Ohio Railfanning Locations

Hello again Readers,

This post will be dedicated to railfanning in the State of Ohio. I am going to give you some links to locations to see locomotives on display, and places to take pictures of the modern equipment running today. These are in no particular order, and are just a few popular locations that you can check out if travelling through Ohio.

In Lima, Ohio there is a museum that has a Lima Locomotive Works Shay Locomotive. It is at the Allen County Museum & Historical Society. For those of you that are modeling a layout using Shay Locomotives, or any Lima Locomotives the John H. Keller Railroad Archives could be a big help to you.

According to the website the collection contains, “Shay and Rod builder’s negatives and prints, as well as specification sheets from the Lima Locomotive Works.  In addition, the collection contains extensive amounts of material from the New York Central, ICC records, thousands of books, periodicals, timetables and assorted reference data covering numerous railroads.”  

http://www.shaylocomotives.com/surviving/3288surv.jpg

 

Also in Lima, Ohio at Corner of Shawnee and Elm St. at Lincoln Park there is a Train Exhibit that sits right in the park to see. The exhibit is of a Lima Locomotive Works 2-8-4 Berkshire Steam Locomotive. There is a passenger car, and wood Nickel Plate Road Caboose there also. If you come to Ohio at the right time you may get to see 765 operating Lima Locomotive Works 2-8-4 Berkshire this static displays sister that is located in Ft. Wayne, IN. 

http://www.remarkableohio.org/HistoricalMarker.aspx?historicalMarkerId=544&fileId=108744

Another great place to visit is the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum in Bellevue, Ohio. They have quite a collection of railroad equipment to see there. This is a great place to see some old railcars that you don’t see anymore. They also have a number of diesel locomotives from days past.   

http://www.madrivermuseum.org/gallery/equipment/wabash_diesel.jpg

If model trains and family fun are your style there is a place to take the kids to get them interested in trains too at the Entertrainment Junction in Cincinnati, Ohio. This place has model trains to look at, and to buy. In addition there is a part of the place that has a play area themed with trains for the kids. This is the location of The American Railroading Museum with interactive displays to teach the whole family about trains, and how trains helped to build our great nation. 

http://www.entertrainmentjunction.com/cincinnati_model_trains/photos_railroad_museum

Now I would like to share with you a couple of photo opportunity locations. The first is in Deshler, Ohio call the Deshler Crossroads Park. It is on CSX property run by the Deshler Historical Society. The location has over 60 trains a day going to and from the North Baltimore, Ohio Inter-modal Facilities. There are a ton of trains every day from CSX, BNSF, NS, and Union Pacific if my Intel is right. 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=99078867462&set=pb.98386332462.-2207520000.1375317926.&type=3&theater

 

Last but not least for this post is the Fostoria, Ohio Iron Triangle in Fostoria, Ohio the Fostoria Rail Preservation Society have been building an amazing RailPark there.  That will be really great once it is finished. This is also a great location to shoot your favorite CSX locomotives. 

http://www.fostoriairontriangle.com/

 

Well I hope that you have enjoyed this post. I look forward to telling you about other great railfan destinations in Ohio and others too. Also, if any of these locations interest you be sure to look them up on Facebook to see what they have to offer, and the times you can go.

Till next time, thank you for stopping at the station.

Robert

http://fostoriairontriangle.com/festival.htm

  

Chessie System Model Update

Hello, Trackage Video Blog Readers:

It is an exciting day for this Modeler and Railfan. In 1977 the locomotive 2101 former Reading Railroad loco got a new paint job, and was named The Chessie Steam Special. In April of that year it made its first trip from the paint shop to Philadelphia, and then to Baltimore. The loco was put together to have a number of excursion trips to celebrate the B&O Railroad’s 150 birthday. 

http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29154

The loco ran a number of trips for revenue starting May 7, 1977. I did not see the engine and its cars in 1977, but my Grandfather and I chased it in his green Cheverly pick-up truck in 1978. I got to see it cross the Harpers Ferry Bridge, and disappear into the tunnel. Then we traveled along side of the great big T-1, Northern 4-8-4 loco through Sandy Hook and into Brunswick a place I had been before to look at B&O Chessie locomotives in the later years of my Grandfathers service as a B&O Engineer.

I was already collecting toy HO trains at this time, and to be honest I think my Grandfather started buying HO models for me at the sight of my Mother being pregnant. I had a big mess of train engines and cars, and in fact they filed an old Army footlocker.  I really only wanted the Chessie painted stuff, but I had a variety.

I had a love for the trains anyway, but I had never seen a Steam Locomotive before. I was only 5 or 6 years old. They are quite impressive to me even today. Well like I said, my Grandfather and I followed along with this Baldwin built 2101 that was originally a I-10a 2-8-0 #2021 built in 1923 and was converted to Reading 2101 T-1, Northern 4-8-4 in 1945, and operated until 1956 when all steam vanished on the Reading except for four T1's 2100, 2101, 2102, and 2124.             

Since that day I wished for an HO Scale Model of The Chessie Steam Special. I got an email on the 18^th of July saying that the deadline to order an HO version from BLI had to be in on Friday the 19^th. I was distraught to say the least, this is the second run of this locomotive that I know of, and I could not get my hands on one at all. That all changed today I got my preorder in for it today and it should be in at the end of September. I have never been so happy in my life, and would like to thank the staff at Hobbytown USA in Holland, Ohio for making my childhood dream a reality. I am sure that none of you know but my family and I are going through a ruff time right now. I had to sell my drum kit to make ends meet this week, but I would trade a second drum set to get a piece of history in my hand, that will forever remind me of the great day I spent with my Grandfather.

http://www.broadway-limited.com/images/view.aspx?productId=1803&index=0

This is something that I am trying to express in my writing and school projects that model railroading is fun, but it is heart warming and doing it with your kids, grandchildren, and anyone that you love is rewarding and will make memories that last a lifetime. For those of you that are modelers you know what I am talking about. I would encourage any of you to take someone under your wing and teach him or her all the modeling skills, and railroad history that you can. I am 41 and I play with trains.

For more information on The Chessie Steam Special, check this out.

Thank you, for stopping at the station.

Robert