Indiana Northeastern INER RR (Information)

Locomotive identification, railfan locations, frequency information, etc. can be found here.
Mackinac Mac
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 491
Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 3:34 pm
Location: Dearborn, MI

Indiana Northeastern INER RR (Information)

Unread post by Mackinac Mac »

The Indiana Northeastern Railroad Company (INER) began its operations following the demise of the Hillsdale County Railroad Co in 1992. INER operates one north-south line, two east-west lines, and a partial north-south branch line. Operations are headquartered at Hillsdale, MI in the historic train depot beside their yard, a central location for these 4 railroad lines that are all linked together.

(Hillsdale to Sturgis)

Originating out of Hillsdale, westward the INER connects with the New York Central "Old Road" which they operate on to Coldwater, MI. The INER recently acquired the trackage from the Michigan Southern (MSO) as far as Sturgis, but some track maintenance is needed on that line.

The Indiana Northeastern runs about 5-6 times a week to Coldwater, MI. There are several industries there including:

a pallet company that receives lumber, a large fertilizer dist, rendering plant, plywood mill (inbound), and plastics plant around the Coldwater area. They also service a plant food / potting soil plant east of Quincy with a couple of cars per month. The MSO serves an elevator in Burr Oak

Litchfield receives about 3 30 car units of coal per month. There is a large flour mill in Quincy that is not currently receiving carloads.

(Jonesville to Litchfield)
At Jonesville, MI the old Lake Shore and Michigan Southern route to Lansing branches off to the north and the INER operates as far as the Michigan South Central Power Agency Plant in Litchfield where this line ends.

(South Milford, IN to Montpelier, OH)
In Indiana the INER operates on the old N&W Gary District (former Wabash) from South Milford to Pergo Junction near Montpelier, Ohio. From here they operate on the NS Huntington District to get into Norfolk Southern's Montpelier Yard, the primary interchange point.

(Steubenville, IN to Hillsdale, MI)
The main north-south line is the former New York Central route between Fort Wayne and Jackson, Michigan. The INER uses the portion of this line from Steubenville, Indiana north to Hillsdale, Michigan.


The Indiana Northeastern loads grain in Reading, MI several times a week. This process can be time consuming and requires 2 units. While the grain cars are loaded at the large elevator, another diesel takes cars full of corn and unloads them at a nearby facility. The corn is checked for a certain grade, by a tidious process using a small auger and the the moister levels and such are checked. The empties are then filled with grain for the return trip.

Image

INER #1602 a GP9 from the Burlington Northern loads grain at Reading, MI

Monitor:

161.100 Mhz AAR-66
161.400 Mhz for INER Traffic. They call towns along the line.


The Indiana Northeastern operates an older roster of vintage EMD locomotives. The entired roster except for new aquisition (#1500) wears the classic black and gold "Nickelplate" inspired paint scheme. The strips on the GP9s are identical to those the Detroit Toledo Shoreline geeps wore. Here is the current roster:


#1073 a chop-nosed GP9 which was rebuilt to GP10 specs and originally worked on the Illinois Central Railroad.

Image

#1500 is a chop-nosed GP7 from the Westmoreland Scenic Railroad which went bankrupt a few years ago. It is formery a Santa Fe Rebuild and a good solid switch engine which they frequently keep in Reading, MI.

Image

#1601 a vintage GP7 and INER's eldest unit from 1952. This is the EX-Hillsdale County Rail Co (HCRC) 1601, former SJ&LC 606, and originally Reading Railroad #606.

Image

#1602 is a GP9 from 1957. Formeryly Burlington Northern #1766 and originally Great Northern Railroad #693.

Image

#1603 is retired from service and a parts source, but still sits at the Hillsdale Yard. Ex-HCRC 1603, former NYC 7303, and originally Cleveland Union Terminal #5903

Image

#1770 is a chop-nosed GP9 from 1957 Ex-HCRC 1770, formerly BN #1770, and originally Great Northern #697

#2185 is a classic second generation hood unit, a GP30 from 1962. This classic raised-roof unit was originally from the Reading Railroad and later Conrail.

Image

#2230 is also a very classic later GP30 from 1963. This classic raised-roof unit was originally from the Pennsylvania Railroad and later Conrail.

Image

INER used to roster this classic GP7 from the Detroit Toldeo Shoreline Railroad. #47 was recently retired with the arrival of #1500 and sold to IBCX. #47 is still sitting at the Hillsdale Yard, rejected by the NS at the Montpelier, OH interchange for bad wheels (thin flanges).

Image

Also resting outside the INER shops in Hillsdale is former C&O GP30M #4216 from the CSXT. This unit is now IBCX and a parts source for the fleets other two GP30s #2185 and 2230.

Thanks to "GP30M4216" , Don Simon on Michigan Shortlines board, David Safdy from the Indiana Railfan site, and anyone else who helped me out with this information.

User avatar
AARR
Ann Arbor RR Nerd
Posts: 37905
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 7:39 pm
Location: Washington, MI

Re: Indiana Northeastern INER RR (Information)

Unread post by AARR »

Bump.

I'd like to add IN's operations information to the Wiki and am hoping someone can assist me. I believe there is a Railfan Facebook page but I am not on Facebook so if someone can share any information from that page is is appreciated.

Does IN have a steady operating schedule? Do they have set starting times? Do they start from home terminals every day?

Do they run to Coldwater on specific days? Montpelier? South Milford?

Do they refer to their trains with symbols or some other reference?

Any information is appreciated.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

User avatar
NS3322
Railroadfan...fan
Posts: 1255
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 12:08 pm
Location: CP-LEVITT

Re: Indiana Northeastern INER RR (Information)

Unread post by NS3322 »

To my knowledge operations are as needed, so seemingly random.

Post Reply