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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

This thesis focuses on the former Nickel Plate railroad roundhouse located in Frankfort, Indiana. The building is in danger of demolition by neglect and was listed on Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana's Top Ten Most Endangered Sites list in January 2004. In order to suggest realistic adaptive reuse options for the building, a number of elements were researched. The study includes information pertaining to the history of the railroad in the United States and Indiana, followed by specific information on roundhouses, the history of Frankfort and its role in the railroad community, a study of the Frankfort roundhouse itself, and examples of successful roundhouse adaptive reuse across the country. Various problems that would inhibit the efforts of a preservation group are explored, and suggestions for the building's future are made based on the author's knowledge of the subject. / Department of Architecture

At the turn of the 19th century, cities were vibrant with strong economies, increasing populations, large building movements and most importantly, technological innovations. Availability of frequent and efficient transportation was key to the sustenance and growth of cities. This thesis is an exploration of the impact the street and interurban railway systems made on the city of Indianapolis and its suburbs during their heyday of service between 1864 and 1930.To verify the value of railway locations in relation to the direction of Indianapolis suburb growth, an effort to conduct quantifiable research was applied. First, population growth in Marion County, Indiana and its surrounding eight counties was studied. Evidence of significant growth in areas served by streetcar and interurban systems in comparison to areas that were served only by steam railroad or no service were highlighted. Second, historical land use change research was conducted to determine how land along Indianapolis corridors served by the streetcar railway system was affected by the introduction of such service. Finally, a review of popular response to the systems was undertaken to better understand the effects of the railways on the population. / Department of Architecture

Emergency services are very important in every society and that is why their activities should not be impeded by any avoidable barrier, especially with regard to transportation. One problem that is affecting the smooth running of emergency services in Henry County, Indiana is train movement across the county. The train tracks run through the county preventing road traffic flow when a train is crossing or has stopped. As a result, ambulances, police, or fire service vehicles have to wait for minutes or travel long distances to go around the train. This thesis focuses on developing response service areas maps based on the current response time and two models to generate shortest route around train obstructions. The data used for this thesis was provided by Henry County GIS Department, including shape files of police stations, police service areas, ambulance stations, ambulance service areas, fire stations, fire service areas, railroad and streets. The response service areas were designed based on the current response time. This was accomplished using ArcGIS network analyst extension which provides tools to design series of concentric circles based on the distance from the common center. Apart from the service areas maps for the emergency services which provide an idea as to where the services need to be extended in the county, the results of this thesis also include two models designed to generate shortest possible route as well as selection of a closest emergency facility to an incident site. The thesis could help improve the transportation aspect of emergency services in the county. / Department of Geography

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / During the latter half of the nineteenth and in the early twentieth century, the Indianapolis Wholesale District (IWD) operated as a local and regional commercial hub. Analysis of the IWD’s relationship with the railroad network in Indiana points to a widening of trade, yet regional focus due to transportation restrictions. The growth and subsequent specialization of wholesale trading in the district catered to primarily local and regional audiences. Examining the physical presence of the IWD in downtown Indianapolis uncovers the built environment of a midwestern business district. This research project argues for the local and regional significance of the Indianapolis Wholesale District. Additionally, this thesis demonstrates the need to pursue the overlap in specialization, the morphology of warehouses, and transportation development to understand a business district as part of a larger process of American economic development.