Discover Indiana’s Most Scenic Railroad Experience
The Whitewater Valley Railroad is a heritage railroad museum dedicated to preserving and operating historic rail equipment over a former New York Central branch line. Founded in 1972the Whitewater Valley Railroad isa 501c3 not for profit organization that is celebrating over 50 years of service. We continue to offer a wide variety of experiences throughout the year designed to not only appeal to railfans and those interested in the history of the community. But we are also committed to offering historic educational opportunities and hands-on participation in railroad operation.
Whitewater Valley Railroad
The Whitewater Valley is billed as Indiana’s most scenic railroad. Our trips range from half hour locals to full day excursions. Our featured trip is the Valley Flyer. Saturday’s and Sunday’s from May through October passengers will depart from Grand Central Station, our main depot located in Connersville Indiana. Trains leave at noon and leisurely travel through the beautiful Whitewater River valley for approximately and hour and a half to Metamora Indiana. Platted in 1838, Metamora is a preserved canal town from the 1800’s.Visitorscan be taken back in time surrounded by the buildings and industry that pioneered the area over 150 years ago. Railroad passengers will be given a two hour layover to visit the town. There are multiple shops to visit or you may wish to eat in one of the many restaurants. There are also a variety of trails and paths to explore. Afterward we will board the train again for the hour anda half trip returning to Connersville.
Tracing History: The Whitewater Canal and Its Legacy
Along the way passengers can learn of the history of the valley, the Whitewater Canal, and the railroad. Still known as “The Canal Route”, construction on the Whitewater Canal began in 1836 as part of Indiana’s Internal Improvement Act. Designed to bring better transportation throughout the state the canal system faced constant setbacks and delays in construction due to weather and political changes. Construction on the canal continued until 1847 when it was found the maintenance costs were too high for a profitable business. As the nation moved toward the civil war in the 1850’s, railroads were being constructed throughout the country. Railroads were the latest and greatest technology of their time. Compared to the canal the trains could move more people and cargo, faster and safer than ever before. Construction on the original Whitewater Valley Railroad began in 1863 to replace the Whitewater can a land continued through the end of the Civil War reaching Connersville in 1867.
From Canal Route to Railway: The Birth of the Whitewater Valley Branch
While never truly acheiving main line status, the Whitewater Valley branch line saw a great deal of traffic throughout the remainder of the 19thand into the twentieth century. Ownership of the line changed multiple times throughout the years culminating in our small branch line becoming part of the mighty New York Central System in 1930. The New York Central continued to offer passenger service out of the area for a short time but the ever improving highway system and availability of the automobile saw this service come to an end in the 1930’s. The New York Central continued to offer freight service to customers along the line until 1968 when the New York Central merged with the Pennsylvania Railroad to form Penn Central Corporation. In a move to reduce costs the Penn Central sold off many lines that were considered redundant or not profitable enough to maintain. While the portions of the line north of Connersville and south of Brookville Indiana were sold to short line operators, the section between Connersville and Brookville did not have interested buyers. That is until a small group of volunteers began working to save not only the right of way but some key pieces of equipment relevant to the area.
Growth and Changes: New York Central, Penn Central, and Beyond
Beginning with their efforts and continuing with thousands of hours of work and dedication, the Whitewater Valley Railroad has grown to over 3,000 members. The railroad prides itself on being a 100% volunteer organization. Our volunteer members continue to operate all aspects of the railroad on a daily basis. After a short lease of the line from Penn Central, the Whitewater Valley was able to purchase the line outright and today is the sole owner of our entire route. Our volunteer track crews maintain over twenty miles of track and perform all levels of track rehabilitation. From starting with only a small machine shop located near the railroad we have now constructed our own two bay railroad shop for the maintenance and restoration of our equipment. Our volunteers work on a variety of equipment throughout the year including the restoration and operation of the only two operating Lima Hamilton diesel locomotives left in the world.
Plan Your Visit: Explore the Whitewater Valley Railroad Year-Round
We invite you to visit with us at the Whitewater Valley Railroad. We offer many trains throughout the year in addition to the Valley Flyer. Our Wild West Special occurs each third Saturday of the month. Join the Circle D Rangers for a family friendly, western themed trip to Metamora. But beware of the outlaws hiding along the tree line of the old canal route. In October Metamora hosts their Canal Days festival where the streets of the town are filled with a variety of vendors. The Whitewater Valley Railroad sends multiple trains each day where passengers can choose between a two or four hour layover to enjoy event. Also on Friday and Saturday nights in October the Ghost Train of Metamora will get you into the Halloween spirit with spooktacular late night trip into the woods. Like all of our excursions this train is family friendly and suitable for all ages. Other seasonal trains begin in the Spring with the Easter Bunny Express. Guests take a short trip to the Bunny Patch where they can hunt for eggs and visit the Easter Bunny. October we have the Pumpkin liner with another short trip where guests deboard the train and ride a hay wagon to the pumpkin patch. And November and December has our Santa Claus Limited allowing passengers to take a ride with Santa.
