It’s a terrible shame EMD closed the plant not too long ago. I’m still waiting to find out what will happen to it. It’s remains would make one heck of a railroad or science/technology museum.
Sort of depressing to me. I was there in the early 80's and it was very different. Everything was clean and painted and you felt the pride when you went in. Now it reminds me of the steel mills in Gary when they were on the way out. The activity level was hard to imagine. The workers I talked to seemed to be glad to be there in La Grange. Does anyone know the details of the Investors who bought EMD and their plans. And where is the manufacturing being done now?
Those blue and white SD70/80 test beds sat there for years. I would take trains past there and every time they would be there. All the rebuilt units i saw when i would take a train by there. Passing the plant while on a train and seeing Metra 127 on the ready track to be picked up, then, about two days later it get it's shakedown run as a trailing unit on a Indiana Harbor Belt freight train. Now the entire facility is gone.
Brings back so many memories...I enjoyed working at EMD...I was a GM employee b4 it was bought by some investors Greenbrier...And I was bought out..Wish they never sold...Best company I ever worked for from 2000-2005!!!
From what I understand, much of the engineering and testing still goes on here but manufacturing has long since migrated elsewhere. It's a shame I don't visit Lagrange more often given how close I live to there. Great area to railfan in general.
Ok so we have a few oddballs here: An SD60ACe (what), EMDX 91 SD89MAC (tier 4 testbed), SD70M-2, SD70ACe and SD70ACe-T4 Demonstrators, Ex-UPRR SD40T-2 (formerly SP), an SD90MAC-H and a bunch of other random locomotives. Odd, I thought the La grange plant was shut down!
This is really cool!! Nice camera work!! Do you ask permission to fly over these yards? Or not? I just got a drone and I would love to get videos, but idk if I should ask permission or not first before I do a flyover.
The engine plant is permanently closed now. They had a auction a few months ago to sell off all their machinery. The corporate offices still remain open there at McCook.
Disappointing, would've liked more careful coverage of the remaining buildings, identifying each structure we were viewing, and their respective functions. It's been decades since I was last at the site. Which one is the "Big Bay" assembly hall (which I toured as a kid, with my grandfather, and EMD master plumber & mechanic)? The largest single building, at the plant's southeast corner, is the fabrication shop, where the locomotive frames took shape, as I recall, at 55th Street and Hwy 66...
George, that main assembly building is LONG gone. Been there during open house myself in 1997. Torn down even before my dad retired from there in 2001. It is now a new FedEx facility.
It’s a terrible shame EMD closed the plant not too long ago. I’m still waiting to find out what will happen to it. It’s remains would make one heck of a railroad or science/technology museum.
I remember going there many times as a kid, my Dad worked there and retired after 25 years, many memories.
Same here Frank. My dad worked in Experimental Test for 25 of his 30 years from 1971 - 2001. I am modeling EMD now for my HO scale layout. :-D
Sort of depressing to me. I was there in the early 80's and it was very different. Everything was clean and painted and you felt the pride when you went in. Now it reminds me of the steel mills in Gary when they were on the way out. The activity level was hard to imagine. The workers I talked to seemed to be glad to be there in La Grange. Does anyone know the details of the Investors who bought EMD and their plans. And where is the manufacturing being done now?
Those blue and white SD70/80 test beds sat there for years. I would take trains past there and every time they would be there. All the rebuilt units i saw when i would take a train by there. Passing the plant while on a train and seeing Metra 127 on the ready track to be picked up, then, about two days later it get it's shakedown run as a trailing unit on a Indiana Harbor Belt freight train. Now the entire facility is gone.
Great footage! I didn't think that there were so many locomotives still here. I used to railfan this area heavily when GM owned EMD.
steven williams Thank you!
Brings back so many memories...I enjoyed working at EMD...I was a GM employee b4 it was bought by some investors Greenbrier...And I was bought out..Wish they never sold...Best company I ever worked for from 2000-2005!!!
From what I understand, much of the engineering and testing still goes on here but manufacturing has long since migrated elsewhere. It's a shame I don't visit Lagrange more often given how close I live to there. Great area to railfan in general.
Great video Sam! The drone footage was super! Thank you for sharing this video with us!
Thomas Mackowiak Thanks!
Nice video Sam ! Love the triclops M-2 or ace
Keller Rail fan Thanks! It’s a SD60MAC with ACe radiators.
SamLovesTrains oh cool
Good footage I live in Lagrange and have been inside Emd many times
Gonna tear it down are they?
That was so fun watching this video Sam Nice!!! You rule
Alex Molnar's Gaming And Railfanning Channel Thanks!
I help build those locomotives. 1970 to 2006
Ok so we have a few oddballs here: An SD60ACe (what), EMDX 91 SD89MAC (tier 4 testbed), SD70M-2, SD70ACe and SD70ACe-T4 Demonstrators, Ex-UPRR SD40T-2 (formerly SP), an SD90MAC-H and a bunch of other random locomotives. Odd, I thought the La grange plant was shut down!
Manufacturing is gone, engineering still there.
Really makes me wonder what EMD will do with that SD60MAC.
Getting scrapped!
@@scottk6732 interesting
When was this taken my Dad worked Test at EMD
Awesome video Sam! So cool to see the aerial coverage of such a cool plant! Really cool power sitting around there! Nice job!
Alberta Bound Railfanning Thank you!
This is really cool!! Nice camera work!! Do you ask permission to fly over these yards? Or not? I just got a drone and I would love to get videos, but idk if I should ask permission or not first before I do a flyover.
Thanks! I didn’t have to ask for permission.
That a lot of SD EMD Locomotives
Kelenc AucklandGarbo19 Yeah
@@SamLovesTrains me too that SD60MAC and SD70ACE at Yard
Emd closed the plant in London ontario back in 2012
Do they Still make locomotives at this plant? Or is it closed for good
The engine plant is permanently closed now. They had a auction a few months ago to sell off all their machinery. The corporate offices still remain open there at McCook.
Very cool video
A Train 51 Production Thanks!
Does EMD still make stuff here or is that strictly done at Muncie?
Nope ALL manufacturing is gone in LaGrange.
Looks abandoned. And why were the tracks torn up into the bay doors? At 0:47 you can see where the old tracks ran inside the facility.
Torn up when GM tore down the main plant in the late 1990’s early 2000’s.
Disappointing, would've liked more careful coverage of the remaining buildings, identifying each structure we were viewing, and their respective functions. It's been decades since I was last at the site. Which one is the "Big Bay" assembly hall (which I toured as a kid, with my grandfather, and EMD master plumber & mechanic)? The largest single building, at the plant's southeast corner, is the fabrication shop, where the locomotive frames took shape, as I recall, at 55th Street and Hwy 66...
George, that main assembly building is LONG gone. Been there during open house myself in 1997. Torn down even before my dad retired from there in 2001. It is now a new FedEx facility.
Wow a triclops sd70ace
Gil.k It’s a SD60MAC but with added ACe radiators.
SamLovesTrains ohhh ok
SamLovesTrains what are they going to do with it?
Gil.k It just sits around at the plant.