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| Title: |
Mystery Train in Kokomo, Indiana |
| Description: |
While dodging construction on IN-931, we stumbled upon this beautiful train set parked on a siding in the 740 N. Ohio Street area of Kokomo, IN. Little did we realize that it would be a mystery involving the tragic and chaotic collapse of the Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, IN, Illinois Central business train, mystery RPCX car numbers, San Louis & Rio Grande reporting marks, New Jersey Transit coach cars, Iowa Pacific lease, and a Polar Bear Express Train. Here's what I have been able to piece together but I will need some help! |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:24:04 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
IC 101(E9A) SLRG 101(E9A) |
| Views: |
355 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
Mystery Train in Kokomo, Indiana |
| Description: |
Here is a view of the four car and engine train set of the mystery train in Kokomo, Indiana. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:24:26 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
116 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG E9A #101 as IC #101 |
| Description: |
The beautiful E9A unit still wearing the IC business train colors and "eye-ball" logo actually belongs to Iowa Pacific with the reporting mark of San Louis & Rio Grande SLRG #101. The loco was built by EMD in September of 1953 as a silver CBQ E8A #9977 but the loco bounced from there to Burlington Northern and then onto the Illinois Central where it received the IC business train paint scheme seen here. Around 2016 it appears it was sold to Iowa Pacific under the San Louis & Rio Grande reporting mark. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:24:39 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
SLRG 101(E9A) |
| Views: |
174 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG E9A #101 as IC #101 |
| Description: |
The story continues with the loco under Iowa Pacific ownership being used in various ways including as a Polar Express Train in Madison, Wisconsin. Now comes the tragic and chaotic collapse of the Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville, IN and the flight to Logansport. It appears that Iowa Pacific leased this beautiful loco to the ITM in Logansport for their "Polar Bear Express" between Logansport and Kokomo, IN, in 2017. It appears that the train has been stored on this siding in Kokomo since then. Does it still belong to Iowa Pacific and are they still leasing it to the ITM? BTW, is the Indiana Transportation Museum still around in Logansport? |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:24:58 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
SLRG 101(E9A) |
| Views: |
140 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG E9A #101 as IC #101 |
| Description: |
Somehow after it was used as the "Polar Bear Express", it was parked here on a siding in the 740 N. Ohio Street area of Kokomo, IN. From the Mapquest view, it's been there is August of 2019. Why it is sitting uncovered, unprotected and open to vandalism (to be seen in the album) is the mystery. Can anyone help? |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:25:26 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
SLRG 101(E9A) |
| Views: |
150 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG E9A #101 as IC #101 |
| Description: |
Is Iowa Pacific (apparently the parent corp of San Louis & Rio Grande) aware of its location and danger? |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:25:43 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
SLRG 101(E9A) |
| Views: |
176 Comments: 1 |
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| Title: |
SLRG Lounge #3310 - "Pontchartrain Club" |
| Description: |
The beautiful "Pontchartrain Club"lounge car is the first in the four car consist. Still wearing the IC and Iowa Pacific brown & orange paint scheme, it looks fairly well at first glance. The former Illinois Central sleeper-observation car “Pontchartrain Club” was first built as a heavyweight coach car but rebuilt by the IC into a parlor observation car by the IC and named “Mark Beaubien”. Private owners later converted it to a sleeper-observation and named the car “Eaton”. The car was further upgraded and painted in IC colors by the current owners who renamed it “Pontchartrain Club”. private owners into |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:25:56 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
192 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG 3310 - "Pontchartrain Club" |
| Description: |
Here's a rear view of the "Pontchartrain Club" car showing the curved observation end. It has a boarded up broken window. Sadly there's another broken window in front that hasn't been boarded up. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:26:09 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
201 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG 3310 - "Pontchartrain Club" |
| Description: |
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| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:26:25 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
99 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG 3310 - "Pontchartrain Club" |
| Description: |
Reporting mark of the San Louis & Rio Grande Scenic Railroad in the IC colors. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:26:41 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
84 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
SLRG 3310 - "Pontchartrain Club" |
| Description: |
A broken window not covered in this beautiful car. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:26:55 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
105 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Mystery Coach Cars |
| Description: |
The next three cars in the SLRG/IC #101 mystery train appear to be former New Jersey Transit cars but have yet to find any record of them. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:27:08 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
78 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach 1520 |
| Description: |
This former New Jersey Transit coach bears the RPCX 1520 number but no listing in the RRPA database for it. It wears the matching IC/Iowa Pacific brown and orange livery with the "Pontchartrain Club" car. The car looks solid on this side. Nice looking consist. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:27:23 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
102 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach #1520 |
| Description: |
Rear view of the former NJT coach car now apparently under San Louis & Rio Grande ownership although its not listed with the number 1520. Can anyone confirm this belongs to SLRG? |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:27:36 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
92 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach #1520 |
| Description: |
Close up of the reporting mark that doesn't show up on any roster until I added it here in RRPA data base. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:27:51 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
88 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach #1776 |
| Description: |
The second coach car in the mystery train consist is this former NJT coach labeled RPCX 1776. Again like RPCX 1520 before it, it doesn't appear on the SLRG or RPCX roster. I couldn't even find this particular car listed on the granddaddy Jerry LaBoda website (God rest his soul) Private Varnish Photo Index. Note the missing, open window near the door and the damage on the sill in the midcar range. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:28:06 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
105 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach @1776 |
| Description: |
Close up of the reporting mark which led to a dead end. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:28:18 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
85 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach #1776 |
| Description: |
Note the graffiti and the torn sill cover on the bottom of the car. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:28:31 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
88 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach #1714 |
| Description: |
The third and last of the three coach cars in the mystery train consist is one marked RPCX 1714. Like the others, it doesn't appear on any roster. I believe it may also be an ex-New Jersey Transit coach but no proof so far. This one is the most damaged of them all. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:28:44 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
92 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach #1714 |
| Description: |
This rear view shows the boarded up windows with on removed and spray painted graffiti on the side. Can this train be saved from slowly being beaten and marked up? |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:28:57 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
94 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
RPCX Coach #1714 |
| Description: |
The mystery RPCX number not listed on SLRG or RPCX in the RRPA database here. Can anyone add info about this train, its ownership, leasing arrangements or future??? |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 6:29:13 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,RollingStock,Passenger |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
73 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
MapQuest View of the Mystery Train |
| Description: |
This is a MapQuest view of the siding with the mystery train taken in August of 2019. No, the track to the far left is not split - it's a result of Mapquest merging together their images that caused the apparent split. Strange look though. |
| Photo Date: |
9/30/2021 Upload Date: 10/4/2021 7:59:15 AM |
| Location: |
Kokomo, IN |
| Author: |
Gary Everhart |
| Categories: |
Roster,Passenger,Track |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
145 Comments: 1 |
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