Beech Grove Shops were built by the New York Central Railroad between 1906 and 1908, covering more than 100 acres on the southwest side of the Big Four line between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, six miles southeast of downtown Indianapolis. All original buildings were constructed by 1914. The shops passed to Penn Central in 1968, and were divided between Amtrak and Conrail in 1975/76. Amtrak purchased Conrail's portion of the shops in 1981 to reunify the entire 108 acres, which in 2006 comprises 12 major buildings with about 900,000 sg. ft. under roof. The facility serves all of Amtrak except the Northeast Corridor. The shops are currently undergoing progressive renovations and enhancement that started in 2004.
Coach Shop 1, dating from 1910, is 500 ft. long and 80 ' wide, with a 100 ft. long annex on the west end of the north track. Passenger and baggage cars undergo Heavy Overhauls in this shop. The various Component shops (Maintenance, Air Brake, A/C) overhaul components that are removed from the cars for separate treatment, such as air brakes, air conditioners, and wheel sets, along with all electronic components. The Locomotive Shop, dating from 1907, has 17 active bays for the overhaul of diesel locomotives, in five acres under roof, currently including the P-32, P-42 and F-59 types. Coach Shop 2, with 3.5 covered acres, performs wreck repair, along with various conversions and remanufacturing programs. The Trim Shop performs all of the final stages of repairs and overhauls, including the return of removed components, the addition of decorative trim and furnishings, and all required painting.