Indiana Transportation Museum
Encyclopedia
The Indiana Transportation Museum (initialized ITM, reporting mark
ITMZ) is a railroad museum located in the Forest Park neighborhood of Noblesville, Indiana
. It owns a variety of preserved railroad equipment, some of which still operate today.
Reporting mark
A reporting mark is a two-, three-, or four-letter alphabetic code used to identify owners or lessees of rolling stock and other equipment used on the North American railroad network. The marks are stenciled on each piece of equipment, along with a one-to-six-digit number, which together uniquely...
ITMZ) is a railroad museum located in the Forest Park neighborhood of Noblesville, Indiana
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...
. It owns a variety of preserved railroad equipment, some of which still operate today.
Overview
The Indiana Transportation Museum is an all-volunteer operated not for profit museum dedicated to preserving and showcasing railroads of Indiana, and share this equipment and information with the public, as well as operate trains to show how people travelled across the country in the past.Heritage railroad
- The Indiana Transportation Museum operates excursion trains on 38 miles (61.2 km) of a former Nickel Plate Road line, originally built for the Indianapolis and Peru Railroad today owned by the Hoosier Heritage Port AuthorityHoosier Heritage Port AuthorityThe 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...
, which is made up of the cities of IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis 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...
, FishersFishers, IndianaFishers 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 Noblesville, IndianaNoblesville, IndianaNoblesville 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...
. - The museum operates out of Forest Park in Noblesville, IN and travels north to the end of the line in Tipton, IndianaTipton, IndianaTipton 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...
or south to approximately 39th Street in Indianapolis. The rail line extends further south however is rarely used due to poor/unsafe track. - The rail line originally connected to the Norfolk Southern railroad in Tipton, Indiana and CSX railroad in Indianapolis and the Belt Railroad owned by LillyEli Lilly and CompanyEli Lilly and Company is a global pharmaceutical company. Eli Lilly's global headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the United States...
Inc. - The railroad line was still operated as a freight railroad by the Indiana Railroad Company hauling coal to the Cicero power generating plant in Cicero, INCicero, IndianaCicero is a town in Jackson Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, United States, north of Indianapolis. The population was 4,812 at the 2010 census...
until the plant's conversion to natural gas in 2003. - The switch in Tipton was cut by Norfolk Southern in 1997 and the bridge connecting the line to CSX was removed by the Indiana Department of TransportationIndiana Department of TransportationThe Indiana Department of Transportation is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Indiana charged with maintaining and regulating transportation and transportation related infrastructure such as state owned airports, state highways and state owned canals or railroads.-Districts:INDOT is...
during the Indianapolis rebuild of the I-70 InterstateInterstate 70 in IndianaIn the U.S. state of Indiana, Interstate 70 travels east–west across the state passing through Indianapolis. Interstate 70 crosses into Indiana near Terre Haute and crosses into Ohio in Richmond. It covers 156.60 miles in Indiana. It parallels U.S... - In spring 2010 CSX railroad removed the diamonds connected the southern portion of the Belt Railroad, thus isolating the line from the U.S. rail systemRail transport in the United StatesPresently, most rail transport in the United States is based on freight train shipments. The U.S. rail industry has experienced repeated convulsions due to changing U.S. economic needs and the rise of automobile, bus, and air transport....
. - It is possible that some time in the future the bridge over 10th street or the Belt Line connection will be restored and allow for additional rail opportunities such as excursions and/or connections to the Indianapolis Union Station
Preservation
- The museum is home to many pieces of railroading history with primary emphasis on locomotives and equipment relating to the Nickel Plate RailroadNew York, Chicago and St. Louis RailroadThe 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...
- Most passengers are carried in the museums restored BuddBudd CompanyThe Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
cars that date back to 1937 and were originally in service on the Santa Fe Railroad and the New Jersey Transit Authority before being sold to the museum as scrap in the early 1980s. At this time several cars have been restored and several more await funds for restoration. - The museum also has in its collection the 1898 private railcar of Henry Morrison FlaglerHenry Morrison FlaglerHenry Morrison Flagler was an American tycoon, real estate promoter, railroad developer and partner of John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil. He was a key figure in the development of the eastern coast of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean and was founder of what became the Florida East Coast Railway...
's Florida East Coast RailroadFlorida East Coast RailwayThe Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad.Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of Standard Oil principal Henry Morrison...
(FEC) #90.
- At the beginning of 2003, the museum's operating steam locomotive, Nickel Plate 587Nickel Plate 587Nickel Plate Road 587 is a USRA Light 2–8–2 steam locomotive built in September 1918 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Lake Erie and Western Railroad as their number 5541. In 1923 the LE&W was merged into the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, , and allocated 587 as its new number in...
, was taken out of service for a federally mandated boiler rebuild. Since then, work has been ongoing the past 8 years for the restoration of this locomotive. In 2008, ownership of the engine was permanently transferred from the IndianapolisIndianapolisIndianapolis 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...
Parks Department to the ITM. She is expected to steam again by late 2012, if all goes as planned.
Events
- The Indiana Transportation Museum operates many different excursions, ranging from holiday trains to shuttles in freight cabooses.
- The Hamiltonian is a dinner train which operates from Fishers Station to 1 of 2 restaurants in Noblesville on select evenings usually in combination with the Dinner on the Diner train
- The Fair Train is the museum's biggest yearly event, running hundreds of trains transporting thousands of people to the Indiana State FairIndiana State FairThe Indiana State Fair is an annual fair held in Indianapolis, Indiana, usually in the month of August. The first fair was held in 1881 and the 2009 fair had the highest number of attendees at 973,902....
with 10 round trips each day of the fair during August. - The Polar Bear Express is held in the month of December and retells The Polar ExpressThe Polar ExpressThe Polar Express is a 1985 children's book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg, a former professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. It was adapted as an Oscar-nominated motion-capture film in 2004....
story and includes a train ride and visit from Santa ClausSanta ClausSanta Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus... - The Pumpkin Train is held every weekend in October and is supported by the Hamilton Heights High SchoolHamilton Heights High SchoolHamilton Heights High School is a fully accredited public high school in the Hamilton Heights School Corporation that serves grades 9-12 in the rural northern part of Hamilton County, Indiana. The current principal is ; the current vice-principal is Amy Godbout...
Future Farmers of America (FFA) who grow and sell pumpkins along side the rail line. - Pizza Plus Express is held multiple Saturdays throughout the late spring, summer and fall from Noblesville to Tipton, IN. It gains its name due to the stop in Tipton is at the track end, and next door to the Pizza Shack in Tipton, where riders can then eat. Riders also have the option of being shuttled to the nearby Pizza King or Jim Dandy Restaurant for their buffets, or on select dates, a meal at the Tipton Elks ClubBenevolent and Protective Order of ElksThe Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
. - Special Events include various festivals in Tipton, Atlanta, and Arcadia, IN as well as private charters are also available.
School programs
The museum offers a school program entitled Railroads In The Midwest that features a pre-visit classroom workbook, tour of the museum grounds, and an excursion train ride.Membership
The museum is a non-profit organization whose members donate volunteer time and money to the operation.See also
- Nickel Plate 587Nickel Plate 587Nickel Plate Road 587 is a USRA Light 2–8–2 steam locomotive built in September 1918 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works for the Lake Erie and Western Railroad as their number 5541. In 1923 the LE&W was merged into the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, , and allocated 587 as its new number in...
- List of United States railroads
- List of heritage railroads in the United States
- List of railway museums