A Sunday on the Lafayette District

[CSXIndyLine]

I had the day off on Sunday 7/21. Having learned of the NKP 765 Wabash Cannonball excursions a couple months ago, I rose early and set off for the Lafayette District. I trekked east of Lafayette on State Road 25 out toward Colburn where I set up at a dead end crossing. Not five minutes after I arrived, I heard the whine of a train and sure enough, I could see the headlight of NS 272 passing through Buck Creek a couple miles down the line. He had a low yellow and began to slow as he passed me to take the siding at Colburn. After he had settled in, NS 145 rounded the bend with a decent sized train behind a pair of Dash 9's.

1.) 0852- 272: NS 2506/2733 Colburn:
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254486
2.) 0916- 145: NS 9153/9465 Colburn
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254487

I could not find an angle I liked for the 765 at Colburn so I decided to push east toward Rockfield, 13 railroad miles away. As soon as I left, I heard the dispatcher inform 272 they would be waiting in the hole (they had skipped up to Rockfield Siding) for a while, meeting 121, 181, a patrol, and a 955 excursion train. This being said, I expedited my travels across 25 to Rockfield. It is a new, wide open highway that really cuts down on travel time and does not see a lot of use. I arrived 20 minutes later in Rockfield to find the gates lowering for NS 121. Shortly afterwards, the local church let out and people began accumulating trackside for the 765. NS 181 showed up first. After waiting another few minutes, the hi-rail patrol crusied by and the signals lit up for the 955. They passed with their healthy string of passenger cars, I counted 20 total cars.

3.) 0957- 121: NS 7627 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254488
4.) 1018- 181: NS 9681/2525 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254489
5.) 1106- 955: NKP 765 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254490

The crowd dispersed amazingly fast, leaving just myself to observe 272 throttle out of the siding after waiting patiently for the westbound trio. The next 90 minutes were very quiet until an inspector toned up the dispatcher to try to get on around Delphi and head for Colburn. She instructed him to wait because she had a 171 and 35N coming, both around Logansport. Those two passed and left with them another 90 minutes of silence. The only radio chatter was the patrol heading back east ahead of the 765. After 1430, the crowds started to arrive and so did 21T, who had a reserved spot for the show in the passing track. After stopping for a brief moment to allow a couple trains further up to get in the clear, 955 highballed out of a stop. The conductor of 21T seemed impressed by the parade of chasers on State Road 25.

6.) 1111- 272: NS 2506/2733 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254491
7.) 1236- 171: NS 9488/7515 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254492
8.) 1302- 35N: NS 9700/9200 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254493
9.) 1436- 21T: NS 9351/UP 7416/NS 9424 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254494
10.) 1512- 955: NKP 765 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254495

Again, crowds quickly retreated to get ahead of the excursion train. I held my ground as I heard the dispatcher clearing both 255 and 21A up around Logansport. After sitting around for half an hour, I went to see if the signals had turned on and I found a BNSF motor quickly approaching from the east. BNSF and NS power teamed up to fly this westbound roadrailer across the state. Though the BNSF motor is just another pumpkin, it happened to be the 5000th locomotive I have logged. Another half hour crpet by and I waited and almost left until a lazy medium approach came up for 21A. He showed up shortly after and held the siding for a brief moment to meet 20T with a fantastic Dash 9 trio. After 20T left town and 21A rolled out of the siding, I decided to head home, the long way of course. I took 25 over to Logansport and then cut down 35 to Kokomo to join US 31. As I made it to Clymers, I caught up with 20T who was just creeping by into the siding. I hopped off the main road and found a little crossing and another westbound just east of CP Penn (east end of Clymers siding). Found 15E with UP and NS GE's.

11.) 255: BNSF 4762/NS 2592 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254496
12.) 21A: NS 9772/8315 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254497
13.) 20T: NS 9304/9699/9101 Rockfield
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254498
14.) 15E: UP 7790/NS 9157 Logansport
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254499

I took the long way to check out US Rail's Winamac Southern from Kokomo to Logansport and see if anything was residing in Kokomo. I found TPW 5015 in TPW's 18th Street yard in Logansport. He was tied down with a short cut of cars. I moved down 35 past Walton to the wide spot in the road known as Lincoln and found GMTX 409 on the spur track, parked between two big rigs. Kokomo featured a slew of agriculture-related cars on the WSRY/CERA interchange siding along Davis Road. I found GMTX 412 parked on the Kokomo Grain track and managed a quick picture.

15.) TPW 5015 Logansport
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254482
16.) GMTX 409 Lincoln
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254484
17.) GMTX 412 Kokomo
http://csxindyline.rrpicturearchives.ne ... id=4254485

That concluded my 250 mile big loop around northern Indiana. Thanks for reading!