A Vermilion group is seeking to establish a railfan park that it hopes will attract the region’s railroad enthusiasts. The proposed park would be located near downtown Vermilion within the city-owned Victory Park.
The north end of Victory Park is located adjacent to Norfolk Southern’s busy Chicago Line, which sees about 60 trains per day. The park is currently separated from the tracks by a row of trees that would have to removed or thinned out. A viewing platform with electrical outlets would be built next to the tracks.
Leading the effort to establish the railfan facility has been Vermilion Main Line Rail, which has approached the city for support. The group hopes to establish as many as five railfan friendly parks in the Vermilion area.
The head of the group is Coletta Kubik, who has served as a director of All Aboard Ohio, a rail passenger advocacy group. Kubik, who is affectionately known as Vermilion’s “train lady,” has also pushed for commuter train service on the former Nickel Plate Road route that runs through Vermilion to Cleveland and for making Vermilion a quiet zone for train horns.
Vermilion Main Line Rail is seeking cash donations, which can be sent to the group at 685 Main Street, Vermilion, OH 44089. The group also is asking for donations of building materials, signs, a web camera and speakers for a built in scanner. All would be used to construct the viewing platform at the railfan park. Vermilion Main Line Rail is in the process of setting up a website.
For an article about railfanning in Vermilion, see the Vermilion page on the Akron Railroad Club blog. The page is listed at right under the heading “Ohio Railfan Hotspots.”
Tags: Norfolk Southern, Railfan park, Vermilion, Vermilion Mainline Rail
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