Ohio Central in Zanesville
on a rainy night

On my way to pick up my mother in SE Ohio, I stopped by OHC's Zanesville yard as usual to do a quick look see. And what did I find? An engine identified as #4094, ex -Monongahela, ex-CR, ex-NS now New Castle Industrial sitting there in the wet dusk.
A quick couple of test shots and a decision to risk a flash and here it is. Unfortunately, as mom and I came back by the next day, it had already left the yard, so no nice daylight shot...
Back further in the yard are these two covered hoppers. I'll let you identify their previous owners (just click on all photos to enlarge). As you can see, they have quite a bit of rust on them!

Today's railroad adventure:
Train meets!

You must realize that taking photographs out of the window of a thick passenger car window is difficult and if the train is not on curve, well...all you can see is straight out the window!
But, in the mountains of California, our Amtrak met two trains on its journey from Los Angeles to Seattle.
The first, top right is the northern bound Coast Starlight meeting the southbound version. We are just outside LA and climbing out of the basin that LA is in. Our next meet is in the mountains waaaayyyy north in Oregon. Here Amtrak is meeting a waiting UP freight heading south. Note that we have gone from sage brush and brown grass to evergreens. As we moved through these mountains, there was still snow on the ground---in early July! As always, click on the photos to see a larger view.
Our next meet is a view of the old and the new! As we arrived in LA, we went through the BNSF yards at Barstow and here are two buddies waiting in the yard. The old ATSF and the New BNSF.
I must comment, when I look at engines etc. in hobbie stores in OHIO, why do I see so many ATSF and UP engines? What has happened to B&O, C&O? Oh well, I digress.
Finally, our last meet of the day is a very, very long BNSF freight somewhere in the desert east of LA. I think we are nearing Barstow, but I don't remember (note: Take notes! )
Unlike here in OHIO, where trees and our numerous southern OHIO hills keep things hidden from view, out west you can see the long, long, long trains. Literally and I mean literally, for miles. It is hard to keep the entire train in the frame as you can see.
The west is dry, brown, but wonderful to look at from an Amtrak window. Taking a trip to LA via the SouthWest Chief was the way to go.

As I travel through Zanesville on my way to my mother's, I like to swing by the Ohio Central Yard and take a look. It still amazes me how much it has changed from the days of CSX when the yard was frequently empty. The last time I posted, the yard was being rebuilt and today it seems to be done. There is new ballast and fencing all around. And plenty of cars in the yard. Either a sign of good times for the railroad, or just a place to park cars-who knows? I choose to think it is a sign of good times, from the look of the former Conrail engine waiting with the freight behind it.
As it was past visiting hours and I had a long drive ahead, onward I went. Until next time I come through.
Photos: Back south past the egg plant; the former B&O station behind the tank cars with the setting sun; former Conrail engine showing some of the scope of the yard.

Departing Chicago

My wife and I are leaving Chicago on the Southwest Chief.
We had orginally planned to travel west on the California Zephyr, but due to flooding in Iowa, we had to change plans. The Zephyr was only going to Denver and there were no trains to Denver from Chicago.

We were on the first Chief west since the Mississippi floods had closed the tracks in June.
As the train left on time, we settled into our roomette and started out on our journey.
Our itinerary was Chicago to Los Angeles via the Chief, LA to Seattle via the Coastal Starlight and then back to Chicago by the Empire Builder.
First photo is the Chicago skyline as you leave Chicago. Photo 2 is of a suburb just outside Chicago. The view from the Superliner cars is fantastic.

After a good dinner, a good night's sleep, we woke up in Kansas with a brief stop in Hutchinson. Originally, we were supposed to stop here very early in the morning, but due to the very high water in Iowa, the back up of freight on the BNSF, we were way behind schedule. If we had known we were going to be having breakfast going through Hutchinson, we would have called some good friends that live here! Hey come on down to the station for a quick hello!
Our next stop was Dodge City, Kansas. I think everyone (at least my age) know what famous sheriff wondered these streets (at least on t.v.).
Above is a view of the Chief at the station and below is the station.

Here is a photo of our car attendant, Fred, who was very good at his job. A good car attendant makes the trip a whole lot smoother. If you travel by train a long way, get at least a roomette.

The horn sounds-"all aboard!" and goodbye to Dodge City. As we leave, I take a quick photo of a Santa Fe caboose sitting by the station. I quickly learned that taking photographs through a window of a moving train is quite a feat. Especially when the train is moving across flat land at speed!

The I&O on a June Morning.


Today on the Indianna and Ohio RR (I&O) in Lancaster, I spotted the local switching cars at the Anchor Hocking glass plant.
The first two photos are of 2602 backing up on the main to switch over to the plant siding.
The engineer then switched directions and move back down the siding to clear the switch to move into the plant.
The last photo shows the cars being shoved into the plant. Each car has sand for the glass plant. The last time I watched this event, one car was leaving quite a trail of sand behind as it moved. All along the tracks you can spot little piles of sand in the middle of the track from leaking cars.

As always, right click on the photos and open as a new tab or window to enlarge the view.

After taking some shots of the high Muskingum River at Zanesville, I stopped by the
Ohio Central's yard for a few shots. Much to my
surprise there was a fair amount of material in the yard!
A far cry from the CSX days! I remember when I passed through and checked out this yard, it was usually empty and today I find it packed with cars and what looks like construction going on!
Look at all the "sectional track" laying on the ground! I wonder who got the idea from whom, model railroaders or the big boys?
Anyway this shot shows the waiting track.








Here is a shot of the engines sitting in the yard,
waiting to leave and do their work.
Note the CSX logo is still on the fuel tank.
Also all the rail laying around. OHCR is quite busy here!
The next photo shows a small back hoe filling a car with cinders and dirt from the yard. A bulldozer sits nearby. It obviously was used to grade the yard and remove the material.
I asked the engineer what was going on, but neglected to write it down, and yes, I forgot what he said. I think he told me they were leveling the yard to re-ballast the tracks.
It is always interesting to see other aspects of the railroad business and here was a rare glimpse into the "other activities" here in Zanesville.

The overpass in the background is the I-70 overpass. The tracks to the yard go under the overpass and up the Muskingum River. The railroad has dozed the ground to the right of the cars in the photo and under the overpass. Since
they were working in that area, I didn't go up there.

The last photo (on the left) shows the MOW train waiting
to haul its load out.

On my way through Zanesville, it is a cloudy March day and the Muskingum River is up after snow melt and heavy rains.
I decide to take a few shots of the bridge that the Ohio Central uses to cross the river. That is a dam just in front of the bridge.

Marietta, Part II

Let's continue our tour of Marietta.
Here is a photo I took of where the PRR once crossed to go to Marietta College. This is where ST. RT 26, 7th St and Green St all meet. It is very much different today.





Here is the B and O bridge from East to West (Marietta to Harmar). Once upon a time, Harmar was separate from Marietta!
To the right of the bridge on the far bank, is the house I lived in before we "moved up on the hill" (green house, third one from bridge).





Here we are looking back towards the bridge on the Harmar side.
Behind me, and to the left is the CSX office. The former B & O tracks run north to a power plant, about half way to Zanesville. The line used to run all the way to Zanesville. I've been told that a RDC used to run up that way between the towns. You can't get to Zanesville anymore from Marietta this way!




Here is a view towards Belpre, which would be south. The track curving towards the right is the active track north. I am standing on the line towards Marietta. I suppose that CSX could still use this part of the track-for what I dunno.




This photo shows the beginning of the CSX tracks running up Harmar Street! Oh, to live on such a street!









Finally, here is my closing shot of the Harmar bridge. The reason I stopped and visited Marietta is that I had heard that the bridge may not survive for long. It is closed to walkers and it does look rather, well, old. Here is hoping the community comes to its rescue. I cannot wonder, but what would have happen to the PRR line, if it had somehow survived the Conrail era, and made it to the NS (?) era. If, B&O had keep the bridge intact for traffic, if, if,if. Isn't that just like life? A lot of ifs?
The lesson here is that, if I had the time, money, and ability to travel as I can today, I would very much like to have taken photos of all that was. Do the same where you live. It is gone so easily.


For best results, right click and open this image in another window. Feel free to place on your desktop if you want Just give credit where credit is due. Talk about a moment! The right light, shadow and reflections!

A Visit To Marietta

Take a little trip with me, to Marietta, and remember railroads of the past. With a few photographs, along with distant memories, we will travel back over thirty years.
The first photograph (on the left) is where the Pennsylvania Railroad crossed State Route 26, as it entered Marietta.

Our next stop on the tour, is along RT 26 looking back towards
what were once destinations for the PRR, but today are other types of businesses, ones that do not need a railroad.











Our next two shots (below) show the road bed as it goes under I-77 and behind Phillips Elementary School. You can still see the ROW in several places, but you have to look!










This photo is of the old Pennington Bread Factory, where the PRR would deliver flour for making bread. When I worked there, one summer back in the late 70's, a Conrail crew showed up to collect the car on the siding. They were recovering cars in preparation of closing the line and removing the rail. Today, even Pennington Bread is gone!











Our next shot is of the old B & O (Baltimore and Ohio) RR's yard along side second street. If you cllick on the photo, to enlarge it, and look at the building in the back with the painted railcar on it, you will be looking at a store that once received boxcars inside it! I always thought that was so cool when I saw that boxcar inside the "garage". But, by the time I came along, the yard was just about gone.









Can you say, railroad tracks? Look at the shape of this building! The Marietta Times newspaper used to have a column titled Down Around the Railroad Tracks. Obvioulsy not today.











Finally here is the B & O bridge across the Muskingum River to the Harmar side of town.
Today the bridge is closed, waiting to be made save for pedestrains once more. No trains will have to worry about the bridge anymore. Hopefully, the bridge will be opened once more.


And here is the approach to the bridge. Seems kinda steep for the engine as it starts up to the bridge. Must have been a sight to see and hear!





I hope you enjoyed our little trek through Marietta. I will post more photos of the bridge, and other locations in Marietta!

The B & O Comes To Town
My dad took this film (not video!) way back when, possibly in the 1940's. His mother lived in Clarksburg, and he took her to Parkersburg to take the train back to her home. The train has just come over the Ohio River from Belpre.

This film shows a B & O train crossing the Muskingum River from Marietta to Harmar heading, most likely, back to Parkersburg. This was probably taken around 1938-1940, since on this reel of film are scenes of the a flood on the Muskingum, and I think the last large flood there was 1939.
Today, many years later, the scene has changed. In Parkersburg, no passenger trains come to town, the B & O is gone, and the rails to Clarksburg are gone. In Marietta, CSX still comes to Harmar, but no one crosses the bridge anymore. Especially trains. Times have change, but thanks to my dad, we can watch a little bit of what was, once more!
These films were video taped off the movie screen while we watched the films. This is one reason for the quality, the other is the age of the movies.

On my model railroad, to get to my coal mine, the train has to pull into the yard, then back up onto one track, pull forward, and then back up to the mine. I have thought that this isn't quite right, until the day I drove through Zanesville, and there I watched the same scene unfold before my eyes!
The Ohio Central was moving a coal drag up from southern Ohio to a power plant up north of the town. With engines on both end, the train came into town, backed up, crossed a bridge, and then pulled forward to leave town. Here are some photos of the train as it moved through Zanesville.

Back to Russell, Kentucky

Last summer, I took a return trip to watch the trains in the Russell area.
Enjoy!
Russell slide show

It is October and I am in Byesville, Ohio with my parents waiting for the Byesville Scenic's steam excursion to come around the bend. It is a nice, warm afternoon and with the evening shadows approaching, here it comes, just down the track.

Here is Ohio Central Railroad's Pacific #1293, a 4-6-2, quietly approaching the street crossing. Everyone stops to watch the sight.

Here is the Pacific, stopped at the "end of the line" while the passenger's unload.

A close up of the front of the engine. The data plate on the side there will tell you that this engine was built in 1948. My dad was 31 years old then and I was six years into the future.

The tracks number 1293 stands on were once part of the PRR's line from Cleveland to Marietta. I don't know how much is left north of where I stood, but all that remains here is this short section from Cambridge, through Byesville and just a few miles south. There are no tracks to Marietta at all today, just CSX into the Harmar side of the town (west of the Muskingum River). According to the Byesville Scenic's web page (http://www.bsrw.org/)
most of the traffic on the "Marietta Branch" was coal, in the Byesville area. Once the coal was consumed, the railroad had no more interest in the area and so the slow decline began.
But today, it was unique to see this engine run again. Get out to see these old behemoths. As they get older and older, there will be a day when they cannot run again. Watch while you can!
To stand beside the engine and here the noises, its sounds like it is panting, wheezing and gurgling. Like it is alive. Quite different from the quiet running a/c engines of today!
Good job Byesville Scenic! Quite a show!