CID Central Indiana Layouts Roger Hensley's ECI Railroad

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East Central Indiana
HO Scale Railroad

The ECI is a 1970 short line operating out of Anderson in North Central Indiana southward over the ex-New York Central (CCC&StL) Michigan Division/PC North Vernon Secondary purchased from Penn Central. The ECI runs through Emporia, Rushville, and Greensburg, teminating in the Southern Indiana town of Westport.

Connections are made with the Central Indiana & Western (CIW) at Anderson, the Chicago, Emporia & Evansville (CEE) at Emporia, and the Chessie System at Rushville. The ECI and CEE share trackage between Anderson and Westport under control of the ECI Dispatcher working out of the South Anderson Yards.

The majority of customers are small industrial companies (pipes, plastics, autoparts, etc.) as well as several heavy grain operations and one small stone quarry sending occasional shipments off line to dealers nationwide from their quarry near Westport.

Although the line is not truly prosperous, it is making money and has outstanding Service Facilities with a maintenance crew devoted to rebuild and maintenance with tender loving care. This is attested to by the E7 ex-NYC Unit that has been placed into service pulling an Excursion Train consisting of refurbished passenger cars running from Anderson to Westport monthly during summer months and the NYC GP7 and rebuilt 0-8-0 that now does the major freight work on ECI trackage. ECI's GP38-2 is handling th grain opeation at Westport.

With its small but dedicated staff of employees, the ECI tends to reflect the sense of optimism found in its headquarters city of Anderson as to a solid future in providing high quality service to its clients as well as presenting rail service in a favorable light to more people. (Click for Larger Pix)

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