This website has been archived from TrainWeb.org/rrnwoh to TrainWeb.US/rrnwoh.
(From Trainorders- Eastern Board)
From TimV:
From www.boatnerd.com, news:
Algorail Grounds
12/18:
The Algorail was being towed upriver Sunday afternoon to the
Kuhlman Dock between Anderson's "K" and "E"
Elevators when she grounded while passing through the NS South
Railroad Bridge (near the grain elevators). The water level for
Western Lake Erie and Toledo ship channel had been steady at -30
inches below low water datum. The vessel grounded in the middle
of the draw and the bridge is unable to close. Train traffic in
the area was being diverted. It appears that the vessel be moved
until the strong westerly winds diminish and the water levels
start rising.
The Algorail appeared to have suffered damaged from the grounding
and that she was taking on water. The vessel was being pumped out
and crews were gaining on the water coming into the hull. The
plan is get the Algorail pumped out so that she can be moved from
the center of the Railroad Bridge and over to the Kuhlman Dock to
start unloading her stone cargo. Once the cargo is unloaded they
will survey the damage.
Can anybody provide more information from a rail standpoint?
Which bridge is this, and how is traffic being routed around it?
How many trains are affected?
TimV
From toledopatch :
This is the former Conrail bridge. It has been hit a bunch of times by boats but apparently this was a low-water problem, not a bridge strike. I was on board #48 on a November night in 1992 when the Algonorth went off course, tagged one of the approach spans west of the drawspan, and was only kept from knocking it down by its having run aground outside the channel. #30, which was just ahead of us, and #48 were backed up to Alexis on the Detroit Line and then detoured via the CSX-Toledo Terminal. We only took a three-hour hit for that, but bad weather made it five hours by the time we left Albany NY.
A semi trailer was struck at 4:14 PM at the Deatrick Street by a CSX Eastbound, and stopped by the Perry Street underpass. The driver was uninjured, but the engineer was taken to the hospital. NOTE: BNSF 7308 and BN 73? were the units involved.
Visit the newspics directory under the file name C-n Def.
Last time I was in Lima, OH, I noticed that the two CPL's (B&O Color Position Light) at 'NS' Tower had some pilot lights added. The southbound signal had Approach Slow aspect added, and the northbound signal had Approach Medium aspect added also.
Report
For all those who couldn't make it, you missed a great show. Unoffical attendance were 20 to 30 people. The majority of people were from the DT&I Modeler's e-mail list. Also, to mention, the slide show was excellent. A lot of good historic and modeling info was exchanged here. I would recommend going next year if a convention is held again.
Webmaster - Cass Telles
Derailment at 'FC'
During the mid afternoon, the Maumee & Western derailed two cars at the interchange crossover on the east side of the diamond. Derailed were two of the three cars that MAW 345 were coupled. The lead truck of the last car and both trucks of the second car derailed towards the diverging route while the last car's trailing truck stayed on the straight route.
Possible cause for this derailment may of been caused by a misaligned switch or the wheels of the second and last car'picking the switch.
Crews rerailed the cars using rerailing frogs, blocks of wood and wenching tools.
Damaged consisted of a rolled over diverging route stock rail, and misc. ties.
Signal Work in Lima, Ohio Taken from Trainorders
From Eric:
CSX signal crews have been busy in the Lima, Ohio area. A drive past "NS Tower" (Former Conrail Ft. Wayne Line, NS Lima District, CSX Toledo Subdivsion Crossing) revealed new signals for what appears to be reverse signalling on this stretch of double track (at this time, signal are directional per main track...all "wrong main" movements require DTC Verbal block authority). The new signals are the new CSX standard hoods.
From Toledopatch:
Traveling south from Lima on Saturday I observed what appeared to be a new utility pole with an unconnected wire, standing next to a pair of intermediate CPL signals just north of Anna, Ohio (between Botkins and Swanders). This may have been the first step toward a new tri-light installation here.
From SD40-2:
With all of this signal work on the Lima
to Deshler, they seem to be skipping around. The "Carter
Lumber" signals (1396/1397) were standing alone with no
replacements in sight. The next two were 1426/1427, with the new
one erected, bagged OOS. Same for 1450/1451. No new ones up at
1535/1536 yet. Didn't get back to see 1598/1599 and 1614/1615.
One other observation: while waiting for I&O 265 between CG
and S. Ottawa, I was watching signal 1451 to indicate when he was
in the block to set up for my shot. The train was about 10 poles
from the block before 1451 indicated "clear." Not
certain as to why this happened.
The last major signal project in this area occurred in Feb. 1994
when the absolute signals at CG Tower (crossing with AC&Y)
and old south CG siding were removed, replaced by 1426/1427. The
number of intermediate blocks between CG and Ottawa were reduced
by two when 1463/1464 and 1438/1439 were removed from along S.R.65.
(The CG Tower building was also demolished around this same time.)
Get your shots while you still can!
From Eric:
Actually the "Carter Lumber"
replacements are located about a mile north of their current
location. Very near the 140.3 Defect Detector.
It appears that CSX is not replacing the signals that you
mentioned as CSX has done no work at those locations.
As for your question about the signal coming on prior to the
trains arrival. Most of the B&O CPL's are "approach lit",
so, even as a train may be approaching at speed, the signal does
not come on until a train is about a mile or so back...
Well, the CPL's are safe for now at the interlockings on this
portion of the Toledo Subdivision. I am not sure if you noticed
or not in your travels, but, there has been no new signals
installed at the sidings.
From Towerop (Dale DeVene ):
I noticed on 7/7 that there are several new tri-lights installed between Haksins and Deshler, but no sign of any of anything else happening. Since 4/30 I've managed to shoot all the remaining CPL's on this line except for Haskins to Bates.
New NS Radio Systems Taken from Trainorders
From Dispatcher Center:
This new radio system is going in at
several locations across the NS system. The Piedmont Division got
theirs in Greenville a few months ago, the Kentucky Division in
Somerset has them, as does the Tennessee Division in Knoxville,
the Georgia Division in Atlanta and the Virginia Division in
Roanoke. The Pocahontas Division in Bluefield is reportedly
getting theirs soon. These are just the offices I know of, so
there could be more. They are Safetran systems with new touch-screens
and improved equipment in the field.
All of the new installations I know of require three-digit toning
to reach a specific dispatcher as opposed to the old one or two
digit toning. Crews can also access the division's Chief
Dispatcher and CYO in Atlanta through this new system.
In many cases, the new radios bring improved communications
through the lineside radio bases. At one time on some divisions,
crews could dial up a specific radio tower to talk to the
dispatcher. Often this tower wouldn't be the best tower for the
communication, so transmissions would be unclear. With the new
system, the closest or best radio tower is theoretically selected
automatically by the system. I've noticed an end to the old
"beeps" at the end of the transmission too in many
places, a result of new upgraded equipment.
Freighter Strikes NS Bridge in Toledo
Earlier this evening a Great Lakes freighter struck the ex-CR (exx-NYC) bridge in Toledo today. From what was reported on the news, the ship just approached the bridge at too sharp and angle and got stuck between the two sides. This is the same bridge that Amtrak uses and is right next to Central Union Plaza. No major damage was incured and trains were rolling again shortly after the incident. (From Brian Schmidt)
The NS bridge inspector sent to the
scene said that the only damage was to the bridge's fendering. No
trains were delayed.
This happened during what was the first westbound rush hour for
piggyback trains under Conrail, but operations have changed a
little since then.
Seven times between 1986 and 1993, ships hit this same bridge. On
a bitter November afternoon in 1992, the Algonorth went astray in
the channel and actually struck one of the approach spans on the
western side. Apparently the only reason it didn't cut right
through was that it ran aground just as it hit. I was travelling
from Chicago to Springfield, Mass. on the Lake Shore Limited that
night and upon departure recall overhearing some radio traffic
about a ship having hit the bridge in Toledo. #48, with #30 not
running too far ahead of it, was backed out of the Toledo station
and up the Detroit Line to Alexis, from which point we then took
the CSX Toledo Terminal all the way around to Stanley Tower. We
then rejoined the main line via the Miami Cut Branch and Oakdale
Connection Track; the total delay was about three hours. I didn't
know all the track names at the time, but a year later I moved
here and one of the first things I did was check out all those
places I had seen from the cramped confines of my Slumbercoach
room! It's probably the rarest mileage I have....(From
toledopatch)
NS Toledo Belt
Train BU-05, with engines PRR3421/NS3269/NS3386
and 68 cars -- mostly high-cubes and CSX grain cars -- was the
first revenue movement to use the new connection between the
former Conrail Chicago Line and the NS Toledo Belt. It crossed
the restored East Broadway grade crossing at about 10:40 a.m.,
witnessed by a handful of media people, some happy railfans, and
some unhappy neighborhood residents.
BU-05 is the Maumee-Homestead transfer, which the day before used
the NS Maumee Connection Track, also known as the Back Side of
the Toledo Terminal. Other traffic expected to use the Toledo
Belt includes the Airline Yard-Homestead transfers and DEEX
Powder River coal trains/empties bound for the Toledo Edison
Bayshore Power Plant.
Although the Toledo Belt's opening to through traffic makes the
Maumee Connection Track redundant, and NS has already promised to
turn it over to a public agency for re-use of the right-of-way,
so far there has been no word as to when the track will
officially be removed from service.
According to NS sources, Ironville Tower has authority over
movements on the Toledo Belt, and communicates on 161.250. For
now, the switch onto the Conrail main line is hand-thrown,
although it supposedly is to be integrated into CP-286 at a later
date. (From toledopatch)
Signal work update
Signal work continues on the CSX Toledo
Subdivision between North Lima and Deshler, Ohio.
The new hooded signals are in place at the intermediate signals
between Kleman and Cairo. It looks like all wiring and other
connections have been completed to the new signals as most have
their heads covered in heavy plastic or canvas, signifying that
they are not yet in service. The new electro-code towers are in
place at the north and south end of the Ottawa Siding, so, it is
just a matter of time before the code line goes silent.
Of interest to all B&O Color Position Light fans, CSX has NOT
installed new signals at the interlockings, in fact, CSX has made
modifications to the current CPL’s that are in service. For
example, the northbound signal at the south end of the Ottawa
siding has had a left hand pilot light arm added to the top pilot.
This signal can now show an “Approach Medium” aspect or
an “Approach Limited” aspect. Also of note is the
addition of the “Medium Clear” aspect on the southbound
CPL dwarf coming out of the siding at Ottawa. No efforts have
been made to install new signals at other interlocking locations
either.
So, CPL fans take heart. These classic signals appear to be
“safe” for the time being. At least at the
inrerlockings on the Toledo Subdivision north of Lima. (From Eric
aka "CG Tower")
Loram rail grinder
Loram rail grinder C2101 was working west of Defiance ('FC') today in a east direction on the #2 main. It resufaced the rail head all the way to the east side of Standley (about Hery Co Rd 18 or 17). It is currently tied up in the fertilizer track in Holgate, OH just west of the Holgate crossovers. Tommorrow plan's have Loram C 2101 going east. Catch all the pictures you can. I know that I have some good video of this rail grinding unit.
Misc news
News to follow about a barge the hit the CP Maumee river bridge.
Loram rail grinder
Loram rail grinder was working west of Defiance ('FC') today on the #1 main. The number of this unit is C2101, appears to be able to work in both directions due to its bidirectional cabs. Loram C 2101 tied up at the 'GM' yard for the night. No photos available, but video was taken. NOTE: in July, I may have photos of different Loram rail grinder on my personal photo page.
Misc news
I will be adding more CSX Toledo sub signal news later in the month. There has been a lapse due to connection problems.
Truck strikes viaduct
A truck early this morning struck the Jefferson St. viaduct. This accident caused at least two trains to be delayed. As of 6:30 AM there was a 10 MPH slow order issued until B&B inspectors could inspect the bridge for concrete damage.
GM yard derailment
CSX derailed one car just west of Hires Rd. The car damaged a few signal wires and destroyed a switch stand. RJ Corman of Toledo, OH, used one 'sidewinder' (Caterpillar bulldozer with side boom attachment) to rerail the car. Down time from the incident was minimal.
Ex- DT&I roundhouse in Napoleon, OH
The old roundhouse located off of ST RT 109 and US 24 was owned by Fosters Canning, and maybe slated to be torn down. Fosters has ceased operations a month or two ago, and is currently removing all of the canning equipment. Walmart is interested in the property for a Super Wallmart, but hasn't made anything official yet.
New connecting track at 'NS' Tower
As of last weekend (5/13 and 5/14), no further work has been done to the connecting track between the interchange track and the yard lead. Pearl and Mc Kibben St. crossing's still remain closed.
CSX Toledo Sub.
Signal work
CSX is installing new signals around Weston, OH and Ottawa, OH. These signals are Safetran units just like the units installed on the Chicago line. (Information by Bill Shaffer)
New connecting track at 'NS' Tower
CSX has been working on a new connecting track that connects the interchange track and the west yard lead on the B&O side. Currently both crossing tied into the interchange track are closed for the new work. No date set yet for completion.
SHORT:ATGX 442 is officially gone.
ATGX 442 is gone from East Defiance. According to 'CG Tower' off of Trainorders that #442 was heading south of the Toledo Subdivision of CSX as of late today.
UPDATE - Revised: MAW's last Alco - MAW #325 back ex-MAW # 442 gone
Ex-MAW (ATGX) 442 is currently at East Defiance on CSX. It is setting with a cut of cars off of old Hires Rd near the St Rt 18 overpass. I predict that the unit will leave tommorrow (4/3/00), but I have no destination for it yet. Also I have the disposition of some of the former IHRC locos and will post them ASAP.
E-mail from Steve Gerbracht on the form IHRC Alcos
Hello everyone...
After repeated questions surrounding Alcos formerly operated by
the Indiana Hi-Rail, I received some information from Powell
Felix, president of Indiana Boxcar (IBCX), a company that now
owns many of the former IHRC locomotives. Although this
doesn't help answer many of the C424/C425 issues, it may provide
a little extra information for your files...much of this is cut
and pasted directly from recent emails.
Steve Gerbracht
Erie, PA
RSD15 442 at Defiance, OH was purchased last year by Indiana
Boxcar along with sister RSD15 443 located at Connersville.
The 442 will leave this month for Austin, Texas (Austin &
Texas Central - ATCX marks) which is part of the Austin Steam
Train Assicoation which purchased this unit from IBCX. The
443 will follow to Texas on a lease purchase to an individual who
will use it on ATC, but the unit is still owned by IBCX.
Both units are operational, I had the 442 moving under its own
power last fall when I showed them to the Texas folks. IBCX
has purchased most of the former Indiana Hi-Rail Alcos. C-420s
#332 and #334 are still owned by IBCX but out on the Deleware-Lakawana
System. Others are in Indiana and Oklahoma.
Indiana Boxcar has the following Alcos:
332 C-420 on D-L
334 C-420 on D-L
365 C-420 on AOK
352 RS-11 on EVT (Evansville
Terminal is owned by IBCX)
167 RS-1 at
Connersville (Beesons, my "shop Switcher")
442 RSD-15 at Defiance headed for
Texas
443 RSD-15 at Connersville headed
for Texas
1060 S-3
at George Silcott Worthington, OH
Other IHRC Alcos current locations:
325 C425 at Connersville NOW returned to the MAW as of 3/31/00
327 C425 at Connersville (Beesons,
not presently servicable)
315 C-420 at Rochester, IN but turbo is
out, at Connersville for rebuild
all three owned by RMW Ventures, not related
to IBCX
Other IBCX locomotives (owned by me or
subsidiary Canada Southern):
1855 GP-16 on CCRA
1706 GP-16 on SWP
7576 GP-9 on SWP
77 GP-9 at
J&M shop Newburg, OH
5913 GP-9 on AOK
IBCX also owns a fleet of 50 ft boxcars based
on the Cedar Rapids and Iowa
City Rwy
Powell Felix - pres. Indiana Boxcar
Revised: MAW's last Alco - MAW #325 back ex-MAW # 442 gone
As of this posting date, MAW #325 is back on the MAW and is currently in Woodburn, IN. It was delivered by the NS today or yesterday with notes posted to return the unit to Woodburn, IN. MAW #325 appears to have a new set of wheels on each axle and the minor mechanical problem fixed.
Ex-MAW #442 (ATGX) has left Defiance within the last two days. As of this writing, I have no details on its exact location. The original plan was to send the unit to Connersville, IN to place it was sold.
NS (Southern) 4610
For those who are keeping track of this unit, I spotted this unit in New Haven today. It was heading east (north) towards Detroit, MI. It departed New Haven around 7 PM.
NS PLANS TO REBUILD TOLEDO BELT LINE:
Norfolk Southern said it planned to start rebuilding the old Toledo Belt railroad in East Toledo once spring arrived, and the railroad wasn't kidding, the Toledo Blade reports. Despite protests from community leaders, Toledo city council, and the city's congressional delegation, Norfolk Southern has stuck to the plan it announced in December to reactivate the moribund track that passes through densely populated neighborhoods and crosses 14 streets at grade. Bulldozers and backhoes were hard at work yesterday grading a ramp that will be used to connect the old Toledo Belt line with the former Conrail main tracks that run east-west across Toledo. At the Woodville Road grade crossing nearby, track construction machinery was parked on rusty rails, ready for action when track-laying begins. Mr. Husband said the railroad has agreed to a curfew that would keep trains off the reactivated track at times most neighborhood children would be walking to or from school, though he could not specify the time or length of the curfew. The Toledo Belt once ran from a connection to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad near Oak and Rall streets to Ironville Junction in northeast Toledo. In recent years, the line has only been used north of Woodville Road to provide rail service to Sunoco's Toledo Refinery and the Nabisco flour mill on Front Street. While trees overgrew the tracks south of Woodville and the rails were removed entirely past East Broadway, the line was never formally abandoned. Norfolk Southern now plans to rebuild 3,100 feet of track to connect the active part of the line with the former Conrail tracks, which Norfolk Southern took over last year. Norfolk Southern has said it will run about a half-dozen trains a day over the Toledo Belt once the connection opens, including coal trains that run to and from the Toledo Edison Bay Shore power plant in Oregon and auto-parts trains that run between Oregon and Maumee. Railroad officials have said that by using the Toledo Belt, Norfolk Southern trains will no longer be subject to delay in using CSX Transportation Corp. tracks that form parts of the routes the trains now use. Furthermore, the run between Oregon and Maumee will be shortened by five miles and train activity at 26 street crossings in West and South Toledo will be reduced or eliminated, the railroad has said. But East Toledo leaders have protested that the trains will worsen their neighborhoods' existing train delays caused by a nearby CSX line and could compromise response times for emergency vehicles. If the trains stop on the track, critics fear, several major streets could be blocked simultaneously; the track crosses East Broadway, Woodville Road, and Navarre Avenue within a mile of each other. (Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers - posted 3/27) Railpace - Hotnews
Special car movements: Follow-up
CSX and MAW have been moving special loads for the new power plant at Defiance, OH.
Two of the four power generating equipment have been delivered to the MAW. The third load rests at near the diamond in Defiance as it was removed from its car. The fourth load is still at 'GM' yard on a storage track awaiting delivery.
Follow up to Ohio Central loco and passenger car move
The 'Pacific Wilderness' GP10's ( former SPCX (SP Construction) GP10s - ex-IC nee-ICG GP7/9) aqnd passenger cars are destine for Victoria BC on Vancouver Island. The excursion train which is operated under Ross Rowland will travel over RailAmerica's Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway. (Info courtsesy of 'F7', 'I&O GP40 6793','Matt' Via Trainoders Eastern Board and Dan Sobieck.)
Ohio Central locos and passenger car move
Today around 6: 30 PM, a CSX westbound had two geeps, ten passenger cars and one power car.
The train consist was made up of four engines and the ten passenger cars with the power car trailing. The numbers of the four units are: CSX 651 (AC60W), RMGX 5026 (C30-7, ex-BN), OHCR 706 and 705 (model type unknown - maybe GP7 or GP9). Also, the OHCR units had the name 'Pacific Wilderness' on the sides of the units.
CSX Safety Train
I (Kip) talked to a safety guy that works for CSX yesterday, and he said that he was in town looking for a place to board 125 people for a trip from Deshler to Dayton. He also said the power for the trip would be covered wagons, I dont know if he means the E units or the F units. It is to take place around the 16th of May. Sounds like a safety train to me. he said the train would be followed by an airplane, and that police officers from different towns and mayors would be on the train. He thought it would be around 8 cars long.
Post via Kip (local Deshler railfan) off of Trainorders Eastern Board
Derailment at GM Yard:
Today this afternoon CSX had a derailment of two cars, a gond and coke hopper. It happened as a string of cars derailed on the west #6 rail switch. (The yard has through tracks #1-8 and two stub tracks #9 and #10.)
The cause of the derailment was due to a stock rail inside of the switch rolling over on its side. This in turn, caused the the trucks between the hopper and gond to derail while the other trucks on the gond and hopper stayed on the rails.
Hulcher of Toledo, OH arrived to rerail the cars around 5:30 PM to rerail the cars. During the rerail process, the gond was placed on the other side of the damaged switch and the hopper was placed in #5 rail. Hulcher was finished by 6:30 PM.
Note: #6 rail is out of service on both east and west switches.
CSX GM Yard - Special Loads:
CSX has three special load cars at GM Yard. Two cars have loads and one is used as an idler car. These cars have six 4 axle trucks and carry gas boilers.
These boilers are bound for the Maumee and Western for the new gas power plant on the northeast side of Defiance. Movement of these cars are held due to the concern that the Maumee River bridge may not handle the weight of these cars. (Further information later.)
I was informed today that MAW #325 was leaving for Connersville, IN on 2/17/00. MAW #325 is west of the CSX/MAW diamond (at Atlantic St.- Defiance, OH). The Departing consist has MAW #12 pulling the train with #325 behind three tank cars from the head end which #325 is dead in tow. (I have video footage.)
I would recommend catching the train at Woodburn, IN at the MAW-NS interchange.
Other notes: Ex-MAW #442 is still in Defiance as I write.
New Loco:
Maumee & Western has #345 in Defiance, OH. #345 appears to be an ex-SF GP-7 just like #344. FYI, I haven't seen #344 lately. It may of travelled back to Connersville, IN.
Other MAW news:
#325 is being worked on at Defiance. I'm not aware of the mechanical problems it has, but it has been parked off to the side with ex-MAW #442 (ATCX).
Cass Telles
