Conrail Rail Yard (Elkhart)

Overview

The Conrail Rail Yard covers 2,500 acres in Elkhart, Indiana and includes an active freight rail yard now operated by Norfolk Southern Corporation, a former drag strip, and other contaminated areas. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. The site remains under EPA oversight and has not been deleted from the NPL, but physical cleanup construction is fully complete and the site is considered sitewide ready for anticipated use.

The main contaminants are trichloroethylene (TCE) and carbon tetrachloride, found in both soil and groundwater. EPA identified a total of twelve contaminants of concern across the site, including 1,1-dichloroethene, 1,2-dichloroethene, vinyl chloride, chloroform, and tetrachloroethene, among others. These chemicals were detected in groundwater and soil. The main health concerns are drinking contaminated groundwater and inhaling chemical vapors if they vent into buildings.

Cleanup work is organized into two operable units. The interim action addressed early contamination through extraction wells, air stripping, filtration, and connections to municipal water to replace contaminated private wells. The final action remedy, later amended in 2000, shifted toward containing contaminants onsite using continued extraction, air stripping, and carbon adsorption treatment. Conrail also installed basement-venting units in homes where vapor sampling found contamination. EPA's assessment shows human exposure is currently under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways and contaminated groundwater stabilized within the original area of contamination.

Cleanup has been carried out by potentially responsible parties under state and federal oversight. Norfolk Southern Corporation continues to operate the active rail yard. As of December 2024, one on-site business employed 831 people and generated about $497.6 million in annual sales. The former drag strip on the property has been permanently closed after the land was sold.

EPA completed its fifth five-year review in July 2024. These reviews are standard practice for Superfund sites and confirm that the cleanup continues to protect people and the environment. Additional site records are available in the EPA administrative record and at the Elkhart Public Library. Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager.