Louisville and Indiana Railroad: Roster, History, Photos
Published: January 20, 2025
By: Adam Burns
The railroad industry has been the backbone of American industrialization and economic development since the 19th century.
When President Jimmy Carter signed the Staggers Rail Act into law on October 14, 1980, railroads could much more freely abandon or sell lines it deemd unprofitable.
As a result, the modern short line industry sprang up as large Class 1s shed thousands of miles of unwanted trackage throughout the 1980s and 1990s. This led to the Louisville & Indiana Railroad's creation in 1994 as Conrail let go of the former Pennsylvania Railroad's (PRR) Louisville-Indianapolis main line.
Over the years the L&I has grown and improved this corridor to the point that CSX now utilizes the line to handle its own trains along this route. With a rich history and ongoing relevance, the L&I is a prime example of the enduring importance of rail transport in the United States.
Louisville & Indiana GP38-3's #2002 and #2004 layover at the Jeffersonville Yard on June 5, 2015. Doug Kroll photo.Historical Background
The Louisville & Indiana traces its roots back to the early 19th century, a time when railroads were beginning to establish themselves as an efficient mode of transportation for both people and goods.
The heritage of its corridor can be traced back to the Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis Railroad, formed on June 1, 1866 through the merger of the Indianapolis & Madison Railroad and Jeffersonville Railroad.
The new JM&I provided a direct route between Indianapolis and Jeffersonville, Indiana, a small town located across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.
In their book, "Pennsylvania Railroad," authors Brian Solomon and Mike Schafer note the PRR's Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad ("The Panhandle Route") subsidiary acquired the JM&I in the early 1870s. Access into Louisville was achieved via a bridge jointly owned with the Louisville & Nashville.
The Louisville Gateway became an important component of PRR's network, hosting not only freight trains but also notable passenger runs like the South Wind to Miami and Kentuckian to Chicago.
Following Conrail's 1976 creation the large system slowly abandoned sections of the former PRR and New York Central throughout the Midwest. The Pennsy was especially targeted; throughout the 1980s and 1990s a great deal of the old Panhandle was either abandoned or sold.
This included the 106-mile line between Indianapolis and Louisville, which was spunoff as a new short line, the Louisville & Indiana Railroad, in March, 1994.
Modern Day Operations
As a Class III, the L&I serves a pivotal role in local and regional logistics networks, providing crucial connections to larger Class I railroads and facilitating the movement of a wide variety of goods.
The LIRC interchanges with several major railroads, including CSX Transportation (Indianapolis/Jeffersonville), Indiana Rail Road (Indianapolis), Norfolk Southern (Louisville), MG Rail (Jeffersonville), and Paducah & Louisville (Louisville).
It handles around 20,000 carloads annually with a traffic base consisting of Agriculture/grain, fertilizer, waste material, polymers, chemicals, building materials, lumber, pulp/paper, food grade products, beverages, steel, scrap (metal and paper), and aggregates/minerals.
Economic Significance
The economic impact of the Louisville and Indiana Railroad extends beyond mere transportation services. By providing efficient rail service, the LIRC enables manufacturers, agricultural producers, and other industries in central and southern Indiana and northern Kentucky to move their products to market competitively.
Louisville & Indiana GP38-2 #221 leads the 'Columbus Turn' northbound near Speed, Indiana on the evening of July 22, 2010. Doug Kroll photo.Infrastructure and Operations
Operating a railroad of this scale demands a robust infrastructure and a commitment to maintenance and upgrades. Over the years, the L&I has invested substantially in its tracks and facilities to improve efficiency and safety.
In collaboration with CSX Transportation, the LIRC launched a multi-million-dollar infrastructure improvement project in 2014, the "Southwind Upgrade". This venture aimed to upgrade tracks, bridges, and crossings, allowing for increased train speeds and heavier loads
By April 2015, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) had given the green light to a plan between CSX and LIRC, paving the way for them to form a Joint Use Operating Agreement by June of that year. This deal granted CSX a non-exclusive easement to operate freight trains over the line, with the Class 1 agreeing to finance the improvement project as a trade-off.
As part of the Southwind improvements, the outdated 1930s-era 130-pound jointed rail was replaced with modern 136-pound continuous welded rail (CWR), alongside installing new ties, adding two new 10,000 ft. sidings, and upgrading a vital bridge.
Finishing up in 2018, these upgrades enabled LIRC to boost its speeds from 25 mph to 49 mph and carry more weight, stepping up from a 263,000 lbs. gross weight limit to an industry standard of 286,000 lbs.
Today, CSX dispatches its own trains over the L&I and Louisville-Indianapolis corridor an important route with the large Class 1's system.
Diesel Roster
| Road Number | Model Type | Builder | Serial Number | Completion Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 155 | SD38-2 | EMD | 786142-4 | 10/1978 | ex-Iowa Interstate 155; ex-LLPX 2804; ex-GATX 1240; built as Reserve Mining 1240 |
| 220 | GP38-2 | GMDD | A4063 | 4/1981 | Renumbered 2005; built as Devco Railway 220 |
| 221 | GP38-2 | GMDD | A4064 | 4/1981 | Renumbered 2006; built as Devco Railway 221 |
| 223 | GP38-2 | GMDD | A4066 | 4/1981 | Renumbered 2007; built as Devco Railway 223 |
| 1607 | GP16 | EMD | 13894 | 6/1951 | Formerly numbered 1843; ex-CSX 1840; ex-Seaboard System 4797; ex-SCL 4797/834; built as SAL GP9 1903 |
| 1608 | GP16 | EMD | 21072 | 11/1955 | ex-CSX 1743; ex-Seaboard System 4643; ex-SCL 4643/1003; built as SAL GP9 1903 |
| 1609 | GP16 | EMD | 13917 | 2/1951 | Formerly number 1840. ex-CSX 1840; ex-Seaboard System 4794; ex-SCL 4794/760; built as ACL GP9 172 |
| 1610 | GP16 | EMD | 22641 | 10/1956 | ex-CSX 1741; ex-Seaboard System 4641/1043; built as SAL GP9 1970 |
| 1717 | GP16 | EMD | 21529 | 11/1955 | ex-CSX 1717; ex-Seaboard System 4617; ex-SCL 4617/1016; built as SAL GP7 1917 |
| 1722 | GP16 | EMD | 21071 | 11/1955 | ex-CSX 1722; ex-Seaboard System 4622; ex-SCL 4622/1055; built as SAL GP7 1902 |
| 1764 | GP16 | EMD | 17381 | 9/1952 | ex-CSX 1764; ex-Seaboard System 4715; ex-SCL 4715/989; built as SAL GP7 1809 |
| 1780 | GP16 | EMD | 14978 | 12/1951 | ex-CSX 1780; ex-Seaboard System 4734; ex-SCL 4734/838; built as ACL GP7 128 |
| 1800 | GP16 | EMD | 13895 | 6/1951 | ex-NREX 1800; ex-CSX 1800; ex-Seaboard System 4754; ex-SCL 4754/835; built as ACL GP7 215 |
| 1801 | GP11 | EMD | 22129 | 8/1956 | Formerly numbered 8716. ex-IC GP11 8716; ex-MBTA 7549; ex-Conrail 7549; ex-Penn Central 7549; built as New Haven GP9 1219 |
| 1802 | GP11 | EMD | 23841 | 12/1957 | Formerly numbered 8721; ex-IC GP11 8721; built as IC GP9 9341 |
| 1803 | GP11 | EMD | 19136 | 2/1954 | Formerly numbered 8745; ex-IC GP11 8745; built as UP GP9 135 |
| 1840 | GP16 | EMD | 13917 | 1/1951 | ex-CSX 1840; ex-Seaboard System 4794; ex-SCL 4794/760; built as ACL GP7 172 |
| 1842-1843 | GP16 | EMD | 15539, 13894 | 2/1952, 6/1951 | ex-CSX 1842-1843; ex-Seaboard System 4796-4797; ex-SCL 4796-4797/975, 834; built as SAL GP7 1795 and ACL GP7 216 |
| 2001 | GP38-3 | EMD | 33342 | 10/1967 | ex-CEFX 3805; ex-Dallas, Garland & Northeastern 3805; ex-Central Oregon & Pacific 3805; ex-CSX 2024; built as B&O GP38 3824 |
| 2002 | GP38-3 | EMD | 35256 | 10/1969 | ex-CEFX 3811; ex-Central Oregon & Pacific 3811; built as Southern GP38 2726 |
| 2003 | GP38-3 | EMD | 31677 | 10/1966 | ex-CEFX 3864; ex-Central Oregon & Pacific GP38-3 3864; ex-Milwaukee Road GP40 2000/191; built as demonstrator 194 |
| 2004 | GP38-3 | EMD | 837058-13 | 6/1984 | ex-CEFX 3810; ex-Central Oregon & Pacific 3810; ex-LLPX 2004; ex-NS 2723; built as Southern GP38 2723 |
| 2301 | GP39-2 | EMD | 837058-13 | 6/1984 | Formerly numbered 2371; ex-UP 2371; built as Katy 372 |
| 2302 | GP39-2 | EMD | 837058-17 | 4/1984 | Formerly numbered 2375; ex-UP 2375; built as Katy 376 |
| 2303 | GP39-2 | EMD | 837058-18 | 4/1984 | Formerly numbered 2376; ex-UP 2376; built as Katy 377 |
| 2304 | GP39-2 | EMD | 837058-20 | 6/1984 | Formerly numbered 2378; ex-UP 2378; built as Katy 379 |
| 3001 | SD40-2 | EMD | 786170-56 | 3/1979 | Leased. ex-CIFX 3155; ex-CEFX 3155; built as UP 3554 |
| 3002 | SD40M-2 | EMD | 32769 | 2/1967 | Leased; ex-CEFX 3113; built as SP SD45 8855 |
| 9319 | SW1200 | EMD | 28416 | 11/1963 | ex-Conrail 9319; built as Reading 2719 |
| 9373 | SW1200 | EMD | 21472 | 11/1956 | ex-Conrail 9373; ex-Penn Central 190; built as New Haven 650 |
| S-15 | Slug | EMD | 15830 | 1/1952 | ex-UP S-15 (slug); ex-Missouri Pacific SW8 1406; ex-MP 8000; built as Texas & Pacific/MP 810 |
Louisville & Indiana GP38-3 #2003 and GP38 #3804 switch local customers at Speed, Indiana on June 4, 2015. Doug Kroll photo.The Louisville & Indiana represents a microcosm of the broader American rail industry—steeped in history, vital to the economy, and evolving with the times.
With a dedicated focus on technological advancement, community responsibility, and operational efficiency, the L&I continues to be an invaluable asset to the American Midwest, ensuring that goods reach their markets and industries remain connected.
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