News Update # 2

This is the second periodic news update on Fostoria Rails. Take a look and see what the latest happenings are! If you have any news or information relating to railroading/railfanning in Fostoria, send it to: fostoriarails AT sbcglobal DOT NET (replace the capitalized words with the correct symbols when e-mailing).

Rail Park Update:

Demolition/clearing of "the boneyard" has begun again. The two main structures in the area being worked on aren't torn down yet, but they are clearing the area between the two. Here is a view from Poplar Street looking east along the NS towards the NS/C&O diamond:


This view looks west across Columbus Avenue. There is less than there used to be, that is for sure, but still a long ways to go.









Here is a view looking west in the general direction of the NS/B&O diamond, across Columbus Avenue, the C&O, and the northwest transfer, with the Mennel Milling Company in the distance. Even this view wasn't possible a few months ago.




The Erie-sistible lives!
The current location of the infamous "Erie-sistible" that sat across from the NS/C&O diamond along Columbus Avenue at "the boneyard," in the process of being cleared to make way for construction of the Fostoria Rail Park, has been found! The Erie went missing a couple of months ago when the previous owner of the boneyard was moving things out. As of March 8th, 2007, she rests as shown here, in the parking lot of a closed down industrial building on East North Street next to the ex-C&O right of way. Who owns the Erie and what their plans for her are are still unknown, but for now, she is still alive and still in Fostoria.

North Baltimore Yard Update:

To keep you up to date and/or get you up to speed, here are links to four stories that have been published in the Findlay Courier since November, 2006, in regard to what's going on with the proposed "block swap" yard, the most recent coming out this week:

1.) November 14th, 2006
2.) January 11th, 2007
3.) February 26th, 2007
4.) March 7th, 2007

It will be interesting to see what happens if CSX's plans come to fruition. Building the yard at North Baltimore would have a major impact on CSX operations in Fostoria and the entire area. Hopefully that impact will all be positive. CSX is attempting to undertake an awful lot of new infrastructure projects around the system right now; interesting for a railroad not exactly known for spendthrift ways throughout its history...

Fostoria Rail Preservation Society Purchases Former Lake Erie & Western Depot in Fostoria:

Located at 128 W. North Street, the building was most recently owned and used by Campfire USA (Photo from this article in the Findlay Courier by Randy Roberts). You can also read about this purchase in the Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune.

Fostoria Train Schedule Updates:

It is my hope to have a link up for a full train schedule for Fostoria soon. In the meantime, here are some new updates that also answer questions from News Update # 1:

CSX:

Q-210: I have confirmation that Q-210 does now terminate in Louisville. Any traffic for Toledo or Detroit that previously moved north on Q-210 is supposedly connecting with and moving on Q-272 from Louisville north. So, for Fostoria, Q-210 is no more.

"Extra" Auto Rack trains: Q-271, Q-283, and Q-293 all may be extended to Walbridge as required, typically in lieu of running a Q-281, handling that train's traffic. Q-293 was noted once and Q-271 three times in Febuary, but none have run this far west since then.

Q-288: This train is correct as reported in News Update # 1, with the additional tidbit that it essentially runs as a second section of Q-200, thereby reducing the number of S-200's.

Q-291: My understanding is that Q-291 is indeed actually the old Q-391. Q-291 (auto racks/auto parts) as it was is no more. The new Q-291 (Buffalo, NY - Toledo, OH freight/automotive) is Q-391's train (freight) with the added automotive business from the old Q-291. An example of the "new" Q-291 (which was actually an S-291) was shown on the Pic of the Day for February 26th.

Q-296 (Saginaw, MI - Baltimore Curtis Bay, MD auto racks): This is another train that has been abolished, unfortunately. Q-296's Lordstown, OH block will move on Q-216 (Detroit, MI - Philadelphia, OH auto racks), while the Baltimore, MD block will move on Q-276 (Walbridge, OH - Baltimore Bay View, MD auto racks). Traffic that used to move between Cumberland, MD and Baltimore, OH on Q-296 is now moving on new train Q-376 between those two destinations. BNSF 1221 was in Q-296's consist when it was featured on the Pic of the Day back on February 5th.

K-311: This train has been running frequently now and is confirmed as a Bessemer, PA - East Chicago, IN/IHB Loaded Coke train. It has been featured twice on the Pic of the Day: February 27th and March 3rd.

K-682/K-683: Confirmed as Chicago/UP - Oak Island, NJ unit ethanol loads (eastbound K-682) and empties (westbound K-683).

U-839: This thread on trainorders.com discusses a re-routing of coal train U-839 (Proviso, IL/UP - Baltimore Curtis Bay, MD loads eastbound, and empties westbound) away from Fostoria via St. Louis and the ex-Conrail Indianapolis line, at least temporarily.

NS:

Updating from News Update # 1, with help from the NS Lake Division Railfans Yahoo Group...

142 (Decatur, IL - Bellvue, OH freight/ automotive): This is a new train that used to be train 186, but shortening its route (it previously originated in E. St. Louis, IL). On the left, you see it on February 25th headed east with NS C40-9W # 9655, passing westbound 15E through the Iron Triangle.



186 (Chicago, IL - Columbus/Buckeye Yard, OH freight): This is a new train using the old 186 symbol.

15G (Columbus/Buckeye Yard, OH - Decatur, IL freight: This is another new train. I haven't seen or heard this one yet as it is due out of Bellvue after midnight which would put it through Fostoria around 2 am or so.

17E (Bellvue, OH - Bensenville, IL/CP freight): This train, by it's scheduled routing (via Elkhart, IN), would not appear to be a Fostoria routed train; however, it has run this way on a number of occassions since its inception. At the least, it could be considered an additional "alternate routing" train for Fostoria.

288 (Atlanta, GA - Bellvue, OH auto racks): There continue to be just about daily 288's coming into the Mixing Center. I don't know if this is just seasonal traffic or if 288 will become another daily train.

308: Confirmed as an "as required" (I would say from observation, rarely) Chicago, IL - Bellvue, OH freight.

Side Note: Does it strike anyone that I'm listing so many new NS trains while simultaneously listing so many abolished CSX trains?

New Locomotive Deliveries:

As of March 9th, BNSF ES44AC's are out through # 6203, CSX ES44DC's are out through # 5450, NS ED40DC's are out through at least # 7635, and UP ES44AC's are out through # 7630 (still less the 7623 & 7624). Friday afternoon, March 9th, BNSF 6200, 6201, 6202, and 6203; CSXT 5448, 5449, and 5450; and UP 7630 were all on their way to Avon Yard in Indianapolis. This may (or may not) have been a light engine move, as has been done before (including last week when BNSF 6184-6189 all went to Avon together on a light engine move before being assigned to various trains and scattered across CSX before finally making their way to BNSF in Chicago). In Fostoria on Thursday afternoon, CSXT 5446 and 5445 (along with YN3 CSXT GP40-2 # 6048) made their way west on just their second assignment, Q-397-08: