La Crosse Sub - Indian Hill District
Note: This is a work in progress. Check back often for updates. Last updated on September 29th, 2024.
The Indian Hill District is located on the North end of La Crosse and is home to a number of industries. The district is served by the Chicago & North Western La Crosse Subdivision and is loosely based on the industrial area of La Crosse, WI. The district is home to a number of industries, including a grocery warehouse, can company, Trane company plant and a rubber mill.
Industries
The Indian Hill District is home to a number of industries, including:
- Gateway Foods: Receives groceries and beer (from Heileman Brewery) in insulated box cars.
- Continental Can: Receives raw materials in box cars.
- Gamble Robinson: Receives fresh produce in insulated box cars.
- La Crosse Rubber Mills: Receives coal in hoppers, rubber in box cars, and ships boots and shoes in box cars.
- Trane Plant 7: Receives coal for the furnace and occasionally a depressed center flat to ship a large heat exchanger.
Model Changes
To be able to fit this into a 14 foot module I needed to make a few changes. Gateway Foods and Trane Plant 7 were actually served from the other end on the prototype, but due to limited space I had to flip the tracks to make everything fit. This module, along with a couple of small wings for switch engine movement, will make for an entertaining switching puzzle at train shows.
I do plan to model St. James street which crosses the tracks between the Continental Can and Gamble Robinson switches. I will likely move it North so that the switch points are not embedded in the road. I also hope to model the slight downward grade to the Continental Can building, as can bee seen in the photo below.
Prototype Photos
These photos have been provided to me by various photographers
CNW Train Switching Gateway Foods
Photo by Unknown but provided by Ralph Hauser
CNW GP7 4150 spotting a car at Continental Can
Photo by Unknown but provided by Ralph Hauser