Re: (erielack) Erie Split Mains

["Michael Dye" <luxpan_@_hotmail.com>]

From my reading, it appears that the reasoning behind the split mains was in 
order to reduce the prevailing grades for each direction, in order to ease 
the passage of trains. I don't know of any structures (other than signal 
masts) located between the mains. Still, I seem to recall reading that there 
was a section near Akron, Indiana, where the east and westbound mains 
switched sides, crossing over each other by a bridge (I've not been able to 
confirm this by track plan). The grade separations were at:

MP:                 Location:
808-811             Between Wren, OH and Decatur, IN
866-876             Between Laketon, IN and Akron, IN
951-957             Between Crown Point, IN and Griffith, IN


The counties in question were Wabash and Pulaski counties, in Indiana. Their 
RR property taxes were rather...predatory, and the Erie decided to reduce 
the property that was contained in those areas. So, single track and closed 
depots followed.

Michael Dye ELHS #1516



>From: Richard Young <ryoungceo_@_yahoo.com>
>	Not only were there split mains but they were also at
>different elevations in many spots. At the extreme end
>there was 42 feet of vertical elevation differences
>between the two Mains in Indiana. I don't know of any
>structures between the split mains but there were a
>few road bridges over the eastbound main going into a
>standard grade cossing of the west bound main.
>
>	The mains did not keep equal distance apart as the
>tangents between the two varied. ( some times only 5
>feet of extra distance over the standard double track
>separation and up to 110' in a few spots on my
>charts). I have never seen anything that stated why
>and what fors as to the split multi level mains. Any
>help there would be appreciated.
>
>	Taxes in Two of the indana counties were so high
>after a reforendum that precipitated the removal of
>the double track in 54 or 55.


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