At Least the Picnic Stayed Dry

The annual picnic of the Forest City Division of the Railroad Enthusiasts was held on Sunday Aug. 21 at Colony Park in Hudson.

While it rained most places that day, the rains avoided Hudson. A local resident said that there is a city ordinance that prohibits rain on Sundays. I’m skeptical of that, but it could be true. It rained all the way to Hudson and stopped at the Hudson city line. On the way home, the rains started as soon as I got out of town.

For the eight hours I was at Colony Park no rain fell.

I was the first to arrive at 11:52 a.m. The picnic area was in good order and I began to set up. A westbound Norfolk Southern coal train passed as I entered town. I didn’t see the head end, just the last 20 or so cars.

As more members arrived, NS began to get busy. It seems earlier in the day train 15N had air problems on the single lining between CP Max and CP Drawbridge. NS was reworking the ballast on the No. 2 main. Trains were backed up on either side of town.

The train everyone, especially Jerry Jordak, wanted to see was one of the mail trains that had the Penn Centless heritage unit up front.

The Penn Central H unit passed by eastbound in the early afternoon.

After the early afternoon flurry of action things quieted down. A severe thunderstorm warning broke up the festivities around 6:45 p.m.

We packed up and most everyone left. A few diehards stayed a little longer to see one additional train. An eastbound tanker train was being led by an NS, Canadian National and former CitiRail combo. It passed about 7:45 p.m.

By the time I walked from the bridge to my car it was 7:52 p.m. Exactly eight hours from the time I got there.

Eighteen attended and, again, no rain fell.

Article by Marty Surdyk

Tags: Forest City Division of the Railroad Enthusiasts, Hudson Ohio, Ohio railfan clubs, Ohio railfan events, RRE picnic