Indiana Harbor Belt runs bottle trains from Cleveland-Cliffs (former Inland Steel and ArcelorMittal) steel mill in East Chicago and Cleveland-Cliffs smaller steel mill in Riverdale, IL. The Mill uses EMD GP15-1’s and SW1500’s to bring those cars out to Lakefront Yard, which is just outside the steel mill. Then, the power from the bottle trains, which is usually Norfolk Southern EMD’s take the bottles to Riverdale.
Seen here is one of the Bottle Trains departing Lakefront Yard, after crossing the NS Chicago Line at “CP 502” and getting onto the IHB mainline at “CP 100” heading under the Cline Avenue bridge, making it’s way towards Riverdale. NS GP38-2 5333 leads, built as PC GP38-2 8161 in October 1973.
On the right is the Historic Inland Steel Office Building, built in 1930. Which is now the main office building for Cleveland Cliffs, who recently purchased ArcelorMittal a few months ago. Cleveland Cliffs are the third owners of the Steel Mill. With Inland Steel being the original owners, then being purchased by ArcelorMittal in 1998, and then ArcelorMittal being purchased by Cleveland-Cliffs in 2020.
