Whitewater Valley Railroad

The Whitewater Valley Railroad is a heritage railroad in Indiana.

The railroad is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of a 1970s era of branch line railroading. It is now operated by vintage diesel switchers during most of the year. Steam operations occur on or around labor day each year. A steam locomotive was donated and is currently being restored.

History

The Whitewater River formed a natural trade route for Native Americans and for early settlers. In 1836 the new state of Indiana approved funds to build the Whitewater Canal, following the river from Lawrenceburg, Indiana all the way to Hagerstown, Indiana 76 miles. It was opened to Connersville, Indiana in 1845. While improving trade for the area, it suffered from alternate droughts and floods, which carried away aqueducts and embankments. It was so damaged by floods in the later 1850s that residents petitioned the state to sell the right of way for a railroad.

In 1863 the Indianapolis and Cincinnati Railroad (I&C) acquired the right to build on the old towpath, although many portions of the canal remained open as a source of water power for mills like the one still operating in Metamora, Indiana. The canal remained open in Connersville until 1953, when Western Avenue was built over the top of it.

After the I&C purchased the canal right-of-way, its subsidiary, the White Water Valley Railroad (WVRR) , reached Connersville in the Spring of 1867, and continued on to Hagerstown in 1868. The WWVRR connected with the I&C main line at Valley Junction, 17 miles west of Cincinnati, and ran trains into Cincinnati over that line.

Initially operated by the I&C, the WVRR operated independently for several years. In 1890 the WVRR was absorbed by the growing *Big Four* - the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis. The Big Four (later the New York Central Railroad or NYC) operated commuter trains from Connersville and from Harrison, Ohio, into Cincinnati, and briefly operated through trains and parlor cars from Cincinnati to Fort Wayne, changing at Connersville to the tracks of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad.

The little used section between Connersville and Hagerstown was abandoned by the NYC 1931, and all passenger service ended in 1933. Local freight continued behind steam locomotives until 1957, and behind diesel locomotives until discontinued by the NYC's successor, the Penn Central Railroad in 1972.

The formation of Conrail in 1976 saw that company provide rail service in Connersville, however the line was disconnected from the rest of the Conrail system.

The line was sold to Indiana Hi-Rail in 1981, although freight operation from Brookville to Valley Junction was taken over in 1979 by the Indiana and Ohio Railway. Freight service was later abandoned on the Whitewater line between Brookville and Connersville.

Present operation

The present Whitewater Valley Railroad was formed as a not-for-profit corporation in 1972, and began weekend passenger operations in 1974 on 25 miles of leased Penn Central Railroad track between Connersville and Brookville. After a substantial washout closed the track between Metamora and Brookville in 1974, the Penn Central lifted 4 miles of track in 1976.

The remaining 18 miles of line from Connersville through Metamora were formally purchased by the Whitewater Valley in 1983, followed later by an additional 1 mile of track in Connersville.

Operation of the heritage railroad has always been conducted entirely by volunteers, supplemented by a paid office manager. Track upgrading has been assisted by matching grants, totalling over $1 million since 1994.

The railroad operates passenger excursion trains hauled by historic diesel locomotives and open window coaches on a regular schedule. One route operates from Connersville to Metamora, while another operates as the "Metamora Shuttle", carrying passengers south on a 2-mile excursion along the restored canal, past the canal boat dock, a working aqueduct, and a restored lock.

Current Operations

*Valentines Train to Dinner
*Easter Bunny Train
*Weekend Train (Connersville, IN to Metamora, IN and return)
*Metamora Shuttle
*Wild West Train
*Pumpkin Train
*A Day Out With Thomas (Late June)
*Fall Excursions
*Train to Dinner
*4th of July Train
*Labor Day Steam Trips
*Santa Trains
*The Polar Express (November to December)

ee also

*List of heritage railroads in the United States
*Whitewater Canal

External links

* [http://whitewatervalleyrr.org/ Whitewater Valley Railroad] official website