The Twin Branch Railroad: two miles of coal road

1927–1978 · THE PLANT RAILROAD

The smallest railroad Mishawaka ever had was built to feed a power station: The Twin Branch Railroad was organized in 1927, less than two miles in length, to haul coal from a connection with the New York Central's Elkhart & Western line to Indiana & Michigan Power's generating station on the St. Joseph River on Mishawaka's east side — the Twin Branch station whose own course stands in this build's Businesses section. The railroad is carried whole here because a railroad is what it was.

Steam, batteries, wire, diesel: The little road's motive-power course is a compressed history of twentieth-century traction. It was worked first by two steam locomotives. In the 1930s the steam engines were replaced by two storage-battery locomotives, and during the Second World War pantographs and catenary were added to the line — not to replace the batteries but to reduce their charging time. In the 1950s the road bought two diesel locomotives, its last power. The line lived exactly as long as its reason for existing: when the generating station was shut down and closed in June 1978, the Twin Branch Railroad was abandoned with it. One of its locomotives survives: Twin Branch Locomotive No. 3 is preserved at the Indiana Transportation Museum in Noblesville.

Sources:

1. Monon Society, "Twin Branch Railroad" — organized 1927; under two miles; coal to the Indiana & Michigan Power station on the river on Mishawaka's east side; the New York Central Elkhart & Western connection; the two steam locomotives, the 1930s storage-battery locomotives, the wartime pantographs and catenary, the 1950s diesel purchases; abandonment in June 1978 with the station's shutdown; Locomotive No. 3 at the Indiana Transportation Museum, Noblesville.
2. This build's Businesses section — the Twin Branch generating station's own course, its 1927 start, and the railroad carried there at plant size; this entry carries the railroad whole.