The Fort Wayne Railfan

Let this website pass into oblivion. The moderators don't block or erase dumbassdom, and it dominates too many discussions. I posted a note about a local railroad issue, and here are the sophomoric responses it generated: http://www.fwarailfan.net/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4302 Cheeseheads? Thos...

This map shows P&F's line from about 1943 to 1986, by which time operations had ended but the line was still intact. Larry Lett drew the granary/engine house and coal pit about 10 ft. east of the granary, reflecting what it looked like when he worked Alvordton Tower southwest of the P&F in the 1960s...

When Wabash controlled the ERR, it was a very busy line. The Mar. 28, 1886 ETT listed 16 scheduled daily through-trains at LaOtto. Unscheduled trains would have increased the total of course, but we don't know how much. I don't know how much traffic moved on GR&I pre-1900. When PRR took control of t...

The GR&I began operating at about the same time that construction began on the DER&I in 1870, so GR&I was the senior road at LaOtto. ERR was leased to Wabash 1879-1901, owned by P. Co. or PRR interests 1901-1968, PC 1968-1976, and Conrail thereafter. I don't know when the interlocker was installed a...

Bob & Doug:

I have 1951 as the official move of the shops from West to East Wayne, and don't have anything about 1956 or 1964. Mine is obviously an error. Can you send your document citations for my Allen Co. RR history files? It's important that I get this right. Thanks.

I posted this 2016 aerial before. The small white spot is part of the tower foundation in the NW corner of the diamond. The water tank foundation in the SE quadrant was on the transfer track between the ERR and GR&I. There was also a transfer track in the NE quadrant. PRR's 1923 CT-1000 lists the to...

This is looking west across the new roundabout at Bass & Hadley Rds. in Ft. Wayne. CSX/CF&E apparently don't intend to replace the second main here.

Note that the crossing gate arms are very long. Cars can't run around them.

Craig

Wheeling & Lake Erie SD40-2 No. 7011 was at CF&E's engine house Monday evening.

A note on another website says that it was No. 6311 until Dec. 2018, when it was fitted with PTC and renumbered.

Craig

Part 2 covers the last six steam railroads that were built into Allen County, Indiana: Eel River Cincinnati, Richmond & Ft. Wayne Nickel Plate Findlay, Ft. Wayne & Western Lake Erie & Ft. Wayne Ft. Wayne Union A PowerPoint presentation with details and photos, free and open to the public. Stop by an...

LNA&C is a Southern Indiana shortline that runs north 7.7 miles from Corydon to a connection with Norfolk Southern at Corydon Jct. in Harrison County, a few miles west of New Albany and Louisville. It was opened in the 1880s and is still operated today by current owner Lucas Rail Lines as LNA&C in n...

Looking west and east on the FW&J in Polk St. on Ft. Wayne's west side, sometime near 1960.

Craig

No, 60 degree temperature swings in 24 hours would be normal anywhere...

Here's the same view 14 years ago.

It must have been impressive in Pleasant Lake when LS&MS's big gravel pit was in operation.

Craig

Retraction? The 1898 plat of Ashley shows the roundhouse east of the foundations at Carper's, in the woods north of Garfield and Garrison. The long foundation in the photo above is curved, and small pieces of it continued to curve as it went north. It was too long and large to have been the turntabl...

I stopped at Carper Farm Supply on the east side of Grand Ave., south of Indiana Northeastern's tracks. Jim Carper showed me remnants of Wabash's 1893 roundhouse, 350 ft. north of the Garfield/Indiana St. intersection. He said the site is covered by 18 inches of cinders on top of a deep fill of bank...

Photos taken one week apart.

Craig