Richard's American Train Adventures

[richard carr]

It was still raining when we got back to Elkhart, but we could see that thing had started to move again.
We went to McDonald Street, there used to be a grade crossing here but it has been removed and there is now a nice parking spot with a good view of the lines in both directions.



This was the second train through




Here's the link to the video

 

[richard carr]

Hi GRahm

To cross the mainline is literally that, to get from the Grand Elk branch that exits on main 1 (the line to the right of the photos above, the station building side) to the yard entrance which is from main 3, so the train has to cross from main 1 to main 2 to main 3 and enter the yard, all on cross overs no diamonds are involved.

Slugs are locos that don't have a diesel engine, but still have traction motors and get their electric supply from the main loco.
A road slug is on that is allowed on the mainline as opposed to a yard slug that isn't.

Richard

 

[Dog Star]

Do we know the person who gets into camera shot?

 

[richard carr]

The next day we left Elkhart for Toledo, to meet up with Jim. He gave us a guided tour of the area starting with the depot.
We came across this train on the way there, just before the station.



The station buildings are on several levels, this is the second floor, we came in across the bridge from the car park.
The lower level is still used by Amtrak, with 2 trains a day in each direction. There appeared to be plenty of buses too.



The platforms still in use



And those not in use



Then we went for look down at ground level





Crew changes take place at a building over from the station, but it wasn't a particularly photogenic view



After this we drove around to the river/docks area, but unfortunately you can't see a great deal these days, so I didn't take any photos.

We ended up at the Vickers Crossing near to Wallbridge yard. There was plenty of trains passing through on both lines here.

 

[Dog Star]

Satellite view shows just how much has been ripped out of the heart of this station, so sad.

 

[richard carr]

So here are the trains passing over Vickers Crossing



7896 is a C40-8W



An ES44AC of KCS de Mexico leads this train of hoppers



A pretty tatty looking SD70 MAC



7263 is an SD70 ACU a rebuild from a SD90 MAC.

Here's the link to the video

After this we went to Tacobell for lunch, then drove down to Deshler

 

[Big Train James]

Satellite view shows just how much has been ripped out of the heart of this station, so sad.

There's an awful lot about the current state of railroading in Toledo that is unfortunate as compared to the old days. I grew up here in the 70's to mid 80's, and things were a lot busier then. But a lot of industry has left this market, railroads have consolidated a great deal, and accessibility post-9/11 has largely ceased to exist. None of that is especially surprising, but it does make the prototype scene here a shell of its former self.

As to the station, it was practically obsolete when it opened, having been finished near the end of the passenger rail era here in the States. At least the concourse and ticketing hall have been preserved, the building is partially occupied by the Port Authority, which also maintains the property. I spent many an evening with my dad down at the end of the platforms, having chased Amtrak there from out west of town. I'll have to see if I can find any of my dad's slides or Super 8 films from back then.

I'll also see if I can dig up some links to videos or photos of activity on the docks. Most of the really cool stuff is gone now, but I know that there are videos on Youtube of the loading and unloading facilities.

Jim

 

[Lancastrian]

Oooooh, Taco Bell, it's been a long time since I had one of those....yum.

"Toledo was just another good stop
Along the good King's highway......"

Ian

 

[richard carr]

For Thursday we decided to go to Berea, near Cleveland Ohio, about 2 hours from where we were staying in Findlay. So we were up early again and on the road by 7am. Jim was there when we arrived. It's a good location, you are right by the CSX lines and NS is about 100 yards further over, there is an inter connection between the two.

The day got off to a great start with this



None of us were expecting something like this, the only unfortunate thing is that it isn't a very good location for photographing or videoing the NS lines (it's perfect for CSX), but I snapped away anyway !





7010 is a SD40-3 and 7007 is a SD40-2 according to the Diesel Shop roster.

Then another train arrived on the NS lines



Then one going the other way



An ACe in the consist

 

[richard carr]

Then this ground to an emergency halt there was a very strong smell of brakes !



The driver came out of the cab with spare brake pipe and started walking down the train, the stack train then pulled up beside it.
It must have been there more than an hour, as we had time to go into town and get breakfast and it was still there when we got back.

Fortunately I caught the best of the action on video,

 

[Dog Star]

From Google maps, where you close to Berea Railfanning area?

 

[Big Train James]

From Google maps, where you close to Berea Railfanning area?

Yes. Very very close.

 

[Scale7JB]

From Google maps, where you close to Berea Railfanning area?

Yep…



JB.

 

[richard carr]

After Berea we went to the Mad River & NKP railroad museum. They have a good selection of exhibits, with JB keen to see the GP30.

The museum is right by the railway in Bellevue Ohio, a running line goes right through the middle of the museum site.

This was the first train to go through



Then it was back to the exhibits, this is a Norfolk and Western SD9



Then the next train went through.



Here's the GP30



After a couple of hours it was time to leave and head back to Findlay, we decided stop off in Fostoria on the way.

As we approached Fostoria on West County Road 592, we came across a SD40-2 switching hopper cars. Then we went into Fostoria itself.
All the action is in the video below

 

[richard carr]

Friday was day 4 of the trip, we had to drive from Findlay Ohio back to Champaign Illinois, about 300 miles and 5 -6 hours of driving, we decided to stop off in Lafayette Indiana, we hoping to see some switching action in the yards there, but alas we saw nothing.
We did see this come through when we stood at the south end of the CSX yard.



It appears to be a NS local, but we have no idea where it was going, the NS yard is a couple miles further up the tracks.
After this we went to the station, there is a reasonable view of the mainline there.



I was busy videoing the front of the train so I don't have photos of the leading locos, but I did catch the DPU, it is nice to get a shot from above for once. We saw the train again once we got to Champaign, so plenty of photos there.
After this we set off for Champaign, I was hoping to catch the local at the Heinz factory again, in March it had been there at 4pm, we arrived at 2pm to find it ready to leave and go back to the yard. This time it was a pair of GP40-2s on the train. In my haste to video this, I think I pressed the record button twice, so I didn't actually get anything as it left. We packed up quickly and hurried over to Randolph street and caught the train as it joined the main part of the branch. Once it had past we then headed over to Bradley avenue and there we saw the train arrive back on the mainline , then reverse back down the mainline to where it is single track, so that it can then access the east side of the yard in Champaign. It's all here on the video

Video link

Once that was over we headed down to Tolono. This is the where Norfolk Southern former Wabash line, crosses Canadian Nationals former Illinois Central mainline. We were not disappointed, there was plenty of action.

The first train through was a local, with an SD40e hauling it, it returned about an hour later, here it is returning.



Then the train we saw in Lafayette came though I manged to snatch a bit of video of the DPU, this will be on the next post.

Richard

 

[Scale7JB]

Is that a really big train or is Richard just very far away?



JB.

 

[Oz7mm]

That's just a 3D printed model of Richard

 

[Jordan]

s that a really big train or is Richard just very far away?

Was gonna say...!! I know U.S. trains are bigger than ours, but that's ridiculous!!

 

[Dog Star]

Once that was over we headed down to Tolono. This is the where Norfolk Southern former Wabash line, crosses Canadian Nationals former Illinois Central mainline. We were not disappointed, there was plenty of action.

The first train through was a local, with an SD40e hauling it, it returned about an hour later, here it is returning.

View attachment 188887

Looking at Google satellite view of the Tolono crossing I cannot place this view, so where were you railfanning?

 

[Scale7JB]

JB.