Ohio Hotspots Tour Pt. III - Fostoria

Part I..........Part II........... Part III...........Part IV

We spent Tuesday (7/28) and Wednesday (7/29) nights at the Best Western in Fostoria because it was handy to Deshler.  This gave us the bonus of spending extra time at the Iron Triangle Railroad Park.  This place is probably the fanciest rail park in the country.  The "triangle" between the three sets of diamonds is largely, though not completely, filled with a fenced off lawn, well lit facilities and paved parking.  A covered platform with benches, vending machines and rest rooms complete the place.  You can hang out here for hours and not have to run off for a "coffee exchange" at the nearest fast food joint.  Better yet, plenty of other railfans drop in so you are never lacking for conversation or guidance.  The Toledo fans at Deshler told us of Dell's on Main St. for BBQ excellence so we filed that for Wednesday lunch.  Once we checked into the hotel we spent the evening at the park.  Unfortunately, the bugs seem to emerge as the sun goes down.  We had repellant but were tired enough to leave once full darkness, and a lull in the action appeared.  Someone actually set up with a pop-up camper to stay the night.  We heard later that that's actually okay.

http://www.fostoriadells.com/

I took no photos on Tuesday night but took dozens of photos on Wednesday.  I'll attempt to caption each and vent on the notable ones.  I do know that they loaded in whatever order they wanted to, but you weren't there so it doesn't actually matter.  I found information for specific units all over the web, so "RRPicture Archives", "RailPictures", "The Diesel Shop" and other places get almost all credit for specific historical data.  I usually look for more than one source of anything since I've been led astray in the past, but don't take my comments as gospel.  My brain only gets credit for picking the units out of a crowd and most simple ID's of type for my own photo. 

NS westbound at the platform. 

CSX #600 was leading a coal train north through the diamonds on the old Hocking Valley/C&O line from Columbus to Toledo.  The train was mainly recent model black CSX hopper cars.  AC4400CW #600, is one of three "pre-production" units built prior to the AC6000CW's which start at 604. 601-"Spirit of Waycross" and 602-"Spirit of Maryland" were the others. Steerable trucks were a new thing too. These were regulars on the Boston line once, back in the days when I saw too many "washing machines" with a few of the W.F.P.T. crew.



 
Nothing like a tasteful patch on a "Grinstein" SD70MAC. This  newer"swoosh" logo is a new combo to me.  I've been curious about these units since I first captured a photo of these in pure BN paint (below). They were delivered to Burlington Northern just prior to and during BNSF merger time, long ago. They have since been catching eyes and spreading the gospel of widespread AC traction ever since.  For reference I put in this shot of a 2001 encounter I had with the paint scheme in Monument, Colorado on the "Joint Line".  Just a logo swap.  The AT&SF inspired BNSF logo of old was more common on these guys.










This BNSF SD70MAC is not the kind people think of when they think old BNSF.   It is a 1999 model and judging by the fade on the paint, it's been through the washer at Barstow.  (old unattributable story, but apparently the washer there was inadvertently set up so it prematurely faded paint on a few units.)

The SD60 design has always been one of my favorites among recent EMD styles.  I always enjoyed seeing them lead in Conrail blue paint, especially when they still had the red "bug eyes" on the nose.  NS tended to patch over the marker lights as soon as possible.  This CSX SD60M shows it's Conrail heritage with those lights still in place.   





C40-8 "Spartan Cab" that looks like its days could be numbered, unless the neglect foretells a rebuild in its future. Roanoke will update their Dash 8.5's with an "RLS" wide-cab, Roanoke Locomotive Shop variation on the NS designed "Crescent Cab" used on some EMD's rebuilt in Altoona.





 
Just another Soo 60xx series SD60. They seem to be the only Soo units I ever see in North America. I've seen them on the old D&H (CP) and Southern Tier, out west on the UP and BNSF, and outside Montreal on the CP.  Even when they run off to a leasing company, Soo paint equals 60xx series when I'm around.

WB intermodal about to cross the C&O line. Charles looks on with his video gear.

CEFX 3155, former UP 3554.  Feels like CNJ paint.

UP is unloading Dash 8's. This is one of 3 or 4 headed east with some MP15's and "Green Goats". These pre-date "wide cabs", been around forever and were as common as dirt at one time. With only a small shield on the nose, they were usually the plainest looking UP units around.  Now they also look small next to new power.

An auto rack turns from west to north at the tower.

Very early BNSF paint on C44-9W. This paint scheme only went on standard cab style units after phase 2 orange paint came along. In fact, many of these units were delivered and run with paint but no logo decals for a while in the early days of the merger. FURX leaser 3029 was built as PRR SD40 6066.

Remote yard power kept emerging from the south yard.  Love those old Geep slugs.

Common AC4400CW and "spartan cab" C40-8.

 

CP AC4400CW 8653 + CEFX AC4400CW 1052

Roadrailers make daily appearances on the old NKP line.  This one is 262 which runs from Fort Wayne to Bethlehem. Funny how many screen savers and desktop backgrounds I've made over the years of this very train. 

Westbound on the old NKP crosses the old C&O

One of several retired MP15's heads east to a new home.

One of several short-lived "Green Goats" heads east.

Former C&O SD40 rebuilt to SD40-2.

Eastbound grain from the platforms.

Former SP/UP now NREX SD45. Now an SD40M-2.  Built as PRR.

EB rail train slowed for the curve.  Lots of physics here.

Miles of coke cars meets impatient intermodal

And thus ends our stay at Fostoria.  Wednesday evening the two movers and shakers that got the park built stopped by at different times.  Apparently they want to be sure they are on the right course for future improvements.  For "Parks and Recreation" fans, the woman city councilor who drove the bureaucracy can only be described as "Leslie Knope".   She was friendly and intense about the hurdles, grants and details.  The other guy might be a "Ron Swanson" since he was more down to earth and the leading railfan on the project.  Apparently they just barely get along since the two clashed over the details one railfan wanted versus the public survey data and non-railfan common sense, not to mention the liability hurdles built into the beauracracy.  So, "Ron's" pile of dirt to see the tower was thwarted by "Leslies" data about the view, not to mention landscaping sense.   I think the railroads and legal council dictated where the entrance went, not to mention the extensive fencing.

Anyway, Thursday's trip to Bellevue starts in Fostoria with a morning dose of Iron Triangle Park.  Plus, did I mention the Dell's was a five-time Ohio State BBQ champion!  That was a neat place for lunch.  The BBQ was great and there was no shortage of diner character.  And, the place had a serious lunch box collection around the whole joint.  '60's through '80's people would recognize the logos for movies, TV shows and products common in those eras.

On to other things...

Part I..............Part II.............. Part III..............Part IV

BC