Track Gang  
Railroads of Madison County
10/20/2011

Indian Creek Secondary

The Indian Creek is the northern leg of the Panhandle (PRR Richmond Branch) north out of Anderson. When the PRR was abandoned between DOW and Delco Tower, a switch was installed to branch the Indian Creek off of the DOW Secondary at Cross Street just to the West of Broadway at what used to be the DOW Interlocking between the PCC&StL (PRR) and the CCC&StL (NYC). Running Northwest toward Frankton to Florida (Station), the track becomes the property of the Rydman and Fox grain elevator. Fall and early winter are the busiest times with the frequent coming and going of grain empties and loaded grain trains.

RS11 at Rydman-Fox

Indian Creek Railroad
(ICRK)

More photos of the Indiana Creek Locomotive

With the advent of the "Staggers Act" in 1980, many small companies were given the incentive to purchase railroad lines and trackage that would otherwise have been abandoned. Rydman and Fox was one of these companies, purchasing 5 miles of the former PRR Richmond Branch from Florida Station northwest of Anderson on the now Indian Creek Secondary to end of track. Having trackage running from Florida Station to about a mile beyond their grain storage operation permits a large number of grain hopper empties to be filled and processed for transfer to Conrail without having to leave the property.

In forming the Indian Creek Railroad, Rydman and Fox purchased a used Alco RS11 (ex-NKP 867) as their first motive power for switching duties on site. It was this locomotive that was used to pull back the undamaged loaded grain cars when the CR grain train derailed at the DOW while coming off of the Indian Creek in 1981. This engine was disposed of in 1982 because of mechanical problems having suffered a broken block during the previous winter.

The ICRK #6002 is an ex-Southern Pacific Alco RS11 built in 1959 and rebuilt in 1996. The 6002 is the second locomotive owned by the Indian Creek. In season, the RS11 earns its keep filling hoppers and making up grain trains for Conrail to pick up at Florida Station on Conrail's (now NS's) Indian Creek Secondary.

Alco RS11 6002

Conrail
Honey Creek Secondary

Honey Creek Secondary was the south leg of the Pan Handle (PRR) out of Anderson to the southeast. It branched off of the Indianapolis-Cleveland Main number 1 track at Gridley (Inter-locking) just East of the 109 By-Pass at the 3rd set of tracks South of the junction of SR 32, 232 and 109 across from the Plant 3 factory entrance. It ran from there to New Castle serving a grain operation. The operation is now being serviced by Conrail using the Norfolk-Southern (ex-N&W) Muncie to New Castle main.

The line became inactive in 1993 and went to the scrapper in November of 1994 leaving the Indian Creek and Gridley Yards as the only remaining active Ex-Pennsy trackage in Madison County.


Gridley Yards

Gridley Tower Gridley Yards is the remaining PRR trackage west of the 109 By-Pass south of the SR 32 junction. It runs by Delco America plant 3 and serves PQ Corporation and Phillips Iron.
Now the only thing that Gridley Yard is servicing is Phillips Iron. Delco Plant 3 has been torn down and PQ corporation has been closed.

Click on photo at right for more Gridley Photos...

Picture Credits:
Alco at Rydman-Fox - August 8, 1997 photo by Roger P. Hensley
Alco 6002 - August 8, 1997 photo by Roger P. Hensley
Gridley Tower in the late 70s - photo courtesy of Ron Buser
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Last updated December 12, 2005.
This "Railroads of Madision County" page is written, maintained and hosted
by: Roger P. Hensley madisonrails@railfan.net
Copyright 1997-2011 by Roger P. Hensley. Taken from the original work by Roger P. Hensley
Copyright 1995 with additional material copyright 2011.