The IHB
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The Indiana Harbor Belt is the largest terminal railroad in the US (by trackage miles and
number of switching engines) and operates in northern
Indiana/Greater Chicago. Their two primary facilities are the
Blue Island yard and Gibson yard/engine facilities. They
also have a number of smaller yards and facilities. A variety of engines,
from almost all U.S. roads, tie up in their
yards or at their engine facilites for service. Everything in
the U.S. seems to run through/interchange with
the IHB. The IHB also interchanges with two other
transfer railroads, EJ&E and Belt Railway of Chicago.
The IHB services a wide variety of interesting industries such as the EMD plant, all the major steel plants in the area, one of the largest tank car manufacturers in the U.S., an engine rebuild/scrap facility. The terrain covered by the IHB ranges from the Chicago lakefront, through major industrial (19th and 20th century). There's plenty of bridges over rivers and channels, and the IHB even passes through a forest preserve and post-war bedroom communities. All photos on the site are by J.D. McKibben. contact: ihb@railfan.net |
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