With six cars on the drawbar for Nease Chemical in Fernald, Ohio, Indiana Eastern SD9 No. 206 cruises through the farmland of eastern Indiana on former Chesapeake & Ohio rails near the tiny community of Peoria, Ind., on July 18.
David Rohdenburg
COTTAGE GROVE, Ind. — Midwest shortline Indiana Eastern Railroad, which operates 43 miles of former Chesapeake & Ohio trackage between Fernald, Ohio, and Richmond, Ind., has recently become a local railfan magnet after placing one of their two classic ex-Algers, Winslow & Western, ex-Central of Georgia 1955-built EMD SD9s back into regular service.
Indiana Eastern No. 206, still operating in full AW&W colors, has taken over primary motive power duties for the line after the primary unit that took over the last couple of years, ex-Norfolk Southern high hood GP38-2 No. 5255, went down for repairs that have sidelined it for the time being. The other SD9, Indiana Eastern No. 205, is also in full AW&W paint, and is serving now as No. 206’s backup.
The Indiana Eastern bases operations in the small community of Cottage Grove, about 50 miles northwest of Cincinnati. It is also home to the railroad’s locomotive shop and where it crosses and interchange with CSX Transportation via the Class I railroad’s Indianapolis Subdivision.
Really nice looking locomotive, glad to see her in revenue freight service.
Almost as old as me!!