Catching 3 on the Wheeling & Lake Erie

An unidentified Wheeling & Lake Erie train at Wellington.

The same train seen above at Spencer.

Train 291 east of Spencer.

Train 261 in Akron.

I started Saturday by going to Willard trying to catch the new CSX Operation Lifesaver unit. Unfortunately, it went west about 20 minutes before I arrived.

I then went to Bellevue for a few hours and caught about 10 Norfolk Southern trains.  On the way home I followed the Wheeling Lake Erie Hartland Subdivision.

Stopping in Hartland, I found a couple of parked engines but no activity. Continuing to Wellington, an eastbound train was sitting just west of the Lorain County Fairgrounds.

Assuming it was waiting for clearance to cross the CSX Greenwich Subdivision, I waited east of the diamonds.  After a CSX train went west it quickly came, making a lot of smoke in doing so.

I chased this train to Spencer where it continued on to Brewster. I got word on social media that a 291 was coming west from Medina.

I set up at a crossing east of Spencer and caught this train.  I then proceeded to Akron where I caught 261 with seven engines doubling back into the yard.

Not a bad finish for a less than promising start to the day.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon

Tags: Photographs of Akron railroads, Railroads of Akron Ohio, Spencer Ohio, Todd Dillon photography, Wellington Ohio, Wheeling & Lake Erie, Wheeling & Lake Erie locomotive power, Wheeling & Lake Erie locomotives, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, Wheeling & Lake Erie trains