Now that things are opening up, I'm considering a daytrip to watch trains. I've been to both locations, but have spent more time at Deshler. I know that Fostoria is more convenient for food, restrooms, etc., but which one has more trains? I know the big player at both is the B&O Chicago-Pittsburgh line. The wild card for me is the relative activity on the N-S B&O at Deshler vs the N-S C&O and NKP at Fostoria. What are your opinions.
All the action at Deshler is within view of the pavilion, as you know. Deshler is currently running between 40 and 50 trains daily.
I haven't spent a lot of time at Fostoria myself - it's usually a side trip for my visits to Deshler. That said, the pavilion at the Iron Triangle park is hard by the NS main, and raised a bit - you're closer to cab level. If you haven't been there since they built the park, it's worth your time.
The overall park is pretty much wide open, so you can track what's going on all round you. As at Deshler, you'll usually find someone who knows what's when so you can position yourself for decent camera angles.
You can also make your way over to the station, near the NS/CSX diamond and catch some good shots there.
The main draw for me at Deshler is the ability to camp there. I don't believe they allow that at Fostoria.
Of course, the trip between the two can be interesting as well. Ohio 18 pretty much parallels the former B&O, Using Leipsic as a turning point lets you follow, more or less, the NS main between there and Fostoria.
Enjoy your trip! I plan to be in Deshler in late July, as part of a road trip that will then take me north to the big antique fire apparatus muster in Frankenmuth, MI.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
Going up from the Columbus area, I usually go to Deshler, getting there shortly after lunch, and then late in the afternoon I head over to Fostoria.
Both are nice junction towns where you can either see trains rolling straight through town or slowing to a crawl to go around the connector tracks to change direction.
With Deshler, the junction covers a smaller area, allowing you to see everything without having to move around too much to get good pictures/video.
With Fostoria, the triangle covers a larger area, and if you're in one part of the triangle, you might not be able to see all of the action (ie. if you are at the old B&O station on Main Street and CSX runs something through on the C&O).
Of course, a good scanner helps a lot to hear what is happening.
And when I'm in Fostoria, I call ahead over to Tiffin and order a pizza from AJ's Heavenly Pizza. If I leave shortly after calling, I usually get there right as it's coming out of the oven. Last year, I got a pizza bag off Ebay to keep my pizza hot on the trip back to the park at Fostoria.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
Thanks for your replies. I ended up going to Fostoria yesterday. In a little over an hour, I saw 5 trains. One EB general freight on the NKP, a WB Coke Express on the B&O, two EB on the B&O (one double stack and one autorack) and a SB C&O that went west on the B&O with over a hundred full autoracks.
Deshler still has the B&O cpl signals.Couple places are within walking distance of the trainpark if you want food.You don't have to worry about your parked car in Deshler.Each place has it's own special train moves.Just need to listen to the scanner.
stay safe
Joe
Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").
Sounds like you had a good day of train watching.
JoeKohEach place has it's own special train moves
And that's part of the charm of Deshler for me.
The first time I visited, I was only there for about three hours, and saw eight trains. I'm far more familiar with that operation now. There have been several instances of late there where three trains were in motion within sight of the park (literally a stone's throw, but don't) of the park at the same time.
Of course, there are also instances where you don't see a thing for an hour or so...
Train counts had dropped over the past few months, but are now starting to creep back up toward the sixty per day we were seeing there.
Backshop Now that things are opening up, I'm considering a daytrip to watch trains. I've been to both locations, but have spent more time at Deshler. I know that Fostoria is more convenient for food, restrooms, etc., but which one has more trains? I know the big player at both is the B&O Chicago-Pittsburgh line. The wild card for me is the relative activity on the N-S B&O at Deshler vs the N-S C&O and NKP at Fostoria. What are your opinions. You may also wish to consider visiting Ridgeway, at the intersection of the Indy line and the Toledo branch. It's interesting to watch crews turn entire trains around. However, not much to eat close by.
You may also wish to consider visiting Ridgeway, at the intersection of the Indy line and the Toledo branch. It's interesting to watch crews turn entire trains around. However, not much to eat close by.
I have been watching/listening to the Fostoria web cam/ scanner feed the past few days as I am home on medical leave and am working from my office. The action has really dropped from a few years ago, but is still active.
Lots of BO to CO moves at 10mph which slows things down. The CSX has really lengthen and combined train movements. Most of their trains now are in the 150-200 car range or for intermodal in excess of 10,000 ft. Still some coal moving, not as much, but it usually runs from C&O thru SW to B&O.
Would love to see those CPLs at Deshler...if things clear up this fall a day trip might be in order to Deshler and Fostoria.
Ed
MP173Would love to see those CPLs at Deshler...
It's not live and in person, but two are in view of the "360" camera at Deshler. A third can sometimes be seen if the 360 is pointed east.
Larry, when you camp in Deschler, how long do you usually stay? Are there many other folks doing this also. Is there kind of a social scene there? It sounds fun. Having seen photos, I'd sure like to get there someday.
Three to four days. Being in a tent, things like taking a shower become an issue.
I usually tie Deshler in with a trip to MI for a big festival. That's been cancelled this year, but as of now the fire truck muster at Frankenmuth is still on.
There is a social scene, of a sort. The park has some regulars, who know what's up, and there are almost always some "day trippers," in for a few hours of train watching.
Reporting back on Fostoria...
Thanks goodness for the webcam and scanner...it has helped maintain sanity during medical leave....here are a few observations.
CSX has kicked PSR into high gear. They are running big trains and have consolidated many trains. The operations seem pretty routine...the trains follow a tight schedule. For instance the Q010 is almost always thru town at 1130 am. The difference between now and a year ago is that it now carries well over 200 containers and trailers, many international containers, where as a year ago it was strictly a hot trailer train - domestic only.
CSX is typically running 10-15000 ft trains. Not on occasion, but nearly all trains. When these turn the corner at 10 mph it is usually a 15 minute event.
Lots of "round the corner" movements with Fostoria and Deshler...I can usually hear the IP dispatcher discussing movements into and out of North Baltimore - seems like quite a busy location.
NS has streamlined operations. There used to be a daily move from CN of USX steel from Gary to Ohio. NS ran a local from Ft Wayne to pickup the loads (anywhere from 20 to 90 loads daily). A local out of Ft Wayne would then deliver somewhere in western Ohio. Now it appears that NS train217 a hot TOFC UPS train to Charlotte drops off these coil cars around 730 am. NOt daily, but several times a week. Interesting to see a mixed train of coil cars and TOFC UPS trailers and other stacks.
There is a "trash" movement. Train Q635 from Selkirk to Columbus has a regular (perhaps daily) drop in Fostoria. The train "turns the corner" SE connecting track and drops off cars of trash for the local H791 to delivery to Sunny Farms which is about 10 miles south on the ex C&O line. Today Q635 dropped 82 cars of trash...no room in the yard so the trash was left on main 1.
The PSR has been taken to extremes it seems at times...for instance the daily train from Detroit to Salem, Il which interchanges with UP handles
A coal train on July 4th turned the corner from CO to BO with 241 loads. Another train on the 4th left North Baltimore with 31,000 tons and 2 motors. "Can this be right?" asked the dispatcher.
With the closing of the hump at Williard and block swap and pickups/deliveries made, it is not uncommon for Williard to be a mess with trains backed up both to the east and west.
PSR seems to be reaching down to dispatchers....the busy IP dispatcher who handles the B&O line thru Fostoria and is a traffic cop, resently was given responsibility of the New Castle desk also...Williard to New Castle, Pa. The situation seems to be similar at North Baltimore with trains stacking up. The IP dispatcher would handle North Baltimore, Fostoria, and Williard - all three "choke" points. Now the assignment has doubled, at least in miles.
As soon as the COVID has passed, I am heading to Deshler and Fostoria. I dont railfan anymore (web cams and scanners are enough for me), but this is heavy duty railroading.
Between Fostoria and Deshler, there is another CSX north-south line that crosses the main line just east of North Baltimore. It's the ex-NYC Toledo Branch that parallels the Ex-C&O line between Colombus and Toledo, which was mentioned briefly in an earlier post. Is this line pared with the ex-C&O line? Is there much traffic on it? Does anyone fan that crossing?
Speaking of N Baltimore, is there a place to view that operation?
MidlandMikeSpeaking of N Baltimore, is there a place to view that operation?
About as close as you can come is an overpass on the east end and the access to a municipal water access site along OH18, probably half way down the facility. It's ground level, and fenced off from NWO, but you could probably get an idea of what's going on.
I know nothing about the line you speak of, aside from it crossing the EW main at Galatea. There is one transfer there (SW quadrant), but casual talk on the Deshler cams chat never mentions traffic turning there.
Q 146 usually uses the Toledo branch in the evening.Have seen Q 352 and 353 uses the branch as well.All depends on how Csx feels that day.Not only a double coal train one day but a double tanker train as well.If one goes around Hoytville you will find a road that takes you to the west yard lead.On the north side of the yard the country roads that were are Dead Ended by the csx yard now.
JoeKohQ 146 usually uses the Toledo branch in the evening.Have seen Q 352 and 353 uses the branch as well.All depends on how Csx feels that day.Not only a double coal train one day but a double tanker train as well.If one goes around Hoytville you will find a road that takes you to the west yard lead.On the north side of the yard the country roads that were are Dead Ended by the csx yard now. stay safe Joe
Q352 & Q353 used to be Cumberland to Willard trains when I was working.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Q352 and Q353 are now the Hammond, In to Louisville, Ky trains. No, instead of making a clear shot down the ex Monon to Indy then using the trackage rights on L&I to Louisville, this set of trains goes works Garrett, In, North Baltimore, Marysville, Oh, and Cincinnati before heading west to Kentucky.
Sort of like a Southwest Airlines flight between CHicago and Oakland which would stop in St. Louis, Tulsa, Dallas, Salt Lake before arriving in Oakland.
These are massive trains...Q367 between Selkirk and Chicago this morning had 1000 (exactly) axles and the Q369 between Cumberland and Chicago has 824 axles. Last night's W210 (Coke train) had 904 axles.
The question is...how will CSX react when the freight starts returning to the rails when the economy returns to normal. Will they add trains or will they turn the business away?
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