Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad is a Class III railroad
in the United States
. The line comprises 320 miles (515 km) of track—30 miles of single mainline track, 24 miles (38.6 km) of double-main track and 266 miles (428.1 km) of additional yard and side track—starting northwest of Chicago in Franklin Park, Illinois
, traveling southeast around the city to its headquarters in Hammond, Indiana
.
The line's largest yard, Blue Island, is located in Riverdale, Illinois
, with other yards in the Indiana
cities of Hammond and East Chicago
. The Gibson Yard, located in Hammond, is arguably the largest auto-switching operation in the United States.
Throughout the 1970s and 1990s to the present, Indiana Harbor Belt operated an extensive interlocking tower system including: East End, Osbourne, Calumet, Stewart Avenue, Graselli, 55th Street and Argo towers and North Harvey switch tender. They later took over State Line tower from the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad
.
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The line comprises 320 miles (515 km) of track—30 miles of single mainline track, 24 miles (38.6 km) of double-main track and 266 miles (428.1 km) of additional yard and side track—starting northwest of Chicago in Franklin Park, Illinois
Franklin Park, Illinois
Franklin Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,800 at the 2004 census.-Geography:Franklin Park is located at ....
, traveling southeast around the city to its headquarters in Hammond, Indiana
Hammond, Indiana
Hammond is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 80,830 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Hammond is located at ....
.
The line's largest yard, Blue Island, is located in Riverdale, Illinois
Riverdale, Illinois
Riverdale is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,055 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Riverdale is located at ....
, with other yards in the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
cities of Hammond and East Chicago
East Chicago, Indiana
East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census.-Geography:East Chicago is located at ....
. The Gibson Yard, located in Hammond, is arguably the largest auto-switching operation in the United States.
Throughout the 1970s and 1990s to the present, Indiana Harbor Belt operated an extensive interlocking tower system including: East End, Osbourne, Calumet, Stewart Avenue, Graselli, 55th Street and Argo towers and North Harvey switch tender. They later took over State Line tower from the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad
Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad
The Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad was the owner of Dearborn Station in Chicago and the trackage leading to it. It was owned equally by five of the railroads using it to reach the terminal, and kept those companies from needing their own lines into the city...
.
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Police
The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Police Department consists of 11 sworn officers and as of 2010, directed by Chief of Police Rob Olszowka, Sr. Operating under the authority of state and federal statute, the IHBPD is responsible for the protection of employees, property and assets on or about IHB property in the states of Indiana and Illinois.See also
- Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co. v. American Cyanamid Co.Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co. v. American Cyanamid Co.Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Co. v. American Cyanamid Co., 916 F.2d 1174 is a decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit authored by Judge Richard Posner...
, a landmark torts case which involved the railroad.