Interesting photo of abandoned Southern Ry. line, said to be in Vandenburg and Posey County, (Southern)Indiana. There are numerous other photos of this line, including an abandoned depot and bridges on the ABPR for 9/16/02. The track looks intact but heavily overgrown. Anyone know more about this?

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?september02/09-16-02/sou_06.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

> Interesting photo of abandoned Southern Ry.
> line, said to be in Vandenburg and Posey
> County, (Southern)Indiana. There are
> numerous other photos of this line,
> including an abandoned depot and bridges on
> the ABPR for 9/16/02. The track looks intact
> but heavily overgrown. Anyone know more
> about this?

Posey County was covered with branch lines of IC and L&N. Lines connected Poseyville with Stewertsville and New Harmony, with the IC coming across the Wabash River to Griffen. Posey County is a large grain producing farm area, and the grain elevators all had several spurs into them. I remember seeing them as a child and being inspired by thinking that those steel rails led out of my home area. My interest in Operation Lifesaver came about because my father was hit by a local in 1979 at a poorly marked crossing. He was badly shaken, but basically unhurt; however, it ruined his driving confidence ever after, and eventually he gave up driving altogether. Interestingly, he never lost his enthusiasm in trains, and when I moved my parents from the farm into Poseyville a few years ago, they bought a house across from the old station. Dad enjoyed watching the local go by on its infrequent basis.

Decisions made many years ago led first to the abandonment and removal of the branch into New Harmony, and one by one the connections went away. The paths the roadbeds lay in are still there, as are the memories that inspired many small boys growing up there. Thanks for the initial posting - it gave me a tear of nostalgia.
John Cox


http://www.montanarailtours.com
johnpcox@juno.com

What is interesting to me here is that this trackage has obviously been long abandoned, but not removed. One of the photos even has a no trespassing sign for Southern Railway. Most of the photos were reposted again on the ABPR for 9/22/02.

> Posey County was covered with branch lines
> of IC and L&N. Lines connected
> Poseyville with Stewertsville and New
> Harmony, with the IC coming across the
> Wabash River to Griffen. Posey County is a
> large grain producing farm area, and the
> grain elevators all had several spurs into
> them. I remember seeing them as a child and
> being inspired by thinking that those steel
> rails led out of my home area. My interest
> in Operation Lifesaver came about because my
> father was hit by a local in 1979 at a
> poorly marked crossing. He was badly shaken,
> but basically unhurt; however, it ruined his
> driving confidence ever after, and
> eventually he gave up driving altogether.
> Interestingly, he never lost his enthusiasm
> in trains, and when I moved my parents from
> the farm into Poseyville a few years ago,
> they bought a house across from the old
> station. Dad enjoyed watching the local go
> by on its infrequent basis.

> Decisions made many years ago led first to
> the abandonment and removal of the branch
> into New Harmony, and one by one the
> connections went away. The paths the
> roadbeds lay in are still there, as are the
> memories that inspired many small boys
> growing up there. Thanks for the initial
> posting - it gave me a tear of nostalgia.
> John Cox


http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?september02/09-22-02/sou_03.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

What is interesting to me here is that this trackage has obviously been long abandoned, but not removed. One of the photos even has a no trespassing sign for Southern Railway. Most of the photos were reposted again on the ABPR for 9/22/02.

> Posey County was covered with branch lines
> of IC and L&N. Lines connected
> Poseyville with Stewertsville and New
> Harmony, with the IC coming across the
> Wabash River to Griffen. Posey County is a
> large grain producing farm area, and the
> grain elevators all had several spurs into
> them. I remember seeing them as a child and
> being inspired by thinking that those steel
> rails led out of my home area. My interest
> in Operation Lifesaver came about because my
> father was hit by a local in 1979 at a
> poorly marked crossing. He was badly shaken,
> but basically unhurt; however, it ruined his
> driving confidence ever after, and
> eventually he gave up driving altogether.
> Interestingly, he never lost his enthusiasm
> in trains, and when I moved my parents from
> the farm into Poseyville a few years ago,
> they bought a house across from the old
> station. Dad enjoyed watching the local go
> by on its infrequent basis.

> Decisions made many years ago led first to
> the abandonment and removal of the branch
> into New Harmony, and one by one the
> connections went away. The paths the
> roadbeds lay in are still there, as are the
> memories that inspired many small boys
> growing up there. Thanks for the initial
> posting - it gave me a tear of nostalgia.
> John Cox


http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?september02/09-22-02/sou_04.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?september02/09-22-02/sou_24.jpg
ryarger@rypn.org

> What is interesting to me here is that this
> trackage has obviously been long abandoned,
> but not removed. One of the photos even has
> a no trespassing sign for Southern Railway.
> Most of the photos were reposted again on
> the ABPR for 9/22/02.

I can't say for sure where this abandoned trackage is, nor do I remember the depot. Next time I visit out there I'll make sure to at least look for the depot. Buses and trucks took over so fast that the RRs weren't able to match them. Of course the buses also gave up the ghost a long time ago. As trucks owned by farmers grew larger there was less need to get harvested grain to the local elevators and farmers could shop around for the best price. As for the rails themselves, the service was abandoned and left in place for some time. As with many places, it's not surprising to see some surviving rails and ties once the crossings had been covered. The railroads, once the decision was made to abandon, wanted to get out as fast as possible. The early 70's, when most of this happened, were not great times for most industries, and cut your losses reigned. Possibly the cost in manpower of recovery of rails and ties was more than the cost of the abandoned materials. This area is rich with abandoned things such as family graveyards in the middle of corn fields, all but forgotten, and barn remnants Also, some trees grow pretty fast out there. The tree pictured could be only 30 or so years old. I do like how you captured the beginning of the turning of the leaves. Kind of gives it that gone wild look - nature winning out over civilization.


http://www.montanarailtours.com
johnpcox@juno.com