Watching Trains in North West Indiana.

Traditionally the Holiday Season is a time to go home. This year I took the chance to visit friends in North West Indiana and Michigan, areas where I spent the last seven years before moving to Europe last Fall. Besides of cheerful get-togethers I for sure took the chance for railroad related activities while in NWI. 

Chesterton, IN

Since I moved to Porter County in 2013, Chesterton is one of my favorite hotspots. Nearby is famous Porter Junction as well as other locations to watch trains safely around town.

After having delicious breakfast at the Third Coast Spice Cafe I headed downtown to the NS Chicago line. Traffic was not as dense as usual but there were still some interesting consist to observe. It was a little bit freezing but the skies were not totally overcast so I took some nice shots. Besides others I met a pair of GP60s with a short local and captured a “LAGUNITAS” beer truck on nearby Broadway.

As far as I know, this is one of the few places where Amtrak trains get priority over freight operation. In the morning hours dispatcher try to get the slow freight haulers out of the way for the incoming rush of passenger traffic heading towards Chicago. I liked the wave of freight trains before and after the break as well as the procession of blue and silver consists. During my visit this procedure worked as always and, once again, was interesting to watch.

Porter, IN – N Mineral Springs Rd.

Two days later, sunny skies returned and I took the chance to hang out a couple miles West of Chesterton, right near the I94 overpass at the Mineral Springs Rd. grade crossing.

I like this place because there is good view down the tracks in both directions, signals included. Also, parking is available next to the grade crossing and one can hang out relatively undisturbed. Usually I stay at the south side of the tracks to avoid shadows on the trains. Nevertheless a shot down the tracks towards Porter Junction and Chesterton can be interesting. North of the right of way a church puls cemetery give the place some character. Only downside here is the freeway traffic that keeps the place far from being quiet. Nevertheless the morning of the 30th of January 2016 provided little but quite interesting traffic. While there I practiced taking pan-shots. Although the light was pretty good I was too close to the trains so it was hard to get an even plane of sharpness of the moving cars. In the end this resulted in some “dynamic” (more on the “artsy” side) pictures.

Portage, IN – Willow Creek Rd.

Some miles west of Mineral Springs Rd. is the City of Portage. A short ride on US20 past Crisman Rd. gets us to old Willow Creek Rd. on the left. We turn and follow old Willow Creek Rd. a short distance down to the tracks of Willow Creek Junction. Here the CSX Porter Line crosses the double track CSX Barr Subdivision (right as that one turns into the Garrett SD going east). The diamonds are nice to look at and having a train going by at track speed (40mph / 65 km/h) creates quite an impressive acoustic adventure. My favorite spot is a little bit southeast- beyond the bridge (trains) and tunnel (non trains). 

Here the City of Portage keeps a small, park like area neat and clean. Parking is easy as well as roaming around without obstructing car traffic. Depending on the time of the day, this site has basically two directions for taking pictures. In the afternoon a position own the embankment of “new” Willow Creek Rd. gives a straight view eastwards down 6 miles straight track while till noon the light is good for taking pictures of trains coming around the bend from Gary/Miller. As it was later in the morning I did the latter and got myself ready to catch whatever train might pop out under the Willow Creek Rd. Overpass. I did not bring a scanner this time but got lucky as I heard the sound of distinctive diesel power in the distance shortly after my arrival. 

CSX 21 and CSX 84, still in “hockey stick” dress, pulled a long string of coal hoppers around the slight curve- gracefully tilting due to the super-elevation in the track. Because of the bare trees, light conditions were still good, even as the sun is pretty low at this time of the year. Trains appear often but infrequently on this line. As it was chilly that very day I left after watching the coal drag a rolling by- and more pan short practice.

Fun Fact – The Battle of Joy’s Run

took place at Willowcreek Junction in 1874 between the Michigan Central RR and the Baltimore and Ohio. The latter intended to built their track across the already existing Michigan Central right of way. Despite a decision by a judge the situation escalated and a mob kept officials busy for a while. Well, obviously things calmed down and the junction came into place.

Ogden Dunes, IN

New Years Day greeted 2017 with blue clear skies and freezing temperatures. What a perfect day for train watching! So I grabbed my camera one more time during my trip and headed to Ogden Dunes, Indiana. Even on a Sunday morning after on a Holiday the Norfolk Southern Chicago Line was busy presenting several trains with various motive power. Right away, a unit coal trains with an CSX Tier4 GEVO on the point showed up heading for Chicagoland. As it was close to noon, light conditions were just about getting right. The Burns Harbor stell mill framed the train with some artificial clouds. Later on I met the two GP60s I saw some day earlier in Chesterton. Again, they had a “model railroad friendly” train in tow. Grain trains with CP and NS (puls others – see title pic) completed the cast that morning. 

This location is another favorite hotspot in NWI and I came here often when I lived nearby. The southern ramp to an abandoned grade crossing on the east side of the South Shore Line’s Ogden Dunes station provides a safe place for train watching. The site is safeguarded by concrete blocks and features a trash bin. Eastbound trains announce their approach at the Miller grade crossing further down the line and are best photographed in the morning. On the other hand, westbound present themselves in the afternoon and can be detected by their headlight well in time to get the camera ready. South Shore Line’s electric MU sets frequently stop at Ogden Dunes but taking pictures is difficult due to the numerous catenary masts as well as the southward orientation when taking pictures. 

So far so good, it’s always a pleasure being back in NWI. Especially I enjoy the heavy traffic on the lines criss crossing the area. But there is much more to do around here than just to watch contemporary railway operation. In part two of this little series I’ll explore North West Indiana’s railroad history with a real pro in this field.