Elkhart and Western Railroad
The Elkhart & Western Railroad Co. (reporting mark EWR), a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer Railcorp, is a Class III short-line railroad operating three unconnected lines in northern Indiana. The first, the Elkhart Branch, is in and around the city of Elkhart in Elkhart County, the second, the Argos Branch, radiates from Argos in Marshall County, and the third, the Monon Branch, operating from Monon to Monticello in White County.
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Elkhart, Indiana |
| Reporting mark | EWR |
| Locale | northern Indiana |
| Dates of operation | 2001– |
| Predecessor |
|
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Pioneer Railcorp (reporting mark PREX) created the Elkhart & Western Railroad, on May 1, 2001, from a 10-mile (16 km) stretch of the Michigan Southern Railroad. The Elkhart Branch begins at its junction with the Norfolk Southern Railway near the center of Elkhart, then crosses the St. Joseph River which it follows westward, and finally ends on the northeast side of Mishawaka, in neighboring St. Joseph County.
Freight hauled on the E&W consists mainly of auto frames, lumber and cement.
In January 2018 CSX sold 9.58 miles of track running from Monon to Monticello to E&W. Operations began in August serving the only customer on the line, Monticello farm service.[1]
Power
The EWR received its two locomotives from Pioneer Railcorp, and although the units no longer have the Pioneer reporting marks the units are still owned by EWR's parent.
| Number | Model | Acquired | Branch | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 911 | EMD GP9 | 2001 | Elkhart | Built as Milwaukee Road (MILW) GP9 315; sold to Minnesota Valley Authority (MNVA) 315; became PREX 911. Rail-fans have labeled this unit as EWR GP9R 911 which is neither its correct reporting mark nor unit classification. |
| 912 | EMD GP9 | 2001 | Elkhart | - |
| 1600 | GP16 | 2015 | Argos | - |
| 1606 | GP16 | 2019 | Argos | - |
| 1601 | GP16 | 2019 | Monon | Previously served on the ND&W. Swapped with 3001 late 2019. |