INER in 2013

[JStryker722]

Now that there has been alot of changes in the Indiana Northeastern in recent years,what is the operations like now? What is there track speed and conditions? How many trains a day average? Is the Little River Railroad still very active on their lines?

[GP30M4216]

I don't know much about INER's current operations, but they've put some serious money into their tracks over the past few years, working with the states of Michigan and Indiana, and also the Andersons, to make some serious improvements. A few years back, the tracks through Ashley, IN and Hudson were significantly upgraded as a couple new customers came online. This past year, the line from the Michigan State Line down to Steubenville was upgraded to handle heavier unit grain trains to Reading. The Michigan segment was upgraded a couple years ago. They've been incrementally working their way west down the Old Road renewing the track and roadbed toward Coldwater. A couple years ago they were to the Sun-Gro spur east of Quincy, they're probably farther by now.

Little River is very active. They run most trips to Quincy from Coldwater with a few of their "Hillsdale Flyers," very moderately priced and enjoyable round trips to Hillsdale and back.

Check out their 2013 schedule here: http://littleriverrailroad.com/schedule.htm

[Racer]

Does the Little River Railroad do photo freight runs?

[MagnumForce]

They have no vintage freight cars and that tiny little Pacific would look ridiculous pulling a string of modern hoppers.

[GP30M4216]

They have in the past. INER has lent Little River a few of their MofW cars for such a photo freight. The last two cars visible in this Coldwater Turn plus another flatcar not in the photo were heading to Coldwater for such an event back in Nov. 2008. They may have used some other equipment as well. I'm not sure how successful it was....maybe call down there and ask?

[NoviRailfan]

I've posted this link before - Troy Strane is with INER and has a lot of great photos and some video of operations on the INER. There's a lot of photos of the facilities and upgrades they've put into the line over the past couple of years. Good stuff.

[JStryker722]

@ Novi Railfan: seen the link before myself before I became a member of this forum,good set of pics

General question then: what is the maximum track speed on the INER now? I understand their goal with their most recent upgrades was 25-30mph or so,is that true and what is the rest of the systems speed?

[AARR]

I read somewhere that INER handled some 5000 cars in 2011 or 12. Last time I had seen any numbers was back in the 1990's when they handled around 3000-3500 cars annually. What makes this growth even more impressive is it grew despite not having the coal business which amounts up to 1500 cars a year (although I dont think they ever got that much of it). I think the Coldwater business is growing, the bulk tank car terminal near Ashley is growing, and the online elevators have contributed to the growth. I don't know for sure, just guessing.

[INE-KP]

10mph from Montpelier to S. Milford, 20mph Steubenville IN. to Briggs Rd. MI then back to 10mph to Coldwater MI

[MagnumForce]

Have the Montpelier to S. Milford speeds changed in the last few years, Kevin?

[JStryker722]

I would have guessed 25mph speeds with all the track upgrades they have done based on the YouTube videos I have seen on the North-South mainline.

[GP30M4216]

Significant improvements have been made in Ashley and Hudson in the past couple years with the new businesses coming in and now the new locomotive shop. Not sure how much the mainline has been upgraded there though.

Better rail and roadbed don't necessarily mean the trains need to go faster. They might be limiting themselves to 10 or 20mph for fuel economy, or to give their conductor in the "chase" vehicle adequate time to get ahead of the train and setup switches, etc. Despite the fact that somehow the NYC used to blaze down the Old Road and old LS&MS line from Steubenville north, these lines are still full of curves and grades. If anything, the roadbed and rail improvements will help ensure a better, safer ride through northeast Indiana and southern Michigan.

Even at 10-20mph, it's a treat to sit along one of their lines, listening to the whistle echo in the distance.

INER album: http://railroadfan.com/gallery/thumbnails-1367.html

[JStryker722]

I can understand giving conductors time to race ahead but at 4 gallons to a mile no matter how fast a train goes under power,it makes more sense to get up to a higher speed than 10-20mph (given the good rail and roadbed) and let the forward momentum of the train coast the train some,actually saving fuel by eliminating the need to always have the throttle in the notch 1-8 position under power the whole trip. Of course that's the perfect world scenario anyway,I'm no locomotive engineer,just an understanding of physics lol

[AARR]

INER album: http://railroadfan.com/gallery/thumbnails-1367.html

Looks like bone meal cars at the head end of this train. bone meal from the rendering plant in Coldwater has grown significantly the last couple years.

[railroadchoad]

I can understand giving conductors time to race ahead but at 4 gallons to a mile no matter how fast a train goes under power,it makes more sense to get up to a higher speed than 10-20mph (given the good rail and roadbed) and let the forward momentum of the train coast the train some,actually saving fuel by eliminating the need to always have the throttle in the notch 1-8 position under power the whole trip. Of course that's the perfect world scenario anyway,I'm no locomotive engineer,just an understanding of physics lol

There are a lot of factors that go into determining the maximum authorized speed on a stretch of railroad. If the IN isn't a dispatched railroad (meaning there are no lineside signals or track authority warrants issued to train movements) that may limit their speed. Also, if there are no data recorders in the locomotives, that may limit the speed they may travel. If you don't intend to run your trains over a certain speed, you don't need speed recorders.

[INE-KP]

Hey Magnum. No the speed is still 10mph Montpelier to S. Milford. Probably will be for a while. As for going North, 20mph--Yard Limits

[JStryker722]

I can see yard limits (20mph) being used if the IN isn't using tracks warrants as the lack of lineside signals don't stop the CFE from going 25-40mph on their lines without signals except at interlockings more or less.same goes for the MQT Rail around Grand Rapids,MI from what I know. I can also appreciate the idea with locomotive maintainence having a factor as well but the IN has a good locomotive shop and their locomotives aren't all late 1st generation but again I'm not trying to claim I'm an expert at 20 years old. Just going back what I know,I leave it to this forum to teach what I lack for which I think ya'll every bit of the way .

PS how many trains a day have they averaged lately and is speed recorders a necessity on a shortline?

[INE-KP]

No Track warrants just yard limits. I'm not sure that age of the locos would have anything to do with the speed but they are old. The oldest being the 1601 built 1952 and the newest the 2230 built in 1963 not including the rebuilt ones. More like how many trains run a week and not per day. There's usually at least one train out there every weekday sometimes two. Yesterday an NS Powered Grain train ran from S milford to Montpelier and a mixed came South. As for speed recorders obviously they're not required as none of the locos on the IN have one. But per NS rules - a locomotive used as a single or lead unit is limited to 30mph if no event recorder is installed, but don't quote me on the rules of any other railroad.

[JStryker722]

Okay thanks for clarifying that everything on the IN is Yard limits with no track warrants,limiting train speed to 20mph.
So I take it the best if you want to see an IN train anywhere on the system is either the S. Milford to Montpelier stretch or even the Hillsdale to Coldwater turn besides the Little River Railroad once their steam operations open up this spring?
If I had to take a wild guess on why NS limits locomotives in the lead position without a event recorder to 30mph,Im gonna guess it has to do with the liability insurance after the Chatsworth collision and all the FRA changes that came after that.

[AARR]

So I take it the best if you want to see an IN train anywhere on the system is either the S. Milford to Montpelier stretch or even the Hillsdale to Coldwater turn besides the Little River Railroad once their steam operations open up this spring?

Call their office and ask politely. They'll probably tell you where the train(s) are that day.