Peru, IN: CW Junction Tower: C&O/Wabash and C&O Railyard, Roundhouse, Coaling Tower & Backshop

Tim Shanahan -> Railroad Towers & Freight Houses
M.D. McCarter collection.

The comments for this posting indicates the engine is pulling a C&O westbound train. I believe the word above the CW on the tower is "Wabash." I'm surprised the Wabash had just one track on their mainline. The Indianapolis to Michigan City route of the Lake Erie & Western, which became part of the Nickle Plate, also went through Peru.

NS/NW/Wabash still exists. It is easy to determine where the LE&W was on the south side of town because Google Map shows a Nickel Plate Trail. It appears the bridge over the Wabash still exists, so that ups Peru's priority on the field trips list.

Historic Aerials

To find the C&O RoW, I used Historic Aerials after searching for "peru, in" and selecting the 1962 button. I started with the pier remnants still showing in a satellite image. I'm using screen shots because, unlike other mapping services, I cannot figure out how to create a link for what I'm displaying on the screen. And this blog is very "non-commercial."

The C&O followed the river front until it fanned out into a yard west of Fremont Street. (Update: C&O used the right-of-way of the Wabash & Erie Canal along the river. [Bridge Hunter]) You can still see the parallel land scars of the yard east of the Peru Skatepark next to Canal Street.

Historic Aerials

The yard terminated on the west end with engine servicing facilities including some backshops. You can still see remnants of the roundhouse stalls.

Satellite

The mainline left the yard complex on the north side, crossed the NKP on a 90-degree angle and then went along the Wabash until it crossed at an acute angle near the top-left of this excerpt.

Historic Aerials

Satellite

You can still see a tree line where it crossed the NKP, curved to the west, and paralleled the Wabash. Given the tower is southwest of the diamond and would have the longest shadow, I put a red rectangle around what I believe is the CW tower.

Historic Aerials plus Paint

Jason Jordan shared
Mid 1980's, we are looking north at the former C & O of Indiana's old 100' turntable and one of the diesel fuel storage tanks at Peru, IN. A Bruce Emmons photo, out of the Jason Jordan collection.

Jason Jordan posted
T.B.T. # 12 We are looking south and east in the old Chesapeake & Ohio Rwy. of Indiana yards in Peru, IN. at a flooded Wabash River on June 12, 1958. An old clipping from the Peru Tribune newspaper.Eric Zerkle I heard from some old heads this was pretty common.

Locomotive Jordan posted
Between the years of 1988 - 1992, we see that the CSX has removed the welded rail on the main line at the west end of the former C&O yard at Peru, IN. In the distance we can see the coaling tower and diesel service area with sanding towers. Photo was taken by my friend Bruce Emmons, it is out of my collection.
Tim Shanahan shared

4 of 14 photos posted by Locomotive Jordan with the comment: "The CSX's former C&O yard and shop facilities at Peru, IN. around the time of abandonment in 1987. All photos were taken by my friend Bruce Emmons. They are out of my collection. I will label them all after they are posted."

a
Diesel and sanding facilities. That is the Wabash River behind the tree line.

b
The old C&O coaling tower.

c
To my right is the modern diesel shop designed by EMD. In front of me is the old steam shop.

d
Inside the diesel shop at Peru, IN. This building was designed by EMD for the C&O.