Evansville Western Railway

Evansville Western SD40-2 #6001 at the Mount Vernon coal terminal in August 2006.

Overview
Parent company| P&L Transportation
Headquarters| Mount Vernon, Indiana
Reporting mark| EVWR
Locale| southern Indiana, southern Illinois
Dates of operation| 2006-
Technical
Track gauge| 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length| 124.5 mi (200.4 km)
Other
Website| evwr.com

The Evansville Western Railway (reporting mark EVWR)[1] is a Class II (as of 2022) regional railroad operating in the southern Illinois and Indiana region. It is one of three regional railroad subsidiaries owned and operated by P&L Transportation.[2]

## Overview

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Founded in August 2005, the railroad commenced its first operations on January 1, 2006, when P&L Transportation, formerly Four Rivers Transportation, the parent company of both the Evansville Western and Paducah & Louisville railroads, leased 124.5 miles (200.4 km) of mainline track, ties and track equipment between CSX's Howell Yard in Evansville, Indiana, and the end-of-track at Okawville, Illinois, from CSX Transportation.[1][3] This line was once part of the Louisville & Nashville's former Saint Louis Subdivision route that previously terminated in the metro-area of East St. Louis, Illinois, before being embargoed and slightly shortened under CSX ownership during the fall of 1993. CSX Transportation retains title to the real estate comprising the right of way on which the railroad operates, but has leased it to EVWR for an initial period of 20 years.

More than 55,000 to 60,000 carloads per year are shipped on the Evansville Western railway, all of which are interchanged with three different Class I railroad carriers.[4] These are CSX Transportation at Howell Yard in Evansville,[5] BNSF Railway at the Woodlawn, junction, and the Union Pacific at Mount Vernon. Construction has been completed on a new connection line east of Mount Vernon that permits interchange with the Norfolk Southern Railway, a fourth Class I railroad.

A new 14.6 mi (23.5 km) railroad line, known as the "Savatran Rail Spur", has been completed from Delafield (near McLeansboro) through Macedonia before terminating with a loading loop north of the Akin Junction on CN's existing Edgewood Cutoff line, thus giving the Evansville Western railroad interchange access to the Canadian National.[6] Construction on this new line commenced during March 2009 and was originally scheduled to conclude by the following December.[7] When the new spur connector was finished in January 2011 it allowed commodities traffic via connection with the CN and it began serving the new Sugar Camp Energy coal mine north of Akin that was developed by Williamson Energy Development, a subsidiary of West Virginia-based Cline Group, on reserves leased from Natural Resource Partners, L.P.

Additionally, EVWR constructed an interconnection line approximately 1.8 mi (2.9 km) in length just east of Mount Vernon that enabled interchange with the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS). The new line runs north from the EVWR mainline (about 0.25 mi (0.40 km) east of Liebengood Road) and connects with the NS across from and just southwest of the Mount Vernon Airport. EVWR also expanded its siding northwest of Opdyke to a total length of approximately 3 mi (4.8 km) from Interstate 64 to near the new connection allowing direct delivery of unit coal trains from the Sugar Camp Mine near Akin to the Gibson Generating Station in Indiana across the Wabash River from Mount Carmel, Illinois.

Most of the railroad's revenue freight services come from rail-barge transfer facilities, merchandise freight from bulk terminals, unit coal trains from coal mines and a riverside coal terminal, and grain and agricultural products from numerous grain elevator shippers.

## Equipment

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The Evansville Western Railway's locomotive fleet primarily consists of rebuilt EMD hood units purchased from other railroads. They are all painted to match its parent company P&L Transportation's traditional green, white, & black color scheme with the classic diamond herald.[8] In addition to the company-owned roster, the railroad is also leasing a few more units from GATX Corporation.

### Company power

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Model[8] | Quantity | Acquired | Numbers

|
|
|

EMD GP38-2 | 3 | 2006 | 3833–3835
EMD GP39-2 | 2 | 2006 | 3836–3837
EMD GP38 | 2 | 2007 | 3838–3839
EMD GP40M-2 | 1 | 2008 | 3840
EMD SD40-2 | 3 | 2006 | 6001–6003
EMD SD60 | 1 | 2006 | 6004
EMD SD70MAC | 7 | 2013 | 4501–4502, 4510–4511, 4517, 4519–4520

### Leased power

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Model | Quantity | Acquired | Numbers

|
|
|

EMD GP38-2 | 3 | 2006 | GMTX 2622, 2651, & 2655

## References

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1. ^ a b Rohrig, Byron (January 9, 2007). "Evansville Western on right track". Evansville Courier and Press. Evansville, Indiana. p. B1 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "About P&L Transportation". P&L Transportation. 2012. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014.
3. ^ "Evansville Western Railway, Inc. Acquisition and Operation Exemption". Surface Transportation Board. Archived from the original on May 18, 2011.
4. ^ Rohrig, Byron (December 2, 2005). "New Railway Shaping Up (continued)". Evansville Courier and Press. p. A12 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Rohrig, Byron (January 9, 2007). "Evansville Western on right track (continued)". Evansville Courier and Press. Evansville, Indiana. p. B6 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Savatran Rail Spur Project" (PDF). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - St. Louis District. August 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 9, 2009.
7. ^ Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (February 2009). "Notice of Intent" (PDF). p. 1.
8. ^ a b "Evansville & Western Roster". The Diesel Shop.

## External links

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* Trains portal

* Evansville Western Railway - official website
* Evansville Western Railroad Inc Photographic Roster Railroad Picture Archives

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Railroads of Illinois

Common carriers|

* A&R Terminal Railroad
* Ag Valley Railroad
* Alton and Southern Railway
* Belt Railway of Chicago
* Bloomer Shippers Connecting Railroad
* BNSF Railway
* Burlington Junction Railway
* Canadian National Railway
* Grand Trunk Western Railroad
* Illinois Central Railroad
* Chicago Central and Pacific Railroad
* Wisconsin Central
* Central Illinois Railroad
* Chicago–Chemung Railroad
* Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
* Chicago Port Railroad
* Chicago Rail Link
* Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad
* City of Rochelle Railroad
* Coffeen and Western Railroad
* Canadian Pacific Kansas City
* Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
* Kansas City Southern Railway
* Soo Line Railroad
* Crab Orchard and Egyptian Railway
* CSX Transportation
* Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad
* Decatur Central Railroad
* Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad
* Decatur Junction Railway
* Eastern Illinois Railroad
* Effingham Railroad
* Evansville Western Railway
* Gateway Eastern Railway
* Illinois and Midland Railroad
* Illinois Railway
* Illinois Western Railroad
* Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
* Indiana Rail Road
* Iowa Interstate Railroad
* Joppa and Eastern Railroad
* Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad
* Keokuk Junction Railway
* Lincoln and Southern Railroad
* Manufacturers' Junction Railway
* Manufacturers Railway
* Norfolk Southern Railway
* Peoria and Pekin Union Railway
* Peru Industrial Railroad
* Pioneer Industrial Railway
* Port Harbor Railroad
* Riverport Railroad
* Shawnee Terminal Railway
* South Chicago and Indiana Harbor Railway
* Southern Illinois and Missouri Bridge Company
* Tazewell and Peoria Railroad
* Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
* Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
* Union Pacific Railroad
* Vandalia Railroad
* Vermilion Valley Railroad
* Wisconsin and Southern Railroad

Passenger carriers|

* Airport Transit System
* Amtrak
* Chicago "L"
* Metra
* MetroLink
* South Shore Line

Private carriers|

* Bulkmatic Railroad
* C&C Railroad
* Calumet Transload & Railroad
* Captain Mine
* Chicago Heights Terminal Transfer Railroad
* Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad
* DOT Rail Service
* FNG Logistics Company
* Joliet Junction Railroad
* Kaskaskia Regional Port District Railroad
* Mokena Illinois Railroad
* North American Industrial Railway
* Peabody Energy
* Peoria, Peoria Heights and Western Railroad
* Respondek Railroad Corporation

Heritage railroads|

* Fox River Trolley Museum
* Illinois Railway Museum
* Monticello Railway Museum
* Silver Creek & Stephenson Railroad

* See also: Former carriers in Illinois
* List of United States railroads by political division

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* e

Railroads of Indiana

Common carriers|

* Bee Line Railroad
* Big 4 Terminal Railroad
* Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad
* Central Indiana and Western Railroad
* Central Railroad of Indianapolis
* Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad
* Central Railroad of Indiana
* Chesapeake and Indiana Railroad
* C&NC Railroad
* Chicago SouthShore and South Bend Railroad
* CSX Transportation
* Dubois County Railroad
* Evansville Western Railway
* Elkhart and Western Railroad
* Fulton County Railroad
* Gary Railway
* Grand Trunk Western Railroad
* Honey Creek Railroad
* Hoosier Southern Railroad
* Indian Creek Railroad
* Indiana Eastern Railroad
* Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
* Indiana Northeastern Railroad
* Indiana Rail Road
* Indiana and Ohio Railway
* Indiana Southern Railroad
* Indiana Southwestern Railway
* Indianapolis Union Railway
* Kankakee, Beaverville and Southern Railroad
* Kendallville Terminal Railway
* Logansport and Eel River Short-Line Company
* Louisville and Indiana Railroad
* Lake Michigan and Indiana Railroad
* Lucas Oil Rail Line
* Madison Railroad
* MG Rail, Inc.
* Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railroad
* Norfolk Southern Railway
* Ohio Valley Railroad
* R.J. Corman Railroad/Western Ohio Lines
* South Chicago and Indiana Harbor Railway
* Squaw Creek Southern Railroad
* Southern Indiana Railway
* Soo Line Railroad
* Southwind Shortline Railroad
* Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway
* U S Rail Corporation
* Vermilion Valley Railroad
* Wabash Central Railroad
* Winamac Southern Railway

Passenger carriers|

* Amtrak
* South Shore Line

Private carriers|

* BP
* City of Auburn Port Authority
* Steel Dynamics
* R.J. Corman
* Toyota

Heritage railroads|

* Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society
* Hesston Steam Museum
* Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum
* Indiana Railway Museum
* Indiana Transportation Museum
* National New York Central Railroad Museum
* Whitewater Valley Railroad

* See also: Former carriers in Indiana
* List of United States railroads by political division

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Regional railroads of North America

Current|

* AGR
* ARR
* BPRR
* AMMC
* DMVW
* DREI
* EVWR
* FEC
* IAIS
* INRD
* KO
* KYLE
* MNA
* NKCR
* NECR
* NYSW
* ONT
* PAL
* PNWR
* PW
* RCPE
* RRVW
* QNS&L
* WE
* WSOR

Former|

* AC
* BAR
* BCOL
* BLE
* CKRY
* CMQ
* CORP
* CV
* DME
* DH
* DM
* DMIR
* DWP
* EJE
* FVW
* GSF
* GSWR
* GWWR
* GLC
* ICE
* IMRL
* MMA
* MRL
* MSRC
* PAR
* PLE
* RFP
* SO
* SR
* SSWN
* TPW
* TSBY
* WC
* WCRC
* WICT
* WRPI

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