Butler Branch (Indiana)

The Butler Branch is a historic railroad line that operated in Indiana, USA. It ran between the city of Logansport on the Wabash River in north central Indiana and the namesake town of Butler near the Ohio border in northeastern Indiana.

This line was better known as the Eel River Railroad (late 19th century), since it roughly followed that northern Indiana waterway between Logansport and Columbia City; thus it was also known as the "Eel River Route" or "Eel River Line" under subsequent leaseholders and owners. In 1901, it was acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), and it was operated by various wholly owned subsidiaries of that company as follows: Terre Haute & Indianapolis (TH&I) from 1901 to 1904, Vandalia Railroad from 1905 to 1916, and Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis (PCC&StL) beginning in 1917. During this era, the line obtained the "Butler Branch" designation. From that northeast Indiana town, trackage rights allowed PRR trains to continue over the Wabash Railroad to Toledo, Ohio.

In Logansport, the line began at a junction with the PRR's South Bend Branch, with access to its Effner Branch and I&F (Indianapolis & Frankfort) Branch tracks. The line crossed the PRR's Chicago to Pittsburgh Main Line at Columbia City and the Grand Rapids Branch at LaOtto.

...
Wikipedia