Bloomington, IN: INRD/Monon McDoel Railyard and Roundhouse

(Satellite)

Robert Brummett posted
This aerial image shows the roundhouse that used to be located at the McDoel Railroad Yard on the south side of Bloomington, Indiana. At the extreme right (just below center) one can see the intersection of South Walnut Street (old 37 South) and East Miller Drive. The area of the roundhouse and railroad tracks are today (2017) part of the Bloomington Rail to Trail
Mark Hazelbaker: I am pretty sure that the trail follows the tracks on the far left of the picture.
Rick Shilling posted
1949 Chicago,Indianapolis & Louisville
(Monon) Railroad Roundhouse and Turntable, Shops and McDoel Yard,
Bloomington, Indiana.

Rey Dougmelas posted
The Monon/McDoel Yard in Bloomington, around 1973. Photo by Jim Maire. The yard closed around 2004 under CSX. Today it is being redeveloped and the main line has been turned into a trail.
David Decker Gone, actually. Taken out, years ago. I suspect that INRD found it inconvenient, when all the factories, Wetterau Foods, GE, et al, on the west side of town, decided to stop shipping via rail.

Richard Koenig posted

McDoel Yard

Here’s a shot of McDoel Yard in Bloomington, Indiana; we're looking south at the Grimes Lane crossing. The line was still the Monon just six years earlier, and things seem quite active yet, with more than one yard/local engines present (note the Alco).

This yard is now completely gone, with a park in its place with a bike path radiating both northward and southward.

One image by Richard Koenig; taken May 29th 1977.

The satellite image offered by Google Maps in Jun 2022 is from Mar 2016. I'm saving an image because it still shows remnants of the stalls for the roundhouse.

Satellite

This post taught me that things changed since that image.

Paul Lutz posted two photos with the comment: "Former Monon McDoel yard in Bloomington Indiana.  My first image shows CSX southbound R591 changing crews in 1989.  My second view from 2012 shows same location which is now known as "Switchyard Park" with trail and pedestrian overpass.  Former RCA warehouse on right and limestone yard office on left are about all that remain.  Paul Lutz photos."

[RCA used to make televisions in Bloomington.]

1

2

The photos are looking south from the north end of the yard. The yard office has been repurposed as a police substation.

Street View, May 2019

I fired up Google Earth to see if it had a new satellite image. It did.

Google Earth, Oct 2019

I zoomed in far enough in Google Maps to show the labels. The park has explicit facilities for pickle ball, skateboarding and dogs.

Satellite

My daughter and her dogs would appreciate the dog park. But I hope they also have a plain old grassy area so that they can play fetch.

老张 in Chicago, Mar 2022

1 of 2 photos posted by Paul Lutz
In these mid 90s views, the CSX business train has come up the old Monon from Louisville and has paused at McDoel yard in Bloomington Indiana. A couple of employees check out the train and ponder their future. The writing must have been on the wall as shortly after this visit, the decision was made to shut down the south end of the Monon from Bloomington to Bedford thus severing it as a through route. Bloomington would continue to be served by CSX from Lafayette Indiana for a couple of years until heavy rains caused washouts that the railroad deemed too costly to repair. Bloomington would then become an isolated CSX "island" operation for a brief period with Indiana Rail Road ferrying freight and motive power in and out. CSX would eventually give up all together and let Indiana Rail Road handle Bloomington operations. Paul Lutz photo.
Dennis DeBruler: Thanks for the history concerning the operations in Bloomington.

Paul Lutz posted
With a fresh crew on board the head end and rear end, R590 departs northward from Bloomington Indiana towards Chicago on the former Monon. In this late 80s shot, most road freights still required cabooses. Indiana University bus garage is in the background. This is now a public trail. Paul Lutz photo
Dennis DeBruler shared