In its early years, The Cuyahoga Valley Line ran its trips to Akron with ex-Grand Trunk Western 4070 and often a set of matching heavyweight passenger cars making for an almost “timeless” train. Here is CVL 4070 southbound in Peninsula on Oct. 29, 1977.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
The wayback machine has taken us back to Oct. 17, 1981, on the Cuyahoga Valley Line in Brecksville. On this glorious autumn day we witness former Grand Trunk Western 2-8-2 No. 4020 pulling a southbound train beneath the Ohio Route 82 bridge along the Cuyahoga River.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
With the excursions of Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad limited to all departing from Rockside Road station and advancing only as far as Vaughn Road due to the river bank erosion north of Boston Mill, I decided to pick out a one-and-done location.
I picked Stone Road about a mile south of the Rockside Road station.
I chose that spot for several reasons. Years ago it was a through road between Brecksville Road on the west, crossing the tracks (ex-Baltimore & Ohio) at river level, crossing the river on a truss bridge, crossing the Ohio & Erie Canal, and then intersecting with Canal Road on the east end.
The top image was made in July 1977 with Cuyahoga Valley Line (ex-Grand Trunk Western) 4070 approaching. There were even crossing signals here.
Many years ago the bridge over the river needed replacement. It was demolished and never replaced. Stone Road still comes in from the west and dead ends at the railroad.
Photographs two and three were made on Saturday shortly after the 10 a.m. departure of NKP 765.
I also guessed the parking area at the Brecksville station would be closed off due to this being the only location for the photo runbys.
I suggested to Jeff Troutman, who was riding with me, that we drive past to see. I was right so then I suggested that we should visit the new visitor center at Boston Mill.
I was there twice last year, once with Marty Surdyk and once with Ursula.
We also saw the damaged riverbank area and from what we could see that it would still be a while for the repairs to be completed.
After stopping at the visitor center, we headed for lunch at McDonalds. About noon we went down to Old Rockside to await the return of the steam excursion.
The train showed up right at 12:30 p.m. The bottom photo is the train at the boarding site. As you can see some dark clouds were moving in.
Once the passengers had detrained, the train moved to north of Old Rockside. We got a few photos of 765. As we got back to my car the heavens let loose. It lasted a few minutes but we were done anyway. It was not an all-day outing, but still an enjoyable one.
Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas
It’s Oct. 29, 1977, in Akron where Cuyahoga Valley Line 4070 is at Akron Junction on the Baltimore & Ohio waiting to pick up its train for the northbound trip later on in the day that will return its passengers to Cleveland.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
The Cuyahoga Valley Line never replenished 2-8-2 steam locomotive No. 4070 with coal from the former Baltimore & Ohio coaling tower in Akron. The facility had been out of service for well over a decade by the time the CVL began operations in summer 1975. In the photograph above, the 4070 is passing the coaling tower in September 1978. The light Mikado was turned here in preparation of its return trip to Cleveland. Of course at one time B&O steam locomotives pulling trains on the Valley Line between Cleveland and Akron did sit in this location to get a new load of coal.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Former Grand Trunk Western No. 4070 and a Baltimore & Ohio geep are in Akron with a Cuyahoga Valley Line excursion train on Oct. 5, 1980. They will pull the train to Akron Junction where they will turn on a wye and then head back north later in the day to pick up passengers for the return trip to Cleveland.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
Cuyahoga Valley Line 4070 is in Akron on Oct. 27, 1979. The locomotive and its train will pull up to me and then back around the wye at Akron Junction on the Baltimore & Ohio. This will position the train for its trip back to Cleveland.
Photograph by Robert Farkas
On Friday, July 13, 1984, Dan Pluta was on the fire up crew at the West Third Street Baltimore & Ohio roundhouse in Cleveland with ex-Grand Trunk Western No. 4070.
It was being readied for its weekend trips on the Cuyahoga Valley Line. I along with Marty Surdyk and his two brothers ventured down to the roundhouse that night for a night photo shoot that extended way after midnight.
The next day we drove to Logansport, Indiana to capture ex Buffalo Creek & Gauley No. 13 dressed as a Pennsylvania Railroad engine. It was running for that city’s annual Iron Horse Days. This was a regular July event in Logansport in the 1980s and early 1990s.
The locomotive owned locally was dressed as Logansport & Eel River No. 1.
We captured the locomotive simmering prior to the Sunday excursions. This obviously was before the locomotive was purchased by Jerry Jacobson.
This was a typical weekend of rail enthusiasts enjoying nightlife. Then it was back to work on Monday morning.
The first three images were made at the B&O roundhouse in Cleveland while the next three were made in Logansport.
Photographs by Edward Ribinskas
I found a photo I took on Sept. 22, 1984, of former Grand Trunk Western No. 4070 on the Cuyahoga Valley Line at the intersection of Portage Path & Merriman Roads in Akron.
I wanted to duplicate that shot with Nickel Plate Road’s 765 during its visit this month to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.
On the Sunday morning ferry move to Akron I did that.
In the morning the sun favors the fireman’s side of a southbound train. However, at this location the railroad shifts facing west to east, thus the sun favors the engineer’s side.
The lighting was perfect for the 9:35 a.m. arrival.
Photographs by Edward Ribinskas
Earlier this summer I visited the recently opened Cuyahoga Valley Visitor Center in Boston Mill with Marty Surdyk and more recently with my wife, Ursula.
The history of the area is fascinating and to this day still changing.
The photos in this post are all on the site of the former Cleveland-Akron Bag Company factory.
Workers made flour sacks and roofing paper from 1905-1923. The factory closed and was torn down.
The Visitor Center is housed in what once was the company general store.
Long after those events this location is still changing. Between 1975 and 1990 when I was riding and volunteering on the Cuyahoga Valley Line I’ve been able to see changes still.
These photos are from that time period, all at the location of that factory.
As you know this was the location of the Boston Mill station stop for the CVSR for many years until recently.
Aside from former Grand Trunk Western 4070 made in 1984, 1989 and 1990, we also see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey circus train when it was here for shows at the former Richfield Coliseum in November 1985.
Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas
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