Indiana Northeastern Railroad

The Indiana Northeastern (INER) was formed in 1992 with the purchase by investors of the Hillsdale County Railroad.  INER operates former New York Central and Wabash lines in Indiana and Michigan.  The INER's has three lines, the first runing from its headquarters city in South Milford, IN and heading east to an interchange with the NS at Montpelier, Ohio.  Its second line heads north off of the first at Steubenville, IN going north to Hillsdale where the company has a yard.  The third line heads west from Hillsdale through Jonesville to Coldwater.  It also has a short branch from Jonesville to Litchfield.

The INER also has a relationship with the Branch County Rail Users Association which owns the line west from Coldwater to east of Quincy. In 2023, the RUA was awarded a grant from MDOT to improve the track between these two cities.

The railroad is also home to the Little River Railroad operation, a non-profit organization which provides passenger excursions pulled by a steam locomotive.  The Little River operation is based in Coldwater. This road also has a relationship with the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, whereby the NKP 765 uses INER tracks for steam excursions.

In addition to the steam operation, the INER has a number of vintage railroad depots on the line, including Montgomery, Hillsdale, and Jonesville.  The line also uses the former New York Central Division office in Hillsdale.  This once was the division office for most of the LS&MS/NYC lines in the southern tier of counties (the former Michigan Southern line).  The NYC dispatcher was located in this building.

Websites:

• Indiana Northeastern Railroad
• Little River Railroad
• Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society

Photo Above:  INER 2185 sits in front of the Hillsdale depot.  2003  [Dale Berry]

Photo Below:  Little River Railroad 110 at Coldwater, MI  2005  [Jack Watts]