MONON BOARD

Monon Property => Right Of Way => Topic started by: George Lortz on April 17, 2013, 10:52:13 am

Title: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: George Lortz on April 17, 2013, 10:52:13 am
I have recently been searching Flickr for railroad-related images.  I have found many images of grain elevators throughout Indiana and would like to know if the Monon had tracks into any of these:

Mitchell, Francesville, Romney, Roachdale, Bainbridge, Cherry Grove, Salem, Greencastle.

George L.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Steve Dolzall on April 17, 2013, 11:36:06 am
Cherry Grove, Montgomery County Farm Bureau

Francesville, 1. Cooperative Elevator, 2. Gutwein Milling Co.,3. Pulaski County Farm Bureau

Romney, Romney Grain Co.

Bainbridge, Bainbridge Grain & Feed

Greencastle, Putnam County Farm Bureau  Tracks actually on NYC

Roachdale, Roachdale Elevator Co.

Salem, Washington-Scott County Farm Bureau

Mitchell, Nothing listed
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Robert Wheeler on April 17, 2013, 04:38:27 pm
I agree no Mitchell grain elevator from tour guidebook data.

BTW there were at one time or another elevators at most towns in northern Indiana. For instance even Range Line on the C&WV which I believe is still in use as a residence.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: George Lortz on April 17, 2013, 09:27:57 pm
Steve and Bob,

Thanks for your input.  I need to find the company names associated with these grain elevator images.

George L.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Mark Johnson on April 20, 2013, 09:24:10 am
There is (and has been for a long time) a grain elevator at Mitchell just north of the B&O crossing. Evidence on Google indicates that if it ever had rail service, it was served from the B&O side - there are traces of tracks just outside the wye track in the NE quadrant of the junction, that appear to have once led to the elevator.

I cannot, for the life of me, recall what the name of the company was during the latter Monon years. More recently it has been known as Mitchell Feed & Grain and Hancock Feed and Grain (for a time, it was owned by former Mitchell mayor Jerry Hancock, who also operated a construction company and a trucking company). Google Maps shows it today as 'Lawrence County Farm Supply' - that's news to me, but then I've only been back to Mitchell once in the past 3 years or so.

Mark J
Mitchell HS Class of 1974 (graduated with Jerry Hancock's daughter)
Columbia, MO
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Ken Weller on April 20, 2013, 05:20:08 pm
See attached - is this the grain elevator?  I think this is from one of the Society's CDs.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: George Lortz on April 21, 2013, 09:54:20 am
Ken,

This is the Mitchell grain elevator image I found on Flickr.  There clearly are tracks leading into it, but I'm not sure whose they are.  This looks like a more recent image of the grain elevator than the one you posted.  No date was posted with this image.

George L.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Justin Asbery on April 21, 2013, 10:22:08 am
The aerial photo Mark posted has the present day track arrangement.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Ron Marquardt on April 21, 2013, 11:21:34 am
Here's an undated aerial view that shows the B&O track to the elevator.  Ths must date from the 50's or 60's?  Anyone know when they removed the freight house?  / Ron
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Steve Dolzall on April 21, 2013, 01:27:35 pm
I can remember the old wooden B&O depot at Mitchell so I would have to think this photos dates from the 1940's or 1930's.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Ron Marquardt on April 21, 2013, 03:45:58 pm
Thanks Steve, I don't know where the picture came from and I was just making a WAG.  I didn't even check out the B&O depot.  / Ron

PS, here's a picture I have of a B&O wooden depot at Mitchell, but I don't know if it's the same wooden depot as in the aerial picture?  I don't have a date for this one either.  Sorry.  I love the interlocking they used back then.  Any educated guesses?  What about that headlight?
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Robert Wheeler on April 24, 2013, 05:21:52 pm
To give some "date limits" on the crossing signal equipment here is information gleamed from employee time tables. The dates are when the timetable became effective and the changes were made sometime between those dates.

Signals at railroad crossings were not always shown in the very early ETTs.

The early crossing was, I presume, with no signals as it was one of the first crossings on the the NA&S.

 I did not note changes for any early signals  or the start of using the gate as shown in Ron's picture. (below)
 
The gate lasted thru CI&L ETT #28 (06/29/13) and was replaced by a Tilting(?) Target by ETT #29 (11/12/13).

The target was still in effect wlith CLI&L ETT #78 (09/28/46) and the interlocking was in effect by CI&L ETT # 79 (03/02/47)

This should help in determining the timeline of the picture and changes in signal equipment.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Tim T Swan on April 30, 2013, 04:11:52 pm
Here's a photo I took in 1970 of the B&O's cantilevered interlocking signal at Mitchell.  The same signal is visible in that (older) aerial photo, just above the wood B&O depot.  So that would date the aerial sometime after 3/2/47.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Tom Pinnick on April 30, 2013, 07:11:12 pm
Here are two portions of Sandborn maps that were posted some years ago on this forum (well before we changed). Maybe they will help with questions concerning the feed mill area. The track came off the B&O.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Tom Pinnick on May 03, 2013, 02:25:00 pm
I didn't see any mention of an elevator at Orleans. I stopped by this afternoon and took a photo. Notice the rail sticking out of the pavement. I remember the rail into the facility. I don't know when the turnout was removed, but I think it was prior to the rail being pulled.
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Steve Dolzall on May 03, 2013, 03:05:03 pm
There are two firms listed for Orleans. 1. Farm Service Center (Feed)  2.Goodrich Brothers (Grain & Feed).
Title: Re: Grain Elevator Service
Post by: Ken Weller on May 04, 2013, 07:47:21 pm
Monon customer listing for the years 1958 & 1959: 
For those years the Industries served by the Monon in Orleans were:
 
Crawford-Morse Lumber -Building Materials
 
Farm Service Center -Feed
 
Goodrich Brothers -Grain & Feed
 
Orleans Coal Company -Coal
 
Producer's Marketing Ass'n -Milk Solids & Butter
 
Trav-Ler Radio Corporation -TV Sets & Radios
 
Wheeler-Foutch -Groceries
 
Orange County Concrete Company