- The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad became the Pennsylvania Railroad with a nearly 3 mile long block of Pennsy Shops where the downtown Post Office is located. The Bass Foundry was located across the street. "from the Civil War until just past 1900, Fort Wayne was one of the most important railroad centers in the nation." Read more in The Pennsy Shops by Tom Castaldi posted December 18, 2013 on the History Center Notes & Queries blog.
- Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
- Guide to the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway Company (Pittsburgh, Pa) Photographs, 1903-1924 on Historic Pittsburgh hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Library System.
- Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway Richard M. Simpson, III, 19 June 2019 on Indiana Transportation History blog.
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September 15, 2016 post by Hofer and Davis, Inc. Land Surveyors on Facebook
An old, faded photo for "Throwback Thursday". After a visit to the Hofer and Davis, Inc. Wall of Fame from Jerry Hofer a couple of weeks ago from Terrell, Texas, we dug out this photo from 1975! This is the Hofer brothers, Jerry on left and Hans on right, checking out the Historical Marker sign for the PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD SHOPS. They were part of the crew surveying for the United States Post Office which was built between Clinton and Lafayette Streets, South of Brackenridge…
- The Fort Wayne Railfan - Official message board for the greater Ft Wayne area - lots of discussions since 2000, some old time photos of Fort Wayne such as photos of Old City Light in 1952 before Science Central.
- Fort Wayne - Historical Aspects has a short history of local railroads including schematics and photos of interurban railroad tracks down the middle of Broadway and old cars on FWARailfan.net.
- At least 10 photos of the Baker Street Station in 1972 on Facebook scroll right to the rest on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook
- Fort Wayne railroad history and old railroad maps? discussion started December 13, 2012 on Indiana Railroads Bull Session.
- The Big Four Railroad In Indiana including the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago, and the Pennsylvania Central railroads by Ared Maurice Murphy in Volume 21, Issue 2-3, June 1925 Indiana Magazine of History on scholarworks.iu.edu.
- Technical marvel dominated rails in Fort Wayne in early 1940s S1 steam locomotive was the biggest of its kind by Justin Kenny published March 3, 2016 in The News-Sentinel newspaper. This article was based on the December 1941 Popular Mechanics magazine which stated
the Chicago to Fort Wayne division was the fastest stretch of rails in the land.
- The Rise and Fall of Penn Station on American Experience video on PBS.
- April 12, 2022 Facebook post by The History Centerhad photos and information on the history of railroads in Fort Wayne.
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February 10, 2023 post by Keith Roman on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook : This was the Pennsy RR (Conrail) roundhouse and turntable around 1978. It was later torn down.
A similar September 4, 2022 post with photos asked about the turntable or roundhouse for the Pennsylvania Railroad on
True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
Fort Wayne, IN: Roundhouses and Coaling Tower Below are notes on the Pennsy, NKP and NYC roundhouses. on Towns and Nature blog.
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September 15, 2022 post by The Journal Gazette on Facebook:
HISTORY JOURNAL May 13, 1949: Pennsylvania Railroad's Fort Wayne Division showed of pieces of equipment, which included a replica of the original "John Bull" locomotive, that were being sent to Chicago for the Chicago Railroad Fair. More photos and the 1949 story are in History Journal today: May 13, 1949: Old train equipment on display in Fort Wayne
#fortwayne #history #trains #railroad
May 13, 1949: Old train equipment on display in Fort Wayne by Corey McMaken.
History Journal features and stories of historical interest from the archives of The Journal Gazette.Some old railroad equipment was on display in the city on May 13, 1949, as Pennsylvania Railroad's Fort Wayne Division showed off three locomotives and two passenger cars that had been stored in the city. The pieces, which included a replica of the original "John Bull" locomotive, were being sent to Chicago for the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair. Before they left Fort Wayne, they were put on display for the local public. The equipment had been repaired and painted under the direction of the railroad's master mechanic, J.E. Brower. Though said to be in excellent condition and able to make the trip to Chicago themselves, the five pieces were loaded on flatcars for the trek. The original 1949 Journal Gazette story is below. "Ancient 'Iron Horses' On Parade Here Before Going To Chicago Railroad Fair," by Ivan M'Kathnie (May 14, 1949) The Pennsylvania Railroad's Fort Wayne Division yesterday rolled out the most ancient railroad equipment it could find and, in a display open to the public, turned back the calendar almost a century. It went back to a replica of the original "John Bull” locomotive – the oldest railroad engine in America preserved in complete form. The railroad gave the Fort Wayne public a peek at three of its most ancient iron horses before they are taken to Chicago where they will have an honored place in the pageant "Wheels a Rolling" at the 1949 Chicago Railroad Fair on the lake front from June 25 to October 2. The "John Bull" locomotive, which shades two other Pennsylvania engines also displayed, originally came from England. There it was built by Robert Stephenson in 1831 and was shipped from Liverpool the following July.
Copied from a longer article including the original newspaper article. -
May 11, 1949 photo of men at the Pennsylvania Railroad Central Air Brakes Shop posted January 19, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook
Central Air Brakes Shop - A November 3, 2022 post of an August 26, 1949 photo showing dozens of Penn RR Car Shops posted on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook .
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February 22, 2023 post by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Facebook:
Excerpt from The Local Fort Wayne.
So what’s happening with passenger rail service in Fort Wayne, and how does it relate?
As Savage pointed out: There is currently no passenger rail service between Fort Wayne and Chicago via Amtrak. The closest access is Waterloo.
So why doesn’t Amtrak stop here? Our railroad source says: “Amtrak's route was inherited from the Pennsylvania Railroad's Broadway Limited, which changed due to railroad track being abandoned and changes in railroad ownership in the 1970s. When parts of the route through Fort Wayne started to atrophy, it made more sense to re-route the train elsewhere while still keeping other major cities/terminals. For a while, it moved to Garrett, and then finally Waterloo. The only towns being serviced today from the original Fort Wayne route are Chicago, Valpo, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and New York, so there are plenty of communities along the original Broadway Limited route that were left out as routes changed.
“Once upon a time, there were four tracks along the route of the Broadway Limited (which stopped at Baker Street), and tracks were designated as freight and passenger tracks to keep the system moving. Now, you have one track. If you re-routed Amtrak to Fort Wayne, but wanted to keep Elkhart, South Bend, Goshen, etc, you'd need twice as many crews, because the railroad districts/territories change, and then you'd add another hour or two to the schedule, making a late train even later.”
One potential solution to create passenger rail service between Fort Wayne, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, is being proposed by the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA). See their plans here.
As President of NIPRA, Fred Lanahan notes that, despite challenges in the freight industry, “things are looking good” for passenger rail locally. NIPRA’s team is getting ready to apply for a grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is providing “unprecedented federal funding for rail improvement projects in America.”
Securing this grant could fund 80-90 percent of the project, making it step one of a three-step process to restoring passenger rail service between Fort Wayne and Chicago. Step two is a detailed analysis and engineering of the plan. Step three is construction.
Lanahan says: “We’re deep into the grant application process right now, and we should be putting out a press release in the next month or so once the application is submitted. Then, we’ll know if we got the grant sometime mid-2024.”
If everything goes smoothly, he estimates passenger rail service between Chicago and Fort Wayne could be restored as early as three or four years from now. And while NIPRA’s plan doesn’t involve the Amtrak line, it could improve freight transit in Indiana by restoring more train infrastructure, investment, and public interest.
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Broadway Limited
Train Sounds | Fort Wayne - The Broadway Limited / Pittsburgh - The Pennsylvania's General (1948) February 29, 2024 Raptor's Videos on YouTube.
Another 78. This record was released by Star Electronics to be used with their model trains.A similar two minute recording from a 78rpm vinyl record is posted below:
Image of 78rpm vinyl record with the sound recording below:
AT FORT WAYNE THE BROADWAY LIMITED, Authentic Loco Sounds (298 A), 78rpm, Sound Effects on Archive.org.
Authentic Train Sound Effects recorded through the courtesy of the Pennsylvania Railroad... Made for use with Star Talking Station for Model Railroad Realism. Posted March 1, 2024 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.- "Inside Story" of The Broadway Limited Pennsylvania Railroad eight page brochure pdf.
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Amtrak reroutes service front page November 9, 1989 The News-Sentinel newspaper.
- The Broadway Limited ended service in September, 1995, becoming the Three Rivers (with different numbers) east of Pittsburgh, and then from Chicago (as Trains 40 &1) in November, 1996, after a 14-month gap in service (partially filled by two Amfleet coaches carried from Chicago on the Capitol Limited from February 1, 1996), with (until April 1, 1999) no sleeping car service; sleeping car service ended October 31, 2004, and the train ended on March 6, 2005. Amtrak Trains 40 & 41, Broadway Limited/Three Rivers Don Winter.com.
- FORT WAYNE INDIANA (FWA) Note: Capitol Limited and Broadway Limited were rerouted via Waterloo, IN in November 1990 on Trainweb.org
- Riding the Fort Wayne Line July 23, 2021 Belt magazine.
75 minute video Broadway Limited by Gordon Douglas, Publication date, 1941 on Archive.org
Hal Roach Studios, Title: Broadway Limited
Summary: A publicity stunt staged on a train known as the Broadway Limited creates problems because of an unknown baby that was part of the stunt.Directed by: Gordon Douglas
Actors: Victor McLaglen, Marjorie Woodworth, Dennis O
Production Company: Hal Roach Studios
Release Date: 13 June 1941 (USA)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37 : 1
As a ploy to gain publicity, a motion picture director wants his star actress to take a baby with her on a train trip. The director's secretary asks the train's engineer, an old boyfriend, for help. As the engineer ponders what to do, a stranger in the train station tells him that he has a baby that could be used. On board the train, the actress meets a young doctor whom she knew in school, and whom she is still in love with. The presence of the baby causes a series of misunderstandings between them, but the real problems begin when the engineer begins to suspect that the baby may have been kidnapped. -
Broadway Limited at the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library
Pennsy Train. Famed crack train “Broadway Limited” caught by News Sentinel photographer, John Stearns as it gathered speed leaving the city of Fort Wayne on its early morning run to Chicago. General Electric Plant"../_images/news-sentinel/1945-broadway-limited-fwns1960-1969.jpg" on left. Date: 5/27/1958. Posted June 30, 2022 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
Pennsylvania Railroad conductor C.F. Marquette is shown in Fort Wayne after his last run on the Broadway Limited. He began as a brakeman in 1937, moved up through the ranks and was promoted to a passenger conductor in 1945. - A slice of life, from the archives of The News-Sentinel's Allen County Photo Album, 1960-1969. Posted March 31, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.
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April 13, 2023 post by the City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:
The City of Fort Wayne has submitted a grant application to the Federal Railroad Administration to further explore passenger rail service from Pittsburgh to Chicago via Fort Wayne and Columbus.
Read more: MIDWEST CONNECT PASSENGER RAIL GRANT APPLICATION SUBMITTED
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April 13, 2023 post by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Facebook:
City officials eye return of passenger trains in Fort Wayne by: Clayton McMahan, April 13, 2023 on CBS WANE-TV NewsChannel 15.
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April 14, 2023 post by by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Facebook:
Fort Wayne seeks federal grant for passenger train through five states
James D. Wolf Jr. | The Journal Gazette [April 14, 2023]
Fort Wayne has taken a step toward having a passenger rail line – one that will go from Chicago to Pittsburgh.
The city applied for a $500,000 corridor identification grant from the Federal Railroad Administration that would benefit multiple cities along a five-state route, city officials announced at a news conference Thursday with representatives from Amtrak and Ohio. The proposed rail line would travel through Ohio and the upper tip of West Virginia before reaching Pittsburgh.
The city should know whether it will receive the grant by late summer or early fall, said Fred Lanahan, president of Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association. The grant would pay for a study identifying the scope, schedule and cost estimates of the proposed line. That study could lead to funding for planning and engineering of the proposed rail line.
“I hear we have an excellent chance,” Lanahan said.
The west end of the proposed route is Chicago’s Union Station. In addition to Fort Wayne, other planned stops in Indiana are Gary, Valparaiso, Plymouth and Warsaw. In Ohio, the plan identifies nine potential stops including Columbus, Lima and Steubenville.
Fort Wayne lost passenger train service in 1990 when the line that included Baker Street Station was discontinued. City Councilman Geoff Paddock, D-5th, said the new plan designates the 1914 station, which is where officials shared the announcement Thursday, as a train stop again.
Mayor Tom Henry said people had their hearts broken when the trains left. Applying for the grant shows the stamina of those volunteers working for years to bring back passenger train service despite being told it was a dead issue, he said.
Henry shared a memory of the last time he took a passenger train from Fort Wayne into Chicago. He and other boys in Little League visited Comiskey Park, where the White Sox played.
“That was 60 years ago, and I remember every detail of that trip,” he said. “We can bring those kinds of memories back.”
Elliot Lewis, senior planner with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, said that if the Midwest Connect project receives this initial grant, it will go on to a second phase of additional planning and a third phase of engineering and design. The grant portion is competitive, but the next two phases aren’t, he said.
Total cost for the rail line could be about $2.5 billion, Lanahan said.
The Midwest Connect line is competing with other rail projects across the nation for funding, which comes from the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act of 2021. Lewis said the chances of the Federal Railroad Administration, a subdivision of the U.S. Department of Transportation, choosing this project are good because of the coalition of cities and states working together.
“We have a very strong case for the interest in – and the need for – this connection,” Lewis said.
Lanahan said Fort Wayne’s grant application included 100 letters of support, which he called an unusually high number.
Paddock, who is also a board member of the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association, said the project has received support from the Indiana Department of Transportation, legislators, businesses and nonprofits along the proposed line.
The second phase would require a 10% local match to receive grant money, and the third phase would require a 20% match. INDOT’s support might help with that, he added, but the state’s transportation department currently is focusing on improvements to the Indianapolis-to-Chicago train line.
The proposed Midwest Connect train would have a speed of at least 75 mph, Paddock said. The speed depends, however, on stops, overpasses and crossings.
Derrick James, director of government affairs with Amtrak, said the first-phase study would consider whether it could be a high-speed rail line.
Paddock said the tracks that used to connect Fort Wayne to Chicago no longer exist. Everything about the project would be new and developed along existing freight tracks.
Trains stopped traveling to Fort Wayne because of problems with tracks to the west. Indiana refused to improve them, and Amtrak said it didn’t have the money, Lanahan said.
The Midwest Connect line wouldn’t take away from the rail line that services Waterloo, Paddock said.
“If anything,” he said, “we need additional lines, just like you need more than one highway.”
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April 17, 2023 post by WANE 15 on Facebook:
In December 1990, the city of Fort Wayne saw its last passenger train leave Baker Street Station, heading toward Chicago.
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Love what the city is doing to make railroad underpasses more attractive! Stop in & take a peak at Baker Street Train...
Posted by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Thursday, May 9, 2024Thursday, May 9, 2024 post by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Facebook:
Love what the city is doing to make railroad underpasses more attractive!
Stop in & take a peak at Baker Street Train Station lobby when you are visiting the Phresh Calhoun street underpass mural & soon the Harrison street renovation!
We hope to be making station improvements for returning passenger train service one of these days…
Railroad Underpass Renovations Improving the lighting & aesthetic appearance of downtown railroad underpasses. This includes underpasses at Fairfield Ave, Harrison St, & Calhoun St.
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City of Fort Wayne MEDIA RELEASE Midwest Connect Passenger Rail Project Gains Momentum with HNTB's Expertise July 23,...
Posted by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Thursday, August 1, 2024Thursday, August 1, 2024 post by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Facebook:
City of Fort Wayne
MEDIA RELEASEMidwest Connect Passenger Rail Project Gains Momentum with HNTB's Expertise
July 23, 2024– The City of Fort Wayne, in partnership with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC), has retained HNTB Corporation to assist with the implementation of the Midwest Connect Corridor ID Grant.
In December of 2023, the City of Fort Wayne received a $500,000 Corridor ID grant from the Federal Railroad Administration. The federal grant funds Step 1 to develop a scope, schedule, and budget for performing corridor planning and preparing a Service Development Plan to implement passenger rail service from Pittsburgh to Chicago via Fort Wayne & Columbus.
The selected consultant, HNTB, brings vision and extensive experience, having worked on over 40 passenger rail corridors nationwide. With over 110 years in transportation planning and design, HNTB is no stranger to the Midwest Connect corridor, having analyzed sections of the route over the past decade. They provide fully integrated services for all project phases, including feasibility studies, planning, environmental review, conceptual design, final design, and construction management.
“It’s encouraging to see this progress as Fort Wayne continues to lead an effort that will have a lasting and meaningful impact,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker. “As work continues with our partners, it’s our belief that this latest effort gives us the best chance to restore passenger rail services to Fort Wayne.”
The Corridor ID program garnered additional support from several key stakeholders, including the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail Association (NIPRA), Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), Northeastern Indiana Regional Coordinating Council (NIRCC), Lima/Allen County Regional Planning Commission (LACRPC), Licking County Area Transportation Study (LCATS), Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association (OMEGA), and Brooke-Hancock-Jefferson Metropolitan Planning Commission (BHJTS). The program also received advocacy from the Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation.
“We are thrilled to have HNTB on board as our consultant for this project. Their extensive experience and vision will be invaluable as we move forward,” stated City Councilman Geoff Paddock. “The momentum of this initiative is inspiring, and while we recognize that there is a long road ahead, we are confident that with the support of our dedicated stakeholders, we can navigate this journey successfully.”
Elizabeth Lewis
Public Information OfficerCITY OF FORT WAYNE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
200 E. Berry Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
260 427-2162 -
The City of Fort Wayne and regional partners have retained HNTB Corporation to assist with the implementation of the Midwest Connect Corridor Passenger Rail project. Read: https://shorturl.at/t56l6
Posted by City of Fort Wayne Government on Thursday, August 1, 2024Thursday, August 1, 2024 post by the City of Fort Wayne Government on Facebook:
The City of Fort Wayne and regional partners have retained HNTB Corporation to assist with the implementation of the Midwest Connect Corridor Passenger Rail project.
Read: MIDWEST CONNECT PASSENGER RAIL PROJECT GAINS MOMENTUM WITH HNTB'S EXPERTISE
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Passenger rail network in the United States in 1962 vs 2005
Posted by Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Tuesday, August 13, 2024Tuesday, August 13, 2024 post by the Northern Indiana Passenger Rail - NIPRA on Facebook:
Maps of Intercity Passenger Rail Network January 1, 1962 - Amtrak Passenger Rail System March 1, 2005.
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