Where is it?

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

This midwestern town and the two railroad lines which served it have disappeared.

In the 40’s and 50’s one could buy a fare to this town, although it would have been difficult to get there. The two lines crossed, one an outer and the other a follower, one owned by steel, the other by the standard.

Look carefully at an old IDOT map from the 40’s and it was there, today it’s name has been removed.

First in 1982 and then 1984 the rails left, leaving one trail.

Where is it?

ed

2

Are the railroads P&LE, and PRR?

3

More like EJ&E and PRR. I don’t think P&LE got anywhere close to IDOT territory. And not having an IDOT map from the 1940s, I am finished on this one.

4

Would Betty be a native of this place?

I am assuming that “IDOT” stands for Indiana, too (where I live, that is Illinois’ abbreviation). Not the PRR, but a company owned by them–perhaps the Wabash (“Follower” as in “Follow the Flag”). The abandoned J line would be the branch to Porter (now a trail–I have to get out there sometime!). The crossing would be a place called Crocker, Indiana.

Am I right? Or totally wrong?

5

In Indiana, it’s INDOT. Or, as my younger (college age) sister likes to say “Idiot.” (She misread an INDOT sign once and it stuck.)

There’s also no DMV here, it’s a BMV.

(I’m going to college in Fort Wayne, a town that sucks so much the pull of gravity is 9.81 m/s/s.)

6

I think you got it.

7

Carl:

D*mn you!

I thought for sure I could get this one past you! Nice catch.

Betty it is. Crocker that is. I drive thru the nontown several times a week and am saddened that in the 70’s I never took the time to explore the lines.

During the 40’s and 50’s one could take a Wabash mixed train to Crocker, but it wouldnt have been easy. The eastbound left Gary at 6am and was scheduled at Crocker at 623am. The westbound left Montpelier at 8am and would arrive at Crocker at 147pm.

The Porter branch of the J would have been/could have been a valuable piece of railroad today, setting up the J as a tollroad around Chicago. The endless coal trains from the west could have bypassed Chicago.

Nice job Carl.

BTW the community formerly know as Crocker is on Indiana 149, about 2 miles south of US 20, just south of Burns Harbor, east of Portage, west of Chesterton.

ed

8

Carl:

Let me know when you are coming out. I will buy you a cold one.

ed