Indiana
Harbor Belt Railroad - (en)
The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad (AAR reporting marks IHB) is a Class II
railroad in the United States. The line is comprised of 320 miles of
track—30 miles of single mainline track, 24 miles of double main track
and 266 miles of additional yard and side track—starting northwest of
Chicago in Franklin Park, Illinois, traveling southeast around the city to
its headquarters in Hammond, Indiana.
The line's largest yard, Blue Island, is located in Riverdale, Illinois
with other yards in the Indiana cities of Hammond and East Chicago. The
Gibson Yard, located in Hammond, is arguably the largest auto-switching
operation in the United States.
Throughout the 1970s and 1990s to the present, Indiana Harbor Belt
operated an extensive interlocking tower system including: East End,
Osbourne, Calumet, Stewart Avenue, Graselli, 55th Street and Argo towers
and North Harvey switch tender. They later took over State Line tower from
the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad.
Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
Police
The Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Police Department consists of 15 sworn
officers and is, current to 2006, directed by Chief of Police Vic Barks
and Assistant Chief Rob Olszowka. Operating under the authority of state
and federal statute, the IHBPD is responsible for the protection of
employees, property and assets on or about IHB property in the states of
Indiana and Illinois.
