Beech Grove, IN: Amtrak/Big Four Backshops

Satellite 3D

Beech Grove was the major repair facility that the Big Four built in 1904-08. It is now Amtrak's shop for heavy-duty repairs of most of its locomotives and cars. Comparing today's view with a 1941 Historic Aerials view, it appears they have done a good job of preserving the original buildings.

Amtrack has a brochure that describes the repair work they do and a history.

A Day At Beech Grove
Beech Grove from the 1970s, converting Amtrak's fleet to electric cars.

Invisible Beech Grove posted
The Beech Grove car shops were originally constructed between 1904–1908 by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St Louis Railway, servicing a network stretching across the Midwest into Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The facility was used as the company's repair shop for steam locomotives and passenger and freight cars.
 Photo: Beech Grove car shops, @ 1912
Photo attribution: Bass Photo Co Collection, Indiana Historical Society

 

Tim Starr posted
Interior view of the Big Four powerhouse at Beech Grove in 1908.

NMRA posted 8 photos with the comment "Had a great tour around Amtrak Beech Grove shops."

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Update:

AltoonaWorks posted
9/2017 - Here's another shot from Amtrak's Beech Grove, IN shop when I stopped by this summer. You'll find the rest of my photos from Beech Grove here: https://www.flickr.com/…/lrm…/albums/72157629097751626/page5
Chris Osterhus I've been inside the Beech Grove shops. I was on a tour there some years ago. That place is huge!\

Railfan & Railroad Magazine posted
Amtrak has painted the sixth and final 50th-anniversary locomotive and it might be the best one yet: The Dash 8 Phase III scheme. Here's a shot from Amtrak.

Michael Matalis shared

Dennis DeBruler commented on Michael's share
I never realized that Beech Grove has an impressive transfer table until I saw this photo.
39°43'04.1"N 86°04'36.5"W

This is not a good way to celebrate Amtrak's 50th anniversary.

safe_image for Overnight fire damages Amtrak facility
"Indianapolis and Beech Grove fire crews were called to Garstang Street around 12:30 a.m. Sunday [May 2, 2021] and found two buildings used to house paint and cleaning supplies on fire.
Officials say there was no working fire hydrant at the facility, and firefighters were not able to get water on the fire until about 1 a.m. The fire was under control by 2 a.m....No injuries were reported."

This video is by the Indianapolis Fire Department. It looks like they had to truck the water in like this was a farmhouse out in the sticks. Reports indicated that the fire will be investigated. In this case, I'm more interested as to why the hydrant wasn't working.

Sreenshot

Two of fifteen photos posted by the fire department. At least Amtrak had enough sense to store their flammable supplies in separate, cheap-looking buildings. Both buildings were destroyed.

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John Gosciniak posted four photos with the comment: "1908 Beech Grove Shops Indianapolis, Indiana Amtrak Power Plant."

James Torgeson: Amtrak hosts tours of Beech Grove for many groups. These are well-worth your time if you can attend!

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Ronald Kaminen posted
Seems like a lot of cars here at beech Grove that could be fixed for the Southwest Chief.!! I wonder who will fix them.??..When.??
[Amtrak had to cancel a round trip train because of equipment shortage.]

Jeff Hagan: My guess on who will fix them, Amtrak, they have a fully qualified staff and can do the work without any problems. The issue is lawsuits. It’s cheaper to leave the car alone until it’s settled than risk having to pay out. Amtraks real car problems come from the bureaucrats trying to reinvent the damn wheel. They need to just replicate the 50’s budds with the safety improvements and let them go. These new cars are pure trash. Viewliners with frame cracks, the new junk engines that keep failing. Amtrak needs to build cars with a track record (no pun intended) and I’ll be honest, I’ve seen with my own eyes the flaws in some of that equipment. The older budds ran for an additional 30-40 years beyond that of the life expectancy. I know some people will argue that the new cars are better but I’ll say it, I’d rather ride an old Budd than risk a failure of viewliners.

[Several comments agree with him.]

 

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Trains.com added an update from Amtrak:

An Amtrak spokesman characterized the two buildings as storage sheds, and said no rail equipment was damaged and that the fire will have no impact on production at the shop. He also reports that while the hydrant nearest the fire was dry, others on the site were operable. The cause is under investigation.

This article has a big block of pictures at the end.