Grand Trunk Memories

A Grand Trunk Western train crosses the Conrail Chicago line at Vickers in Toledo on April 29, 1984

With the recent debut of the Canadian National Heritage schemes, I looked back in my photo collection knowing I had examples from years ago.

I found from several photographs of Grand Trunk Western motive power that I made while railfanning with Marty Surdyk in Toledo and Durand, Michigan.

There are, of course several locomotives still wearing Grand Trunk and Illinois Central liveries that are in pretty good condition. 

In this post are some photographs from 1984 and 1985, including images made during a railfan outing on April 29, 1984, to Toledo.

Also shown are excursions sponsored by the Bluewater Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society from Toledo to Durand for the May 5, 1985, Durand Railroad Days.

During that event a caboose train offered train rides.

In addition to Toledo and Durand, some photographs were made in Michigan at Luna, Monroe, Wyandotte and Corunna.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

The caboose of the GTW train at Vickers

A Bluewater Michigan NRHS chapter excursion at Toledo on May 5, 1985.

At Luna, Michigan

At Monroe, Michigan

At Wyandotte, Michigan

At Durand, Michigan

The caboose train at Durand

At Corunna, Michigan

Railfanning Vickers Described in Newspaper Article

The popular railfanning hot spot of Vickers on the east side of Toledo was recently featured in a story published by The Blade of Toledo.

Written by Blade reporter and well known Ohio railfan David Patch, the article gave an overview of railroad operations at the crossing of the Chicago Line of Norfolk Southern and the former Toledo Terminal route now owned by CSX and also used by Canadian National.

Four Amtrak trains a day also pass through Vickers, which sees about 100 train movements per day.

The story notes that Northwood police occasionally enforce a city ordinance that bans parking on raised roadways, a reference to two bridges over the tracks built in the vicinity in recent years.

Those bridges led to two roads ending as dead ends near the tracks, which has worked to the advantage of railfans.

You can read the story at https://www.toledoblade.com/local/2019/09/11/the-52-finest-toledo-vickers-crossing-northwood-train-enthusiast-norfolk-southern-amtrak/stories/20190601032