by
Fred Swift
(The following commentary is published here as part of a partnership between LarryInFishers and the Hamilton County Reporter. This appeared in the March 15th edition of the Reporter)
The Indiana Transportation
Museum, longtime operator of the
excursion trains on the Nickel Plate
Railroad, has a petition drive in progress
designed to encourage local officials
to keep the railroad intact.
The online petition, found on the
transportation museum’s website,
claims nearly 2,800 citizens have now
signed. The petition will go to Mayor
John Ditslear of Noblesville, Mayor Scott Fadness of Fishers, and Hamilton County Commissioners.
The local officials have announced intentions of pursuing a conversion of the rail line to the walking and bike trail between Noblesville and 96th Street at an estimated cost of $9.3 million.
The museum (ITM), headquartered at Forest Park, has operated for the past 30 years and has run their trains on the Nickel Plate since 1990 including the Fairtrain, Polar Bear Express, dinner trains and other seasonal runs.
But, last year the operations ceased when the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, owner of the tracks, suspended operations due to safety concerns. The port authority is made up of members appointed by Noblesville, Fishers and county elected officials.
The transportation museum, on its website, says the railroad is unique “not only in
Indiana, but throughout the nation” because most rail lines have been abandoned. And riding the railroad provides “an experience in railroad history.” Until the suspension, ITM claims to have carried 40,000 passengers per year. The revenue gained from passenger spending improved the local economy, ITM says.
Repairs and correcting safety concerns are estimated to cost $5 million which would not come from tax money, ITM maintains. The port authority has said it will release an RFP (request for proposals) soon to which spokesmen say they expect several reply proposals.