Gas line puts Fair Train in jeopardy - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

A decades-old Indiana State Fair tradition may be in jeopardy this year, due to a buried gas line.

From Fishers, it takes about 30 minutes for the volunteer-powered antique State Fair train to travel 11 miles down the carpet of steel to the fairgrounds.

But earlier this year, Citizens Gas replaced an aging gas line that ran under the tracks near 56th Street. The 16-inch pipe wasn't installed deep enough in the ground, according to the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, who operates the tracks.

The group wanted the gas line buried 25 feet below the tracks. Citizens replaced the line at seven feet, so the Port Authority ordered all trains off the track.

"On June 1, Citizens proposed a joint inspection of the track with the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority. We did not receive a response until today, when they requested we attend their "deflection test" tomorrow (Wednesday). We are confident our pipeline is safe and are eager to put this matter behind us so the Fair Train can run this summer," Citizens Gas wrote in a statement.

In three weeks, the Indiana State Fair opens for business and may do so without the Fair Train. But there is one hope for the tradition.

Eyewitness News has learned the Port Authority plans on testing the new gas line by running a train over the area in question. It's called a "deflection test" and if the gas line passes, the train runs. If not, the tradition could be stalled on the tracks.

Don Seal, chairman of the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority, says the test is scheduled for Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. The test involves operating an engine over the crossing in question. He says the parties have agreed that if the test goes well, the Fair Train will be permitted to operate.

The HHPA issued this statement Thursday:

"Yesterday, a deflection test was done in cooperation with the HHPA consulting engineers and ITM over the crossing at Allisonville Road using a live train load. ITM, as the operators of the train, will need to evaluate and make an independent determination of the safety of the affected crossing. In the event ITM decides the crossing is safe for the 2012 WFMS Fair Train operations, HHPA will make a one-time deviation from their specifications to allow ITM to operate the WFMS Fair Train next month."