A Few From RRE’s Fostoria Outing Last Saturday

The Southern Railway heritage locomotive of Norfolk Southern is on the point of eastbound train 148, which is crossing the Toledo-Columbus line.

Last Saturday the Forest City Division of the Railroad Enthusiasts had a meet at the Fostoria Iron Triangle Rail Park.

I’m not sure how many attended. I saw a few members although the park was packed in the afternoon.

There was a decent amount of traffic on all the lines, at least 15-20 trains that I saw.

We stayed at Fostoria in the morning and drove down to Carey after lunch, catching some switchers and Wheeling & Lake Erie power, then came back for a few more trains at Fostoria.

We headed to Bellevue trying to chase an eastbound NS grain train.

The Norfolk Southern line used to be the Fort Wayne Division of the Nickel Plate Road.

It was famous for their Berkshires running freight trains as fast as 70 m.p.h.

This train was trying its best to emulate that as we got it a Maple Grove only to watch it roll by without getting any pictures.

Anyway here are a few pictures that I took.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon

A CSX train coming into Fostoria on the line linking Toledo and Columbus.

David Kachinko looks to get a photograph of a CSX train turning west off the line to Columbus and onto the line to Chicago.

A northbound CSX train on the Columbus Subdivision led by Union Pacific motive power.

ARRC Longest Day Outing is Sunday in Fostoria

A CSX train takes the connection from the former B&O to the former C&O in Fostoria during the ARRC’s 2015 longest day outing. F Tower stands in the background.

The Akron Railroad Club’s annual longest day outing this year will take us to a very well known railfan hot spot, Fostoria.

Three major mainlines converge on Fostoria and all cross each other at grade creating an “iron triangle.”

Two of the three lines are owned by CSX. The busiest of the two is the east-west former Baltimore & Ohio from Willard to Chicago.

The other CSX line is the former Chesapeake & Ohio line from Toledo to Columbus.

Connections on all sides of the B&O/C&O diamonds allow trains to go all possible directions.

If you stay long enough, you should see one on each connecting track during the day.

Norfolk Southern gets into the act at Fostoria with the former Nickel Plate Road mainline from Bellevue to Chicago.

It crosses, first, the former C&O, then the former B&O on its way to Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Chicago.

The Iron Triangle Railfan Park in Fostoria sits near the NKP/C&O diamonds.

You can easily see the B&O/C&O diamonds from the park. The B&O/NKP diamonds are about two blocks to the west.

Fostoria is not short on trains. Even with the recent CSX downsizing there will be plenty of action to keep the rails shiny. However, the trains will be much longer than you have been used to seeing.

The C&O north of Fostoria at times resembles an automotive pipeline as many of the trains that ply these rails carry newly-made automobiles from Detroit area assembly plants to all parts of the country.

The other commodity of note on the former C&O line is coal. Coal from mines in West Virginia and Kentucky move to Lake Erie via this line.

Between the auto rack trains and the coal trains, the mixed freights can have a tough time finding track to run on.

The former B&O looks like an intermodal corridor with multiple double stack and single stack trains passing each day.

Mixed freights are more common on this line moving to and from the CSX yard at Willard.

NS also has a nice variety of trains. The intermodals mostly run before daybreak, but there will be plenty of mixed freights along with seasonal grain trains.

As with all ARRC longest day outings, the day begins when the first person arrives and ends when the last person leaves.

Members will most likely be there from just after sun up to sun down. So come for the day, or a morning, or just an hour, but plan on spending some time in Fostoria on Sunday June 24.

Article by Marty Surdyk

CSX, NS Trains Nearly Collide in Fostoria

Railroad officials are investigating a near miss collision in Fostoria that was witnessed by railfans watching trains on Sunday at the Fostoria Iron Triangle Rail Park.

Trains magazine reported that the near miss involved a loaded Norfolk Southern ethanol train and westbound CSX manifest freight.

The magazine cited railfans saying that CSX train Q355 was on a connecting track leading from the Willard Subdivision to the Pemberville Sub en route to Walbridge Yard near Toledo.

NS train 66N was operating eastbound on the Fostoria District.

One of the railfans, who was described by Trains as a former railroad employee, said the engineers of both trains applied their emergency brakes.

The witness said “the NS train hit the air right about Poplar Street” after seeing the approaching CSX train. “CSX landed about 50 feet from NS,” the witness said.

Another NS train, the westbound 412, had just cleared the diamond of the Fostoria District and the Pemberville Sub before the near miss occurred. The connecting track on CSX passes behind F Tower.

Norfolk Southern spokesman David Pidgeon confirmed the incident.

“An eastbound NS train approached the diamond at Fostoria with a clear signal and when the crew spotted a northbound CSX train approaching the diamond, the NS crew put their train into an emergency brake (application),” Pidgeon told Trains.

CSX spokesman Rob Doolittle said the incident is under investigation.

It took about an hour for officials from both railroads to arrive on the scene. Ten CSX trains that were approaching Fostoria were delayed.

Rail traffic through Fostoria is controlled by the CSX IP dispatcher in Indianapolis.

On the Curve in Fostoria

The second unit is a former Union Pacific and the first freight car is also UP.

A container train out of the North Baltimore intermodal facility is heading for Detroit.

With connections in all four quadrants, the crossing of the CSX Willard Subdivision with the Columbus Sub offers many opportunities to see trains rounding tight curves in Fostoria.

But only the northeast and northwest connections are easily photographed. The northwest connection between the Willard Sub and the Pemberville Sub is the most accessible because it curves around the Iron Triangle Railfan Park.

During a late June outing I was able to get a pair of trains coming off the Willard Sub and onto the Pemberville Sub. For the historically minded, that is going from the Baltimore & Ohio to the Chesapeake & Ohio.

My vantage point was the sidewalk along Columbus Avenue, using a telephoto lens.

Article and Photographs by Craig Sanders

NS ‘Drag Races’ In Fostoria

A westbound intermodal train on CSX passes in front of a pair of Norfolk Southern stack trains stopped west of the diamonds. The CSX train had two NS locomotives pulling it. Note the CSX track equipment and workers standing clear by the diamonds.

Thanks to track work on the CSX Willard Subdivision, Akron Railroad Club members on hand for the annual longest day outing were treated to Norfolk Southern trains engaging in “drag racing” past the Iron Triangle Railfan park.

The action started late in the morning when a pair of NS stack trains, the 234 and 218, halted west of the diamond with the former Baltimore & Ohio east-west mainline while CSX crews worked on Track No. 1 and CSX traffic moved on Track No. 2.

Interestingly, one of those CSX movements was a westbound intermodal train with two NS locomotives for power.

Eventually, the CSX IP dispatcher determined it was time for NS to run. Because the IP dispatcher, who controls all three sets of diamonds in Fostoria, could not line the signals for NS trains to cross the Willard Sub, the dispatcher had to give both NS trains verbal permission to pass the stop signals.

Each NS train then had to contact the NS Fostoria District dispatcher for permission to proceed because the CSX dispatcher had no authority to grant track authorization on the NS main beyond the opposing home signals.

The NS 218 offered a special treat with the Savannah & Atlanta heritage locomotive on the point.

Both trains got underway at the same time with the 234 pulling ahead. The 218 was not far behind and caught and began overtaking the longer 234 as the trains passed the viewing platform of the railfan park.

The NS dispatcher had indicated that the 218 would go ahead when the double track ended at Ilers to the east of Fostoria.

A similar ritual then played out about two hours later and involved three westbound NS trains. The 217, an auto rack train coming out of the mixing center; the 17K, a manfest freight; and the 288, a stack train. All had to wait until CSX traffic had cleared and the MOW foreman gave the diamonds back to the IP dispatcher.

As had happened in the morning, each NS train had to get permission from the IP dispatcher to pass the red signals and obtain permission from the NS dispatcher to make the move as well. All three NS trains also halted briefly just before crossing the diamonds.

The 288 went first with the 217 coming behind it and soon overtaking it. With those trains down the road, the 17K, which had a Union Pacific leader, then went.

The hogger on the 17K is on Trainorders.com and he reported that all three trains had “approach” signal indications for the crossing of the CSX Pemberville Sub, the former Chesapeake & Ohio route between Toledo and Columbus.

With the 217 in the lead, the 288 had to loaf along and the 17K ended up being stopped for an hour at DA while the traffic ahead sorted itself out.

Article and Photographs by Craig Sanders

The crews of the 218 and 234 have each received permission from the dispatchers to proceed and both are moving ahead.

NS 1065 rounds the curve and passes colorful K Line containers on the 234.

The 218 is starting to overtake the 234 and would go ahead of it at Ilers.

The afternoon westbound NS “drag race” in Fostoria begins to set up with the “contestant’s getting into position. The 17K with UP power and the 217, an auto rack train at the far right, are already at the “starting line.” The 288 is approaching in the distance.

It is NS’ turn to move and the 288 begins the parade. The 288 and 217 (not visible at right) would run side by side through Fostoria before the 217 moved ahead.

The 217 has gained the mainline as it moves out of the mixing center yard.

The 217 is starting to gain on the 288 as the trains pass the railfan park. The 217 had a CSX unit in its motive power consist.

Two Union Pacific locomotives and one BNSF unit power the 17K past the eastward home signals for the crossing of the CSX Pemberville Sub. The signals are located in front of the viewing platform of the Fostoria Iron Triangle railfan park.

The rear of the 17K signals an end of the afternoon “drag race.”

Fostoria ‘Drag Race’ on Norfolk Southern

CSX track work had the former Baltimore & Ohio mainline through Fostoria reduced to one track between East Fostoria and North Baltimore for  much of Sunday. The crews were also working on and near the diamond with Norfolk Southern just west of Main Street.

Late Sunday morning a pair of NS stack trains halted short of the diamonds and waited. It would not be a short wait.

After running some CSX traffic, the IP dispatcher gave both NS trains verbal permission to cross the diamonds. Each NS train also contacted its own dispatcher to reiterate that permission.

In the process of doing that, the NS Fostoria dispatcher indicated that the 218 would go first at Ilers where the former Nickel Plate Road track goes from double to single track.

We took more than  passing interest in the 218. It had on the point NS 1065, the Savannah & Atlanta heritage locomotive. It would be on the near track to the Iron Triangle railfan park. That was more good news.

Finally, each train began moving. The 218 nosed ahead, but was soon overtaken by the other train, which I believe was the 234.

That train was leading when it leaned into the curve by the railfan park. But the 218 with the S&A unit leading soon caught and overtook it. The 218 was far shorter in length than the other train.

It made for a captivating experience as the engineers of both trains were sounding their horns as they approached the grade crossings. The different-sounding horns made for a nice symphony if you like to hear the sound of locomotive horns.

Fellow Akron Railroad Club member Paul Woodring commented that it was the first time he had seen an NS heritage locomotive that wasn’t attached to the Nickel Plate Road No. 765 steam engine.

“That’s one down and 19 more to go,” he said after his first sighting of an NS heritage locomotive leading a train.

It would turn out to be the highlight of the ARRC’s longest day outing in Fostoria, which attracted three members and a guest.

Aided by the CSX track work, the day featured steady rail traffic. More photographs from the outing will be posted later this week.

Article and Photograph by Craig Sanders

Deshler Derf Dash Proved Satisfying

On my way to Derf fest in Deshler — so called because of the Derf chicken that is served — we came to an advanced state of whoa in Attica.

A Norfolk Southern coal train was blocking the U.S. Route 224 crossing. The head end power was just south of town so we detoured to check it out.

Two Dash 9s were hammerhead style (long hood forward). I thought this was strange, particularly where he was stopped he could have moved further south you would think.

Then it hit me that this wasn’t the head end but the rear of the coal train.

The power that I was looking at was the helper set. This is common in places like Pennsylvania and Virginia but not central Ohio.

We proceeded north to Attica Jct. (Siam) to find the head end. This was a monster coal train stretching over two miles long.

He was holding for a couple southbound NS trains and finally proceeded north when they cleared.

He then stopped north of the diamonds with CSX and blocked the Ohio Route 4 crossing. If the goal was to block every crossing in Ohio he was succeeding.

Also at Siam was an eastbound CSX ethanol train with two ICE SD40-2s waiting on a crew. Several CSX trains passed him but he still didn’t move so we continued our trip.

At Deshler we found a very crowded rail park and got many more good pictures. After camping out I got some reflection shots in the morning.

On the way back home I got a surprise in Fostoria. CSX has updated a former Chessie safety caboose, which is used as the shoving platform on a local freight.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon

Fostoria Rail Park in the Design Phase

Fostoria city officials have completed a preliminary drawing of the Fostoria Iron Triangle Rail Park.

“We’re on the right track and all on board for the project,” Fostoria Mayor John Davoli told The Review Times of Fostoria.

A public hearing on the plan was held in November at which railroad enthusiasts presented suggestions for the park’s design.

“The rail fans ended up giving us a lot of great information,” said city engineer Dan Thornton, noting that fans wanted a change in the planned platform.

“They told us they would like the platform back a little further. We thought they would like to be as close to the track as possible, but more distance is better for them, which is good news for safety, too,” said Thornton.

The park will have an open-air visitor center with rest rooms and concessions, a park shelter which may be located from Portage Park, lawn space for exhibitions and a model railroad garden, a viewing platform and a relocated depot for future use as a railroad museum.

Fostoria city officials will meet next week with the Ohio Rail Development Commission to discuss rail safety issues. “We’ll kick off the final design at that point. We’re just waiting for that meeting to happen,” said Thornton.

The final design will be reviewed by the Ohio Department of Transportation and the project will then be opened for bidding, probably late summer 2010.

Fostoria received a $815,760 grant money to transform the former 5-acre Boneyard into a railroad park. The grant will fund 80 percent of the $1 million project. The city’s cost of the project is $163,152.

The city also received a $300,000 grant to clean up the rail park site. City workers began clearing debris from the site last month.

Fostoria is one of the most popular railfanning locations in Ohio. Two CSX lines (both former Baltimore & Ohio) and a Norfolk Southern route (former Nickel Plate Road) cross here.