Crocker Junction: EJ&E vs. Wabash

(no CRJ)  The EJ&E is now the Prairie Duneland Trail. Unlike most abandoned routes which create a tree-line, the Wabash still has a hole in the forest on the east side of the junction. On the west side, you can see how it curves to the Iron Horse Heritage Trail west of IN-149.

Satellite

Update:

Kevin Piper posted a history and some photos.

George M Stupar posted
Crocker Junction, September 1982, EJ&E Porter Line branch and N&W former Wabash Railroad 4th District Chicago-Montpelier mainline. This location is west of Chesterton and just east of Indiana highway 149. We were returning from a siding east of Westville with ripped out ties loaded in gondolas. Still had to phone in at the call box to get the signal during this era. View east.
Dennis DeBruler That name is rare enough that I had to look up its location. I see that not only is the J now a trail, the Wabash RoW has become the Iron Horse Heritage Trail west of IL-149.
https://www.google.com/.../@41.5897116,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3
[George's comment on RailPictures:
"Conductor Wally Harpp walks through the brush to the call box in order to obtain permission, and get the signal, to proceed across the EJ&E Porter Line with his westbound train, which is on the former Wabash Railroad 4th district. It's en route from Westville IN to N&W's Calumet Yard in Chicago with several gondolas loaded with old used railroad ties. The community of Crocker still exists today on the far west side of Chesterton, but all you'll find here now is a bike trail."]

George M Stupar posted
September 1982, Chesterton (Crocker) IN, Westbound on the former Wabash Railroad 4th District mainline at Crocker Junction. The conductor is walking to the callbox in order to get permission and the signal to proceed across the Elgin Joliet & Eastern Porter Line.
Bob Lalich George M Stupar - what was the end of the line at the time of the photo? I remember visiting Westville in the spring of 1981. I recall an active industry there at the time. Unfortunately I didn't document what remained.
George M StuparAuthor Bob Lalich The rails had been taken up slightly east of Magee, which was approximately eight miles east of Westville.
Mark Egebrecht George M Stupar I thought the line was intact until 1983?
George M StuparAuthor Mark Egebrecht Not totally intact. On a Saturday in September 1982 we picked up several gondolas from a siding near Magee. They were loaded with old scrap ties that were removed from the ROW just east of Magee where the track was already being taken up. I believe that's where the removal of the line actually began.

Wayne Hudak commented on George's post
The current bike trail on the former "J", looking east at Crocker Junction which is at the bottom of the hill. Bridge is over Hwy 149. You can still see the former Wabash R.O.W.

Two more photos taken by George in Sept. 1982: color and B&W

The conductor is closer to the phone box in this photo.

George M Stupar posted
September 1982 on a Saturday, Crocker (Chesterton) Indiana, Where the EJ&E Porter Line crossed the former Wabash Railroad 4th District. View east. Conductor Wallace O. Harpp is seen walking to the phone box, where he will call in for authorization to proceed across the J diamond with his train.
Craig Cloud: There is an old photo showing tower stood where phone box stood. In fact Rail road which passes under IN49, uses old NW nee Wabash row.

George M Stupar posted
Crocker Indiana, just west of Chesterton, in the late 1940s. Wabash 4th District and EJ&E Porter Line crossing. RUDY WHEATRO PHOTO
Steve Potrzebowski: Thank you for sharing this! It was located at the far west end of Crocker hill. The hill went to Westville over a twelve mile distance. My Polish grandfather remembered during the steam Era that eastbound freights would stall on the hill just to the Northwest of Clear Lake, and would do by Railroad term " doubling the hill" where the front half of the train would be parked on the siding in Westville while the engine would go back and pick up the rest of the train. He told me that this continued until the arrival of the diesel. Then he paused, and said in exact words " heck Steve, a hundred cars were no match to the diesel."

Dennis DeBruler commented on George's post
1953 Chestertown Quadrangle @ 1:24,000

Wayne Hudak posted two photos with the comment:

Amateur photos of the Tower at Crocker on the Wabash 4th, both about 1960. Photo1: Eastbound look, Wabash heads off to the right, the EJ&E to the left. The "J" is a bike trail today and the former Wabash ROW in this spot is a storage area for Chesterton's wood chip residue.

Mark E. Vaughan At one time a sizable interchange point between the EJ&E and the Wabash.
Wayne Hudak I understand as many as 100 cars were interchanged there from both roads.

1
Wayne also used this as a comment on a posting
And another posting
 Looking east at Crocker, "J" on the left, Wabash on the right. As far as I know, this was a Wabash operated tower.
Wayne Hudak Tim Valiquet , the N&W was ripped up in 1983, not sure if interchange ended before that date. At one time about 100 cars a day were interchanged at Crocker between the two roads.
Tim Valiquet When I was with the J 1977-1980 I still remember the Crocker interchange as being active ....

2

Geore M Stupar posted two photos with the comment: "Here are two more views of Crocker Indiana on the Wabash Railroad 4th District."

1

2