Chasing N&W 611 from Muncie to Frankfort, Indiana - June 28, 1986

This was the NRHS “Independence Limited” running from Roanoke, VA to St. Louis, MO. Today on day 4 it was running from Bellevue, Ohio with an overnight stop at Frankfort, IN. It ran via the Lima & Frankfort Districts (Arcadia-Lima-Portland), most of which was still jointed rail. In the opening shot we’re standing at the Elm St. crossing in Muncie looking west down the Conrail Indianapolis Line as an eastbound NS train from Frankfort turns south onto the New Castle District towards Cincinnati. Love that S5T horn! Then we move a few blocks west to Mulberry St. to wait for the arrival. The 611 took on water here in Muncie. Next the train goes under the State Road 332 overpass. The train stopped for passengers at Elwood so we were able to get ahead of it and pace it along State Road 28. The train crosses the road just west of Hobbs with some good clickity-clack sounds. After another scheduled stop at Tipton, we catch him accelerating westbound at US 31. That’s my mom waving at Frank Collins. We see the train stopped in Frankfort and then depart for the yard where it was tied down for the evening.
Thanks for watching!
~ Zeke