# Quick Trip to Beech Grove



## MrFSS

As I have family in Indianapolis, I travel there several times a year. When I can, I like to drive out to Beech Grove to see what's going on. They won't let me in, but I always stop at the Amtrak Police office and seek permission to take pictures from along the fence. Today the nice officer even let me park in the employee lots, which are close to the cars outside the buildings, so I was able to get a few nice pictures.

Here are some high lights. All the pictures can be seen *HERE*.







A sightseer car is almost gutted and waiting repairs.






Another lounge car waiting its turn inside.






Best view I could get of the north side of the facility. Note downtown Indy in the background.






A string of superliner cars waiting for repairs or modifications.






They look strange without the Amtrak colors.






Looks like that Pacific Parlor Car is still sitting there as we saw it last fall when they had the Open House.






Amtrak 1100 - what they move the cars around the facility with.






Just north of the Beech Grove shops is a large CSX yard. The yard foreman let me snap a few there, too.

All of those pictures are *Here*.

If you missed the pictures of the Beech Grove Open House from last Fall, they are *HERE*.

Questions - comments let me know.

Tom


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## AlanB

The second lounge car looks like it was a wreck repair, cause unless my eyes or the camera is deceiving me, the door and the frame look bent.

Thanks for the photos.


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## MrFSS

AlanB said:


> The second lounge car looks like it was a wreck repair, cause unless my eyes or the camera is deceiving


I went back and looked at the original. The door frame does look a little bowed. But, the fence in the way may give it an optical illusion, too.


AlanB said:


> Thanks for the photos.


You're welcome!


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## PerRock

MrFSS said:


> Amtrak 1100 - what they move the cars around the facility with.


may I ask what type of engine that is?

peter


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## MrFSS

PerRock said:


> may I ask what type of engine that is?
> peter


I'm not big on knowing the make and model of these things. Obviously its a little switch engine. Perhaps someone knows the details. Looks to be in good repair.


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## AlanB

MrFSS said:


> PerRock said:
> 
> 
> 
> may I ask what type of engine that is?
> 
> peter
> 
> 
> 
> I'm not big on knowing the make and model of these things. Obviously its a little switch engine. Perhaps someone knows the details. Looks to be in good repair.
Click to expand...

That engine number is not actually listed as being on Amtrak's roster, at least the current ones that are available to us. Beech Grove used to have two 80 ton GE switchers numbered 10 and 11, so it is possible that one of those units was renumbered or it could be a new engine.


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## PerRock

hrmm it doesn't look quite like an 80T --> http://yardlimit.railfan.net/archive/colle...misc/uss-20.jpg

peter

Edit: take that back. It looks like it could be an AMTK refurb of #11 eyeing off this pic:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=163451


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## AmtrakFan

33036 was wrecked in the Southwest Chief Kingman Derailment.


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## GG-1

Mahalo for the pictures. When were these pictures taken? They can't be fixed if no one is working on them.


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## MrFSS

GG-1 said:


> Mahalo for the pictures. When were these pictures taken? They can't be fixed if no one is working on them.


They were taken 4/14. There are many buildings at the Beech Grove facility. They can get 25 - 50 cars inside to be worked on. No way of knowing what was going on inside the shops. What you see outside are various stages of the process. In the far east end of the yards, there are cars that have been sitting in the same place for years. Probably will never be repaired. Usually the west end yards have many more cars sitting around, but didn't the day I was there. So, there must have been quite a few inside.
NARP was able to swing a tour of the place a couple of years ago. Maybe we could get enough folks from this board to try and do that, too. Anyone interested?


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## PerRock

MrFSS said:


> NARP was able to swing a tour of the place a couple of years ago. Maybe we could get enough folks from this board to try and do that, too. Anyone interested?



I'd happily come along.... been aching for a tour of some AMTK facilities.

peter


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