The route is owned by CSX, who has leased it to the Chicago Fort Wayne and Eastern (CFE). CFE runs a thru train from Ft Wayne to Chicago and return about 2x weekly, usually at night. However, there is considerable activity (for a regional/shortline) on the line. There is a local based in Warsaw, which runs just about daily west to Hamlet, and as needed to Valpo. There is a big grain elevator in Hamlet that loads 65 car grain trains about 1x weekly. The power on those trains are usually CSX.
Regarding routing for your return trip. If you are starting north of Ft Wayne, the toll road routing might work, however, it is just as fast running US 30 west to Valpo (Rt 49), then north to the Indiana Toll Road and west to Chicago.
Ft Wayne to Valpo is not a bad stretch, other than the slowdown at Columbia City, Warsaw and Plymouth. I can easily make the 110 miles in 1:55 or so. I am showing 157 miles via I69/Indiana Toll Road to the Rt 49/Indiana Toll Road Jct.
Now, if you are in a wanderin kind of mood, take US 33 to Ligoneer, then up Rt 5 to US 20 and over to Elkhart to the toll road. That will give you a couple of things....tons of Amish people, places, and things in the Ligoneer/Shipshewanna/Topeka area (beware of 15mph horse and buggies) and the NS Elkhart yard. There is also the NYC museum in Elkhart.
Good luck on the travels, as we are getting snow around noon today. By tomorrow the wind will shift and we will receive lake effect snow, possibly for days.
I am in Valpo if you need anything.
ed
