In 1902, the line was purchased jointly at a foreclosure sale by the Big Four (CCC&StL)
and the Panhandle (PCC&StL) and was renamed the Central Indiana Rwy in 1903. About 1927,
the joint owners began reducing operations until, in 1943, the line only ran from Anderson
to Lebanon. The CI was leased and successfully operated for several years in the 1950s and
60s by a local businessman who served various small shippers, meat packers, grain dealers,
warehouses, fertilizer plants and glass and tire manufacturers. This era ended with the
forming of Penn Central in 1968 and by the mid 1980's it was in the process of being scrapped until the remnant was sold on November 4, 1986.
Central Indiana & Western
[Short Line]
The Central Indiana and Western RR came into being on November 4, 1986 with the purchase
of the old CI Railway. The CI&W leaves the Conrail number 2 main line at Cedar Street just West of Madison Avenue at about 17th Street where it services the Elston-Richards Warehouse on Anderson's westside. It then runs West 9 miles to Lapel where it serves Brockway Glass and Lapel's two grain elevators.
Their primary locomotive, CIW 88, an EMD SW-7, ties up at the Elevator near downtown Lapel. CI&W has now (1994) purchased land and obtained zoning for an Engine House just West of 18th and Raible Avenue on Anderson's Westside. This modern short line is all that remains of the Central Indiana Railway which used to run from Muncie to Brazil Indiana.
On September 5, 2002, I got a call about CIW's new loco being in South Anderson waiting for pick up. It is a Paducah Rebuild GP-8 (formerly of the Paducah & Louisville 8307). On 9/7, I caught it west of Anderson on its way to its new home in Lapel. I found it again in South Anderson on 9/17 already in service working with 4295 and sporting a new logo on the cab.
Click on thumbnail for larger picture - See the Photo Album for more photos.
Picture Credit:
CIRwy 1 (SW1) was the first and only locomotive ever purchased new by the CI - Photo courtesy of Ed Belknap, deceased
CIW 88 (SW7) at it's tie-up in Lapel Indiana in 1992 - Photo by Roger P. Hensley
CIW locos #88 and #4295 at Lapel Indiana - Photo by Ron Buser
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Last updated September 17, 2002.
This "Railroads of Madision County" page is written, maintained and hosted by:
Roger P. Hensley madisonrails@railfan.net
Copyright 1997-2002 by Roger P. Hensley. Taken from the original work by Roger P. Hensley
Copyright 1995.
