 2 mainlines. At this time, the ex-PRR shops at Crestline were still standing, but were pretty much abandoned. The Indy Line is now CSX; the Fort Wayne line is now NS from Pittsburgh to the Crestline diamond. West of the diamond, the FW Line is now the Chicago Fort Wayne & Eastern (a regional railroad).
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An empty hopper train is making its way through Berea, OH in early May of 1997. Leading the consist are CR C40-8W 6182 and CR SD60M 5565. This westbound train is just about to pass Berea tower (CP-194 Chicago Line) and has just come off Cleveland's "Short Line" or "Belt line" (as some call it). It is taking the connecting track over to the Chicago Line. Things look very different now; The start of the Indianapolis Line (in the foreground) is now the double tracked CSX main. The original GRS "Type G" signals in the picture are also gone. The Chicago Line is now NS. The connecting track is still in place and fully signaled, but has been used almost never in the last 10 years (except for occasional derailment reroutes and maintenance equip storage). The former "Big Four" sandstone depot is just to the right of the photo edge, just out of sight.
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CR 6229 and a SD40-2 power COBU-9 as it crosses the diamond of the Indianapolis line with the ex PRR Ft. Wayne line at Crest Tower in Crestline, OH on May 29, 1999. Chris Howe photo
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A pair of Conrail freights, the eastbound with CR 6277 and MP 3230, meets on the Indianapolis line near Pendleton, IN in January 1985. Kevin Nelson photo with permission
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CR 6480 and 6143 power STBN-9 thru Winchester, IN on March 19, 1997
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5446 Galion.thumbnail.JPG "CR 6780(PRR 5446) on BUIN-0 at Galion, OH")
CR 6780, now patched as PRR 5446, and 6860 leads BUIN-0 at Galion, OH on May 29, 1999. This spot, known as Burt back in PC days, is where the line to Columbus, OH diverges off from the Indianapolis line. Back in the day it was also the spot where the ex EL mainline used to cross on its way to Mansfield, OH and the start of the shared PC/EL trackage between here and Marion, OH. Chris Howe photo
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CR 6842 and a UP EMD leads SWPI-8 through Union City, OH on March 19, 1997
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LMS 705 and fellow GE leads a eastbound freight at Effingham, IL on August 15, 1997.
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SP 8010 and UP 3609 power NLPI-5 at Teutopolis, IL on August 15, 1997.
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UP 3223 and friends leads NLPI-5 at Marshall, IL on a rainy day April 25, 1998
