I may have found the railroad I want to model...

[Norm P]

or at least base a free-lance layout on it:  Indiana Harbor Belt.  I really enjoy railfanning urban and industrial switching, and from just a little bit of browsing this looks like a good prototype after which to pattern a layout. 
Does anyone have any personal experience railfanning this line or general information about it or similar railroads?  Another one that briefly flashed across the radar was the Elgin Joliet and Eastern.

[jmlaboda - RIP]

IHB, a former Penn Central and New York Central subsidiary, is probably one of the most diverse terminal roads you will ever find.  Just check out the photos at RR Picture Archive...

Locomotives
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/modelthumbs.aspx?id=IHB

Rolling Stock
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?road=IHB

[wm3798]

I've always had an interest in my hometown terminal road, the Canton Railroad.  It runs between the CSX (former B&O) Penn Mary Yard, the Canton Waterfront, and the NS (former PRR) yard at Bayview.  Still an interesting mix of heavy and light industry.

Lee

[sirenwerks]

Hmmm, kizmit. I've been contemplating the belt line idea too. Norm, try the IHB's archives - http://www.dhke.com/ihbarchive/.

[Norm P]

Thanks for the links guys.  I'm going to look into this some more and figure out if I can compress some of the more interesting industries into the small space I have.

[3rdrail]

IHB, a former Penn Central and New York Central subsidiary, is probably one of the most diverse terminal roads you will ever find.  Just check out the photos at RR Picture Archive...

Locomotives
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/modelthumbs.aspx?id=IHB

Rolling Stock
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?road=IHB

The "Harbor" was 51 percent owned by the NYC, but the other 49 percent belonged to the Milwaukee Road. Believe NS and CP are the successors, as CSXT had its own line, B&OCT, more or less parallel to the IHB.

BTW, the dual ownership explains that Jade Green and Maroon color scheme.

[wcfn100]

The "Harbor" was 51 percent owned by the NYC, but the other 49 percent belonged to the Milwaukee Road.

That's only '61 to '68, right?


Jason

[3rdrail]

The "Harbor" was 51 percent owned by the NYC, but the other 49 percent belonged to the Milwaukee Road.

That's only '61 to '68, right?


Jason

Don't recall as I started work in the industry in May 1962. That was the ownership then. Of course, after the "Other day that shall live in infamy", Feb. 1, 1968, it was PC.

[pedro]

Up to `61 it was
60/20/20 NYC/CNW/MILW

After `61 it was 51/49 NYC/MILW after CNW sold it's share, then that eventually became PC-CR/MILW-SOO

Now through mergers and the CR split-up it's 22.5/22.5/49 NS/CSX/CP

This all according to the above-referenced IHB archive site, which is really outstanding.

It's an interesting idea no matter what era you're modeling. Even modern era would give you license to run just about anything you dang well please. Just about EVERYONE uses "the harbor" to transfer trains. (Don't call it "the belt"; that's the BRC!) I've lost many hours of my life sitting in IHB traffic jams trying to get to Blue Island. It's an extremely busy place.

Pete

[Chris333]

[Denver Road Doug]

A friend of mine is modeling a "protolanced" IHB layout in N.  I'll admit the concept is compelling.

I've always had a concept of modeling a similar belt line but not following a specific prototype or even city.  I was planning on calling the city Springfield in honor of the purposefully ambiguous town name from "The Simpsons."  (but less pastels, of course!)

[Norm P]

That's kind of the idea I'm leaning towards, Doug.  I know nothing about Chicago railroading, and since it will be my first N scale layout, I'm afraid I'll come up with some big plans and get in over my head, so I'm probably going to "proto-lance" as well if I follow the "belt" type of model.  IHB and Belt Railway of Chicago both seem to have the industrial emphasis I enjoy.

[chuck geiger]

Filthy rotten SW's macked out and still looking better than the CASE. You gotta have some steel on that one. Try re-working the HO Steel Mill from Walthers and using one of the N scale furnaces for backdrop stuff. I remember in the 60's and 70's Atlas used to have IHB rolling stock in N Scale. Sounds like a winner.

[Chris333]

http://s255.photobucket.com/albums/hh136/todengine/

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/mb/todengine

[GonzoCRFan]

Killer decision. I've always been fascinated with small railroads deep in the Rust Belt, IHB, EJ&E, BRC, DT&I, Chiago Short Line...if I wasn't such a CR fanatic, I would definitely be modeling one of those.