Indiana’s Whitewater Valley Railroad has suspended operations after historic flooding caused numerous washouts and is likely to result in millions of dollars in damage.

In the early morning hours of August 13, the West Fork of the Whitewater River crested at an unprecedented 21.78 feet. As a result, floodwaters inundated the towns of Connersville, Laurel and Metamora. The railroad’s base of operations in South Connersville was inundated with 36 inches of water, and floodwaters reached 40 inches inside the shop building. Water submerged dozens of pieces of equipment, including every operating locomotive. While a full evaluation of the railroad’s 19 miles of track has yet to be completed, an initial assessment revealed “thousands of washouts.” One silver lining, however, is that the railroad’s major bridge at Laurel has apparently escaped unscathed. Two historic structures, the Dearborn Tower and the Rushville Depot, both survived with minimal damage.

The railroad has launched a recovery effort and is raising money to cover the cost of rebuilding. For more information, visit whitewatervalleyrr.org.

The Whitewater Valley Railroad was established as a nonprofit in the early 1970s and has been providing excursion service since 1974. It has an eclectic fleet of diesels from EMD, Lima, Baldwin and Alco.

—Justin Franz