N&W "Cloverleaf Line"Railroad RIP Abandoned 1998

This is a tour of the recently removed N&W "Cloverleaf Line." This operation was previously operated by shortline Indiana Hi-Rail, and they had not run a train in a few years. They had obtained the line from N&W through a "Thoroughbred Lease" in 1989. A 3-mile segment from Delphos to Landeck, Ohio remains in place, but the remaining track from Delphos to Douglas, OH, and Landeck, OH to Craigville, Indiana was removed. Approximate mileage of removed track was about 46 miles.

Our first scene is looking east at Ohio City, Ohio at the former crossing with the EL mainline, which became the Spencerville & Elgin shortline. At one time, the Cincinnati Northern also crossed here, forming a triangle of diamonds around a station. Note that the rails are gone, but the diamond remains in place!

We then see a rural farm crossing with a stack of rail south of the ROW. Then, at :30, we are in Decatur, Indiana, where the PRR (ex-GR&I) line once crossed the EL and the Cloverleaf. A short 1-mile segment remains of the EL to a serve Dolco Packaging, which is accessed used a segment of the GR&I. The Cloverleaf paralleled the EL through town but did not cross it. Note that the Cloverleaf rails have been removed, except at the grade crossing.

At Peterson, IN, the tracks passed a grain elevator. There is a huge stack of salvaged rail right lying next to it. Curryville, Indiana is where the Cloverleaf literally ran through the middle of the intersection of two farm roads. It appeared we caught up with the removal gang, as there was a Caterpillar left on site. Note the stack of rail in the area.

Craigville, Indiana is the cut-off point for the track removal, and it is west of here that the line was kept for a new shortline-the Wabash Central. The facility in Craigville is the Helena company. Bluffton, is where they interchange with the NS' New Castle District. Note the weed-grown yard along with the Alco C425 and ex-BN GP20. Both of these units came from successor Indiana Hi-Rail. The Wabash & Ohio (WOHO) reporting marks, were used in later years after they went bankrupt.

Category:

Science & Technology

[arrowguy173]

I have been passing through the Decatur area since '94 and was lucky to see some of the final traffic on this line. I still remember N&W hoppers at the Willshire elevator. Sad to think this line has completely disappeared in areas in such a short time. Can't see a thing anymore from 33.

[ma7799]

@arrowguy173

Do you have any pics or video?

[tartopfan]

are those engines still there or are they scrapped?

[ma7799]

@tartopfan

I do not know.

[meccaturbo]

This was not the original N&W....had to be NKP, WAB, etc.

[ma7799]

@meccaturbo

it;s ex-NKP

[lcar4000]

Amazing. I know the portion of the line through Central Illinois was torn up several years ago---most of it anyway. Amazing fact, also: This began as a narrow gauge railroad.

[arrowguy173]

@ma7799 I did take 35mm photos but may take me awhile to find them.

[franky98765]

Those couple pieces of track at 1:49, on 300N and the Adams/Wells County Line road are still laying there today..... 13 years later

[metraF40PH163]

The TLE&W railroad which I volunteer for runs on part of the old Cloverleaf line from Waterville, Ohio to Grand Rapids, Ohio. Neat video