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THE ROUTE OF THE INDIANA RAIL EXPERIENCE

In nearly every American community the railroad pre-dated most roads, interstates, and airlines. As towns sprang up alongside the railroad, the two ribbons of rail that ran through them became their central nervous system.

The passenger station was the unofficial town hall, the rail yard was often a leading employer, and every industry within 50 miles relied on shipping freight from its front door to the rest of the country. Between the major rail lines and interurbans, you could get just about anywhere by train. It didn’t matter if you were a farm boy from Waterloo or a stock broker in Chicago, you could board the same train to the same place.

The Indiana Northeastern Railroad Company operates on trackage that once belonged belonging to the Wabash and the New York Central Railroad. From these railroads, you could easily reach Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Indianapolis, and beyond. What was once a vast and deeply interconnected system, the rail industry bears less and less resemblance to its predecessors every day, but our line carries the proud tradition of service and transportation through three states. Let’s explore the route together.

THE INDIANA NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD COMPANY

Over 30 years ago, the former rail lines of the Wabash Railroad and New York Central were nearly abandoned after decades of disuse and disinvestment.

Concerned for industries like theirs, the owners of the South Milford Grain Company created the Pigeon River Railroad to preserve rail service to the general railroad system in Indiana and later acquired the Hillsdale County Railway in Michigan to take over operations of what was initially 140 miles of near derelict rail infrastructure. The Indiana Northeastern Railroad Company was formed to slowly rehabilitate the line and guarantee rail service to the largely agrarian region.

Through numerous track rehabilitation projects, bridge and culvert replacements, and careful management of its resources, the Indiana Northeastern has been transformed into a stable and dependable operation capable of handling its diverse flow of traffic.

Today, the Indiana Northeastern, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation and Branch County Rail Users, carries over 7,000 car loads a year and services over 25 customers in three states.

THE NEW YORK CENTRAL ROUTE

Steubenville, Indiana

At the southern edge of Steuben County lies Steubenville, where the Fort Wayne & Jackson Railroad — chartered in 1872 — once crossed the Wabash’s Fourth District. Originally part of the mighty New York Central System, this route survived the turmoil of mergers and abandonments through Penn Central and Conrail before its southern end was removed. Today, the stretch from Steubenville north to Hillsdale, Michigan, remains active under the Indiana Northeastern’s stewardship.

Hillsdale, Michigan

Here, the former Fort Wayne & Jackson (FW&J) line meets the New York Central’s legendary “Old Road,” the system’s first rail route to Chicago from the east. Though later eclipsed by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern’s faster “Air Line,” the Old Road persists under Indiana Northeastern operation as far west as Coldwater.

Pleasant Lake, Indiana

Nestled among the northern Indiana lakes, Pleasant Lake was once a resort destination and shipping hub. Ice harvested from the lake, gravel from nearby pits, and carloads of lumber, brick, and livestock once filled its sidings. The town’s 1882 Lake Shore & Michigan Southern depot still stands proudly, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Across the tracks, the stone footings of a vanished water tank recall the age of steam. The line here crosses Pigeon Creek and threads north toward Long Lake and Mongo.

Angola, Indiana

Founded in 1838 and named for Angola, New York, this energetic town is home to Trine University, originally Tri-State Normal College. Its public square is anchored by a striking Civil War monument listing 1,278 Union soldiers from the area. The stately 1868 courthouse is crowned not by a rooster weathervane, but a fish — fitting for a county that proudly claims “101 lakes.” Nearby, Pokagon State Park remains a regional treasure, with its famed refrigerated toboggan slide and the grand Potawatomi Inn. In the early 1900s, the St. Joe Valley Interurban entered town from the northwest, passing beneath the FW&J near today’s State Road 127.

Fremont, Indiana

First called Willow Prairie, later Brockville, and finally Fremont in 1848, this town grew along the old Vistula Trail — now State Road 120. The railroad continues to serve local industries here, including a plastics manufacturer and a commercial bakery.

Ray, Indiana / Michigan Line

Straddling the state border, the hamlet of Ray once boasted a post office, stores, a mill, and a schoolhouse. Established in 1872, it remains one of the most scenic highlights of the route, its open fields and quiet crossing a favorite for photographers and passengers alike.

Montgomery, Michigan

Once whimsically known as “Frog Eye,” Montgomery was laid out with the coming of the railroad and planned as a junction for the never-completed Mansfield & Coldwater Railroad. The ghostly remnants of that unbuilt roadbed are still visible on the west edge of town.

Reading, Michigan

Originally “Basswood Corners,” Reading (pronounced REED-ing) is home to one of the Indiana Northeastern’s largest customers — The Andersons Trade Group — where thousands of carloads of grain begin their journey each year.

Bankers, Michigan

A once-bustling junction, Bankers marked the split between the original FW&J line to Jonesville and the Detroit, Hillsdale & Southwestern, later absorbed by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. East of Hillsdale, this became known as the Ypsilanti Branch.

Hillsdale, Michigan

County seat and cultural hub, Hillsdale is home to Hillsdale College, founded in 1844 — the same year the Michigan Southern Railroad reached town. By 1852, rails ran west to Chicago, and Hillsdale soon became headquarters for the New York Central’s Lansing Division. Sixteen passenger trains a day once served the town, and remnants of that era remain: the depot, division offices, and freight house — now slated for revitalization.

In 2022, steam returned when Nickel Plate Road no. 765 visited Hillsdale, the largest locomotive to appear there since the end of the steam era.

Jonesville, Michigan

Another crossroads of the New York Central, Jonesville’s 19th-century depot still stands — now a cozy bed and breakfast preserving the spirit of the line.

Quincy, Michigan

Settled in 1830 and named for Quincy, Massachusetts, the town blossomed along the old Sauk Trail, later known as the Chicago Road. Today, it serves as the turnaround point for the Little River Railroad, whose vintage trains offer runs through Michigan farm country.

Coldwater, Michigan

Originally Masonville, Coldwater now serves as headquarters for the Little River Railroad, whose steam excursions depart from the beautifully preserved Lake Shore depot. Together, Coldwater and Hillsdale mark the northern domain of the Indiana Northeastern — the last active stretch of what was once a vast New York Central network reaching Adrian, White Pigeon, and beyond.


THE WABASH ROUTE

Pergo, Ohio

The Wabash’s Fourth District begins just west of Montpelier, Ohio, at a junction known as Pergo. Once part of a bustling through-route to Chicago, 37 miles remain in service today under the Indiana Northeastern, connecting with Norfolk Southern at Montpelier and linking the region to the national network.

Edon, Ohio

Rails reached Edon in 1893, just in time to carry travelers to the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The town’s Wabash depot has been relocated several times and now rests preserved in a public park. Edon remains an agricultural stronghold, shipping hundreds of carloads of grain and fertilizer each year.

Hamilton, Indiana

Perched on the Steuben–DeKalb County line, Hamilton grew around a modest mill pond that became a lakefront resort. Two passing tracks remain, allowing trains to meet and freight to be sorted on this still-busy stretch.

Ashley, Indiana

Founded as a company town in 1892 and named for Wabash president O. D. Ashley, this was once the division point for the Wabash’s Detroit–Chicago line. Though division offices later moved to Montpelier, Ashley remains active with several local industries served by the Indiana Northeastern.

Hudson, Indiana

Neighboring Ashley, Hudson is home to the railroad’s primary locomotive and maintenance shop, where mechanics handle everything from inspections to full overhauls.

Helmer, Indiana

Helmer retains a long passing siding and once served as the junction for a short Wabash branch line to Stroh, built to reach a cement plant there.

South Milford, Indiana

This unincorporated community is home to South Milford Grain — the enterprise that began it all. While the main track ends two miles west of the elevator, the facility continues to dispatch thousands of carloads of corn, soybeans, and wheat each year. From these quiet sidings, the heartbeat of Midwestern commerce still pulses along the rails.