Indiana Northeastern Railroad
The Indiana Northeastern Railroad is a shortline railroad running in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. It is owned and operated by a close-knit family and friendly employees. The railroad has an all-Electro-Motive Division locomotive roster, which is maintained in a state-of-the-art shop at Hudson, Ind. The shop forces have rebuilt several of the railroads four-axle units.
Moving grain is the INR’s top business, with unit grain trains received from and delivered back to Norfolk Southern at Montpelier, Ohio. Montpelier — on the far east end of the Indiana Northeastern — is the railroad’s only outlet to the North American system.
The stars of the locomotive show on this railroad are its two former Conrail GP30s, Nos. 2185 and 2230, former Reading Lines and Pennsylvania Railroad units, respectively. GP30 No. 2185 was rebuilt in the Hudson Shops and improved with a new wheel adhesion system. Being slippery when starting heavy trains is considered by many consider to be the GP30’s downfall. The locomotive wears a 30th anniversary paint scheme. Plans are to also upgrade and repaint sister GP30 No. 2230.
While the bulk of the locomotive roster is four-axle power, two SD40-2 locomotives, No. 3084 and No. 3125, were recently joined by former Union Pacific Railroad SD70Ms. Those are Nos. 4379 and 4670, which operate in a patched-UP scheme and will eventually see new Indiana Northeastern paint.
The company was formed in 1992 from the failed Hillsdale County Railway. It is operated from the former division office building and passenger station of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway in Hillsdale, Mich. The company has reinvested much of its revenue into its physical plant, along with enjoying state grants to improve its track, grade crossings, and grade crossing protection.
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