• Indiana Harbor Belt Connections and Timetables •
Belt Railway: Belt trains deliver to Blue Island Yard; IHB trains deliver to Clearing Yard.
BNSF: Delivers to Blue Island Yard. Auto rack trains continue east to Gibson Yard. IHB delivers local industry
cars at the GM yard in Willow Springs.
Canadian National (Illinois Central): Delivers to Blue Island Yard via Highlawn off the ex-IC main. Autorack trains access Gibson Yard via
Dolton Junction.
Canadian Nationa (EJ&E): All interchange handled at Lakefront Yard in Indiana Harbor.
Canadian Pacific: Delivers to Norpaul Yard near Franklin Park. IHB delivers to Bensenville via Franklin Park Junction.
Chicago, Ft.Wayne & Eastern: Delivers to Blue Island Yard using trackage rights on CSX's Porter Branch to reach Ivanhoe
Chicago Rail Link: Accesses the IHB main at Blue Island Crossing from Metra (ex-Rock Island). Delivers to IHB at Blue Island Yard
and the "old yard" between CN (ex-GTW) and IHB mains south (tt east) of Blue Island Crossing.
CSX/B&OCT: CSX trains deliver to IHB at Blue Island Yard; Harbor trains deliver to CSX at nearby Barr Yard.
Auto trains head to Gibson Yard.
Iowa Interstate: Accesses the IHB main at Blue Island Crosssing from Metra (ex-Rock Island).
Delivers to IHB at Blue Island Yard but sometimes returns from the "old yard" alongside CN main at Blue Island.
Norfolk Southern: Delivers to Blue Island Yard from the Indiana Harbor connection with the ex-Conrail main (CP 502). Some trains interchange
at Michigan Avenue Yard, others run to Blue Island. Auto rack trains go to Gibson Yard. Interchange occasionally occurs at Osborn Yard near
Osborn Junction.
South Chicago & Indiana Harbor (former Chicago Short Line): All interchange is at Lakefront Yard.
South Shore Freight: All interchange is handled at CSS's Burnham Yard, accessed by IHB at State Line Crossing.
Union Pacific: UP (ex-Missour Pacific) delivers to IHB at Blue Island Yard; IHB delivers to UP at Yard Center--both via Dolton Junction. Auto
rack trains travel east via Dolton to Gibson Yard.
Union Pacific (ex-Chicago & North Western) delivers to IHB at Norpaul Yard; IHB delivers to Proviso Yard (near Bellwood) or else leaves trains for UP
crews at CP Hill.
Indiana Harbor Belt Timetables, 2003
IHB MAINLINE
| INT | INT STA | STATIONS | MP |
|---|---|---|---|
| X | CP Ivanhoe (EJ&E) | 0.0 | |
| X | CP Gibson (Kankakee Line) | 2.2 | |
| X | CP MC Connection (MC Connecting Trk) | 2.8 | |
| X | Hohman Interlocking (NS) R-IHB East Dispatcher | 5.4 | |
| X | CP Calumet Park (CSXT, NS) | 7.1 | |
| X | CP Grove (CSXT) | 9.8 | |
| X | X | Dolton (CSXT, UP, NS) | 10.6 |
| Indiana Ave. Crossovers | 10.9 | ||
| School Street (Blue Is. Yard east) | 11.3 | ||
| X | CP Harvey (CSXT) (Blue Is. Yard west, Bl Is. Indus. Trk) | 13.7 | |
| X | X | Blue Island Junction (CN, CSXT) | 15.2 |
| X | CP Francisco R-Blue Island Jct Opr | 15.4 | |
| Wireton (No. 2 Trk.) | 16.4 | ||
| X | CP 123rd Street | 17.3 | |
| X | CP Ridge (METRA) | 21.1 | |
| X | CP 87th Street | 23.8 | |
| 82nd Street (No. 2 Trk., B&O Siding) | 24.5 | ||
| X | CP 71st Street (BRC) | 26.0 | |
| X | CP Argo (BRC, Argo Indus. Trk.) | 26.8 | |
| X | CP Canal (CN) | 27.4 | |
| X | CP McCook (BNSF) | 28.1 | |
| Superior | 29.8 | ||
| X | CP LaGrange (BNSF) | 31.0 | |
| 22nd Street (No. 1 TRk.) | 32.9 | ||
| Broadview (CN) | 33.9 | ||
| Madison Street (No. 1 Trk.) | 35.1 | ||
| X | CP Hill (UP) | 35.9 | |
| Lake Street (No. 2 Trk.) | 36.0 | ||
| X | CP Rose | 37.0 | |
| X | CP Norpaul | 38.3 | |
| X | CP Grand Ave. (No. 1 Trk. WC Conn) | 38.9 | |
| Franklin Avenue (Begin CPRS) | 39.3 | ||
| X | Tower B-12 (Franklin Pk) R-METRA Control Opr | 39.4 |
AAR radio channel 25 (160.485) is in use between CP Ivanhoe and CP Grove
AAR radio channel 58 (160.980) is in use between CP Grove and Tower B-12 (Franklin Park)
The IHB main is single track between CP Ivanhoe and CP Gibson, and double track between Gibson and Franklin Park.
Dolton and Blue Island towers have been closed. Dolton interlocking is controlled by IHB's East Dispatcher. Blue Island is controlled by CSX.
Between Blue Island and Superior, the physical plant is owned and maintained by B&OCT (CSX), with the exception of Chicago Ridge interlocking which is maintained by IHB. Between Superior and Franklin Park, the physical plant is owned and maintained by IHB. IHB dispatches and operates the entire route from Blue Island Crossing to Franklin Park..
From a point near Superior to Franklin Park, the route runs compass north-south. However, timetable direction is west-east.
NOTE: In 2007 the main line between the north (tt-west) end of Norpaul Yard to the terminus at Franklin Park was re-aligned. Also, tower B-12 has been closed and the junction with the Milwaukee West line is now remotely controlled by Metra operators. Hence the last three entries on the above table would look slightly different now.
IHB KANKAKEE LINE
| INT | INT STA | STATIONS | MP |
|---|---|---|---|
| X | CP 502 (NS, EJ&E) R-NS Hick OPr | 0.0 | |
| X | CP 100 R-NS Hick Opr | 0.2 | |
| Michigan Avenue (Mich. Ave. Yard east) | 1.0 | ||
| X | X | Calumet (CSXT, EJ&E) (Mich. Ave. Yard west) | 1.9 |
| X | X | Grasselli (EJ&E) | 2.8 |
| X | CP Gibson (IHB Main Line) | 3.8 | |
| X | Osborn Junction | 4.1 | |
| Osborn (NS) | 4.8 | ||
| X | CP Highland R-NS Kankakee Dispr | 7.2 |
Grasselli and Calumet towers have been closed. The interlockings are now controlled by IHB's East Dispatcher.
AAR channel 25 (160.485) is in use between CP502 and Osborn.
Although the Kankakee Line runs compass north-south, timetable direction from CP502 to CP Highland is east-west.
NS Kankakee Line Dispatcher controls Kankakee Line west (south) of Osborn.
IHB does not have "divisions" or "districts". Traffic east of Blue Island Yard is controlled by the East Dispatcher; traffic to the west is controlled by the West Dispatcher.
FOR A COMPLETE 1923 TIMETABLE, CLICK HERE (pdf, large file).
Many thanks to Lightnin' for providing this file.
2/3/19