Monday, January 23, 2017

Evansville, IN: CSX Evansville/C&EI Wansford Yard, Coaling Tower and Roundhouse

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This yard is west of US-41 and would explain why I saw 4 switchers parked there. According to a comment by Mike McDonald on a post, CSX has changed to the name to Evansville Yard. And they sold the land that had the steam engine servicing facility to the county.

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The former Whirlpool plant is on the east side of US-41. I believe it used to make refrigerators for Sears Kenmore as well as its own brand. A friend whose father worked their told me that the local union leaders were such a pain that management moved the work to other factories that had more reasonable labor leadership and closed this factory. The building has been subdivided for other industries, so I was surprised that their sign is still over the entrance.
Update:
Jimmy Fiedler shared
This photo from the C&EI Historical Society archives shows the coaling tower at Wansford north of Evansville in 1927. The roundhouse and steam engine service facility was built a few miles north of the Evansville city yard to replace the old facilities near downtown Evansville. The railroad bought enough land at Wansford to build a new classification yard there in 1950. Wansford yard still exists in 2017 minus a few of the classification tracks.
[Note the roundhouse in the background.]
C&EIRHS posted
The new C&EI coaling tower at Evansville's Wansford Yard in 1927. The new roundhouse and turntable are visible in the background. Prior to 1927, locomotives were serviced downtown near the passenger and freight stations. The new Wansford freight classification yard was opened in 1950.
Joe Mills: I work a local out of Wansford now. Only 5 tracks left.
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Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Historical Society posted
Back cover of the 1950 C&EI Annual Report.
Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Historical Society shared two photos, "Wansford yard Evansville Indiana. From my father's pictures, 1965."
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Dave Cantrell posted
1930, C &E I (Chicago and Eastern Illinois) locomotive no. 3643 on the turntable at Wansford Yard in Evansville. The Vanderburgh County Jail at 3500 N. Harlan Ave. is currently on this site.
USI Digital Library - Thomas Mueller Collection
Dave Cantrell commented on his posting
1958 aerial photo of the roundhouse.
Dennis DeBruler This shows the location of the coaling tower as well.

Dave Cantrell commented on his posting
urntable missing in 1973 and only part of building remains
Patrick McNamara commented on a post
Electro-Motive poster from the 50s - art by Bern Hill...
Robert Gibson Jr. Wansford Yard in Evansville, Indiana built in 1950.

1 of 6 photos posted by Michael Krejci
In Evansville, IN. First time I've seen a road slug and a cool old Chessie cab. Also a cool looking switcher in the yard.
Justin Slaton: Old c&ei wansford yard. They run 2 locals out of there. One of them handles auto racks at the Toyota plant in Princeton.
Dennis DeBruler shared
In the CSX/C&EI Wansford Yard in Evansville, IN.

Comments on Michael's post

3 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. The description on the first picture needs to be update.

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    Replies
    1. I not only updated the description, I moved the photo to Howell Yard.
      https://towns-and-nature.blogspot.com/2019/10/evansville-in-csxl-howell-yard-and.html

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