Vermilion Valley Railroad

Vermilion Valley Railroad
Overview
HeadquartersConnersville, Indiana
Reporting markVVRR
LocaleWestern Indiana, eastern Illinois
Dates of operation2003–
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The Vermilion Valley Railroad (reporting mark VVRR) is a 5.9-mile (9.5 km) short-line railroad that operates across the Indiana-Illinois state line, connecting the Flex-N-Gate Corporation facility west of Covington, Indiana with CSX Transportation in Danville, Illinois.

Operations by the VVRR began in 2003 after CSX abandoned the ex-New York Central Railroad line. On May 12, 2023, VVRR was acquired by Gulf & Atlantic Railways.[1]

History

The line was completed in 1869 by the Indianapolis, Crawfordsville and Danville Railroad, and later became part of the Pekin-Indianapolis line of the Peoria and Eastern Railway, a New York Central Railroad subsidiary.[2]

Successor Conrail abandoned the portion between Olin and Crawfordsville by 1985,[3][4] and in 1999 the remaining pieces were conveyed to New York Central Lines LLC for operation by CSX.[5] CSX filed with the Surface Transportation Board for abandonment between Danville and Olin in 2001, since there had been no traffic for the past three years.[6]

Flex-N-Gate Corporation is an Illinois-based auto parts manufacturer that has submitted an offer of financial assistance and bought the line through newly created FNG Logistics Corporation in December 2002.[7] The Vermilion Valley Railroad began operating the line in April 2003.[8]

After being run by Indiana Boxcar Corporation until 2019 and Midwest and Bluegrass until 2023, VVRR operations have transitioned to Gulf & Atlantic Railways.

Locomotive roster

[9]

Locomotive model Road no.
EMD GP9 1726
5620
EMD GP9RM 4029
EMD F9A 4210
4214
EMD SDM IBCX 809
IBCX 811 & 813
EMD SD18 IBCX 616

References

  1. ^ "Gulf & Atlantic completes acquisition of three short lines". Trains.Com. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  2. ^ Interstate Commerce Commission, 28 Val. Rep. 90 (1929), Valuation Docket No. 264: The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company and its Leased Lines
  3. ^ Conrail, Division & Region Maps, January 1983
  4. ^ Conrail, Division Map Booklet, March 1985
  5. ^ Consolidated Rail Corporation, System Map Showing the Proposed Acquisition of Conrail Lines & Rights (reformatted by Norfolk Southern Engineering Systems), July 9, 1997
  6. ^ STB Docket No. AB-565 (Sub. No. 4X), October 5, 2001
  7. ^ STB Docket No. AB-565 (Sub-No. 4X), April 28, 2003
  8. ^ Railroad Retirement Board, Employer Status Determination: Vermilion Valley Railroad Company, Inc., June 30, 2003
  9. ^ Loco roster