The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, located in North Judson, Indiana,  has announced that the Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad has donated locomotive SD9 no. 818 to the museum. The locomotive is a welcome addition to its growing fleet of historic equipment. It is currently operational and will remain in service, hauling freight until it is ready for delivery to the museum.

“We’re very excited to accept this locomotive,” said museum president Todd Flanigan. “This is a big donation, and it illustrates the renewed spirit of cooperation we have with the Chesapeake & Indiana. We are so happy to be partnering with them to preserve this piece of railroad history.”

The unit was previously owned by the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway, an iconic railroad serving the steel industry in northwest Indiana. “The locomotive is historically relevant to the region and will be easily recognizable,” Flanigan stated.

The Chesapeake & Indiana Railroad is managed and operated by Midwest & Bluegrass Rail, a rapidly growing firm focused on expanding its portfolio of regional and short line railroads. The firm recently gained the rail line over which the museum operates from the Town of North Judson. Leaders from both the museum and railroad have been building a solid working relationship.

The locomotive has been continuously used in freight service for more than sixty years and the museum plans to keep it in service by pulling its excursion trains. A favorite among Chesapeake & Indiana train crews, no. 818 has been well-maintained. It recently received a new main generator and power assemblies.

Overall, the locomotive is in excellent shape and a reliable performer, but some work will need to be done to make sure it continues functioning as a dependable part of the roster for many years to come. The museum has already located a set of replacement trucks for the unit and will soon announce a fundraiser to help with the expensive task of replacing them.

-via Press Release