Such a simple scene, yet so complex is the subject: A quartet of ex-NS (originally Conrail) GP38-2s leased by the Indiana Rail Road from Helm Financial tiptoe across a frozen Midwest landscape with 75 loads of Illinois Basin bituminous coal bound for Indianapolis Power & Light's Harding Street Generating Station. The train originated at Black Beauty Coal Company's (a subsidiary of Peabody Energy) Vermilion Grove Mine on CSXT's Danville Secondary Subdivision, and would run to Indy by way of the CSXT St. Louis Line Sub, CPR Latta Sub, INRD Midland Sub and INRD Indianapolis Sub. In the years since this photo was taken, the Geeps were purchased by INRD, the mine was closed, and CPR sold its Indiana lines to INRD -- in fact, when you think about it, the only things which really haven't much changed are the IP&L hoppers and harsh Midwest winters. Scanned from Provia 100F.
