Nonprofit announces capital campaign to revive one of Indiana’s world-famous interurban railcars
The Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company announces a $450,000, 5-year project and campaign to restore a rare interurban - Union Traction Company No. 429 “Noblesville” - to operation
April 29, 2019 - Indianapolis, Ind. – As of 4:29 p.m. on 4/29/2019, a group of young preservationists are pleased to announce the Electrify 429 capital campaign. Electrify 429 is a project of the Hoosier Heartland Trolley Co. to restore Indiana Union Traction Company No. 429 to operation – one of the last remaining interurbans from Indiana’s world-famous electric railroad system of the early 20th century.
The organization expects the project to take five years to complete and cost an estimated $450,000, after collaborating with both internal and external experts on an assessment of the car. Since No. 429’s acquisition in 2018, an assessment and inventory have been performed, finding the car in amazingly-sound condition. The car will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2025, at which HHTC has set the goal of having the car operational.
While the operation of the HHTC collection will be unparalleled by being the only such operation of its kind within the State of Indiana, the real return-on-investment for the Hoosier community is much greater. HHTC President Austin Mace comments, “We’re thrilled to be breathing life into such an important part of Indiana’s rich, electric railroad history. The story of Indiana’s railroads is an important one, and is relevant now more than ever as conversations around ride-sharing, micro-mobility, hyper-loop travel and high-speed rail have been thrust into the national spotlight. It is our hope that through active interpretation of artifacts like No. 429, we will highlight our state’s past while inspiring conversations about the future of mobility.”
In the interest of sparking conversations about our transportation future, the HHTC board realizes the best way to do so is to provide interpretive, authentic portals into our past that foster learning and facilitate inquiry. HHTC Vice President Cameron Nichols comments, “HHTC upholds high collections standards shared by top institutions across the nation and the globe. The Electrify 429 project will use authentic materials and processes in order to provide Hoosiers with truly-immersive experiences that present the artifact as it originally appeared. This will provide a tangible learning tool to understand how our ancestors experienced transportation as part of an overall societal fabric in 20th century Indiana.”
The Electrify 429 campaign calls for a mix of funding resources comprised of crowdsourcing, grants, and corporate contributions. One can learn about Electrify 429, explore interactive media to learn about the cause, and find ways to volunteer, donate, or contribute at hoosiertrolley.org.
About Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company - The Hoosier Heartland Trolley Company was founded in 2018 to save the last remaining pieces of Indiana’s electric railway heritage. The organization exists to spark imagination in people across all walks of life to experience the art, science, culture, technology and economic empowerment of Indiana’s world-renowned electric railway industry from the 20th century. More information regarding preservation efforts, news, and development into a world-class electric heritage railway can be found at hoosiertrolley.org.
Members of the HHTC Board of Directors pose with Union Traction Co. No. 429 “Noblesville”, after its relocation to safety in October 2018.