Hoosier Heritage Port Authority
Encyclopedia
The Hoosier Heritage Port Authority is a quasi-governmental organization in the U.S.
state of Indiana
. It is the owner of a Heritage railway
, operated by the Indiana Transportation Museum
, over former Norfolk Southern
trackage from Tipton, Indiana
to Indianapolis, Indiana
, a distance of 37 miles (59.5 km). This trackage is the southernmost section of the former Indianapolis to Michigan City
main line operated by several railroad companies since its original construction in the mid-19th Century, the best known being the Nickel Plate
.
Port Authority (HCPA) in 1994, for the purpose of preserving this section of rail corridor that then-owner Norfolk Southern
wished to abandon. In 1995, the HCPA closed on its purchase of these 37-miles of rail tracks, which are located in Hamilton and two other Indiana counties. The following year, the City of Indianapolis (Marion County) joined in this entity and its name was changed to become the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority (HHPA).
In 1997, the former NS interchange at Tipton was cut. The far southern section near 10th Street in Indianapolis had also been removed several years earlier. Additionally the interchange with the Indianapolis Belt Railroad where the tracks crossed the CSX double main line were removed by CSX inc. in the Spring of 2010. This leaves the system isolated from the national railroad system.
As of 2011, only occasional tourist railway trains run along these tracks, such as the Indiana State Fair Train between Fishers
and the State Fairgrounds (near 39th Street and Fall Creek in Indianapolis). However, one of the goals of the HHPA is to eventually establish a commuter rail system using this corridor although it is unlikely any action will be taken within the next 10-20 years. Under such a plan the southern end of the line would need to be reconnected to the Indianapolis Union Railway
to allow any such trains to access Union Station, which has long been envisioned to be the hub of any such regional rail-based transit system.
to the Wabash and Erie Canal
at Peru
. Construction began at Indianapolis in 1849, reaching Noblesville
in 1851, Tipton in 1852, Kokomo
in 1853, and finally reaching Peru in the spring of 1854. Reorganized as the Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago Railway Company (IP&C) in 1864, that entity subsequently acquired the Chicago, Cincinnati and Louisville Railroad Company seven years later to complete a unified 161-mile (259 km) route between Indianapolis and Michigan City
.
The IP&C was leased by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway in 1881, but upon that company's financial collapse five years later it was sold by that line's creditors to the Lake Erie & Western Railroad Company (LE&W) in March 1887. By 1899, the LE&W was under the control of the New York Central System
(NYC).
In 1923, the NYC sold the LE&W to the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
, better known by its nickname, the Nickel Plate Road (NKP). On October 16, 1964, the Nickle Plate merged into the Norfolk and Western Railway
(N&W), which later became the Norfolk Southern Railway
(NS) in 1982.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. It is the owner of a Heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
, operated by the Indiana Transportation Museum
Indiana Transportation Museum
The Indiana Transportation Museum is a railroad museum located in the Forest Park neighborhood of Noblesville, Indiana...
, over former Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
trackage from Tipton, Indiana
Tipton, Indiana
Tipton is a city in and the county seat of Tipton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 5,106 at the 2010 census. It is part of the 'Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, a distance of 37 miles (59.5 km). This trackage is the southernmost section of the former Indianapolis to Michigan City
Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....
main line operated by several railroad companies since its original construction in the mid-19th Century, the best known being the Nickel Plate
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad , abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois...
.
Overview
The HHPA was first established as the Hamilton CountyHamilton County, Indiana
Hamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 274,569. The county seat is Noblesville....
Port Authority (HCPA) in 1994, for the purpose of preserving this section of rail corridor that then-owner Norfolk Southern
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
wished to abandon. In 1995, the HCPA closed on its purchase of these 37-miles of rail tracks, which are located in Hamilton and two other Indiana counties. The following year, the City of Indianapolis (Marion County) joined in this entity and its name was changed to become the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority (HHPA).
In 1997, the former NS interchange at Tipton was cut. The far southern section near 10th Street in Indianapolis had also been removed several years earlier. Additionally the interchange with the Indianapolis Belt Railroad where the tracks crossed the CSX double main line were removed by CSX inc. in the Spring of 2010. This leaves the system isolated from the national railroad system.
As of 2011, only occasional tourist railway trains run along these tracks, such as the Indiana State Fair Train between Fishers
Fishers, Indiana
Fishers is a town located in Fall Creek and Delaware townships, Hamilton County, Indiana, with a population of 76,794, according to the 2010 census. A suburb of Indianapolis, Fishers has grown rapidly in recent decades: about 350 people lived there in 1963, 2,000 in 1980, and only 7,200 as recently...
and the State Fairgrounds (near 39th Street and Fall Creek in Indianapolis). However, one of the goals of the HHPA is to eventually establish a commuter rail system using this corridor although it is unlikely any action will be taken within the next 10-20 years. Under such a plan the southern end of the line would need to be reconnected to the Indianapolis Union Railway
Indianapolis Union Railway
The Indianapolis Union Railway Company , is a terminal railroad operating in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was organized on May 31, 1850, as the Union Track Railway Company by the presidents of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad Company , the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad Company , and the...
to allow any such trains to access Union Station, which has long been envisioned to be the hub of any such regional rail-based transit system.
Corridor History
This rail corridor, one of the oldest in Indiana, traces its heritage back to the Peru and Indianapolis Railroad Company, which was incorporated on January 19, 1846 to construct a rail line from downtown IndianapolisIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
to the Wabash and Erie Canal
Wabash and Erie Canal
The Wabash and Erie Canal was a shipping canal that linked the Great Lakes to the Ohio River via an artificial waterway. The canal provided traders with access from the Great Lakes all the way to the Gulf of Mexico...
at Peru
Peru, Indiana
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 12,994 people, 5,410 households, and 3,397 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,815.5 people per square mile . There were 5,943 housing units at an average density of 1,287.7 per square mile...
. Construction began at Indianapolis in 1849, reaching Noblesville
Noblesville, Indiana
Noblesville is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, located just north of Indianapolis. The population was 51,969 at the 2010 census making it the 14th largest city/town in the state, up from 19th in 2007...
in 1851, Tipton in 1852, Kokomo
Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States, Indiana's 13th largest city. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard and Tipton counties....
in 1853, and finally reaching Peru in the spring of 1854. Reorganized as the Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago Railway Company (IP&C) in 1864, that entity subsequently acquired the Chicago, Cincinnati and Louisville Railroad Company seven years later to complete a unified 161-mile (259 km) route between Indianapolis and Michigan City
Michigan City, Indiana
Michigan City's origins date to 1830, when the land for the city was first purchased by Isaac C. Elston. Elston Middle School, formerly Elston High School, located at 317 Detroit St., is named after the founder....
.
The IP&C was leased by the Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway in 1881, but upon that company's financial collapse five years later it was sold by that line's creditors to the Lake Erie & Western Railroad Company (LE&W) in March 1887. By 1899, the LE&W was under the control of the New York Central System
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
(NYC).
In 1923, the NYC sold the LE&W to the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
The New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad , abbreviated NYC&St.L, was a railroad that operated in the mid-central United States. Commonly referred to as the Nickel Plate Road, the railroad served a large area, including trackage in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois...
, better known by its nickname, the Nickel Plate Road (NKP). On October 16, 1964, the Nickle Plate merged into the Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
The Norfolk and Western Railway , a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence....
(N&W), which later became the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
(NS) in 1982.
External links
- Hoosier Heritage Port Authority – Home Page
- Indiana Transportation Museum – Website of HHPA's operator