G&W TPW / ex-ATSF / ex-TPW Watseka traffic?

[Convicted One]

It seems to me that all those benefits are as tangible today as they were 30 years ago, if not more so. What changed?

[diningcar]

I have no personal info but believe the concept was to intercept northbound I-65 traffic ultimately destined for Chicago and then further west. Thus the cargo could use the TP&W to a Lomax connection with the Santa Fe main line thus avoiding congested Chicago. Also a reverse move for eastbound cargo which would not go through Chicago and down I-65.

I presume Santa Fe's marketing staff provided info that persuaded President Cena.

[Convicted One]

diningcar

. I was  Right Of Way Agent for Santa Fe and participated in its creation. It was the idea of Larry Cena; at that time President and CEO.

Thanks for your input.  Since you were in a position to know, what was the strategic initiative behind the creation of that facility?  One hears a lot of re-boiled opinion about this place, usually governed by the will of the person "offering" their opinion. But it would be nice to hear for once what the original mission statement was.  

[diningcar]

Hoosier Lift was it's name. Created by ATSF when they controlled the TPW. I was  Right Of Way Agent for Santa Fe and participated in its creation. It was the idea of Larry Cena; at that time President and CEO.

[Convicted One]

samfp1943

In the late 1980's there was a large Intermodal facility built just off the westside of I-65 just north of the Kentland Interchange (Remington,In (?).. It was on the line of the TP&W to its Lafayette, In. line.[ Terminus was then about Logansport,In}    I think it was a'bust' (?)

Interesting thing about that place, first time I saw it as I was driving by in 2003.  Probably about 3 PM, and every light in the yard was burning bright.  Nice big "BNSF" monument sign at the entrance drive too.

But no apparent activity.  

It was being used as a staging yard for wind turbine blades the last time I saw it.

[samfp1943]

[quote user="Convicted One"]

I'm really surprised that no one has given you any useful feedback on this topic. I was looking forward to up-to-date information as well.

I can offer limited, outdated information.....I drove across Illinois on the mostly parallel US 24 several times in the 15-18 year ago time frame, durning normal business hours on week days.....and never saw one single train.

My timing could have just been of odd luck,  but after the first few trips, the complete absence of trains was impossible to ignore.

[/quote]

Similar to Convicted One's mempries; I worked out of Chicago in the 1980's for an OTR Carrier. Our customers and routes crossed the area of the TP&W's trackage. Exactly. as he stated, it sure seemed to be a railroad without any traffic, at least in the daylight.  It crossed the ICRRs tracks at Gilman,Il.

    There was another N-S RR that crossed it at the Indiana side of the border with Illinois; Can't remember its name now.  In the late 1980's there was a large Intermodal facility built just off the westside of I-65 just north of the Kentland Interchange (Remington,In (?).. It was on the line of the TP&W to its Lafayette, In. line.[ Terminus was then about Logansport,In}    I think it was a'bust' (?)

     I cannot ever remember seeing any activitiy there.  Somehow, I think it came out iof some of the era's big merger activities(?).. AT&SF and PRR (maybe P.C. RR) and TP&W were all in a  'merger dance'  sround that time (?).

        I also recall there was a lot of 'talk' [Railroad speak: 'Scuttlebutt'?] around about the possibility of TP&W becoming a possible West to East(?) South By-Pass for the congestion in the Chicago area, as well(?)  Another 'Bust' ?  

 Here is a linked site that has some of that history:

@ https://www.american-rails.com/tpw.html

[Convicted One]

I'm really surprised that no one has given you any useful feedback on this topic. I was looking forward to up-to-date information as well.

I can offer limited, outdated information.....I drove across Illinois on the mostly parallel US 24 several times in the 15-18 year ago time frame, durning normal business hours on week days.....and never saw one single train.

My timing could have just been of odd luck,  but after the first few trips, the complete absence of trains was impossible to ignore.

 

[Chuck Finley]

I recently spent a day in Watseka for work and saw a couple TPW trains run through town, mainly covered hoppers.  It looked like they were moving at 10-15mph maybe.

Is there much traffic on that line anymore?  And, aside from grain elevators, who are the customers?  IIRC, it was once considered as a possible bridge line for ATSF-Indiana traffic.

A bit nostalgic - my oldest son and I took a caboose ride on that line farther west when it was the TPW (again) a couple of decades ago.

TFAI!