Nickel Plate #901 was built by EMD back in 1962. Recently, it has been used by the CNRY for power on their dinner train, and as a backup unit in Lebanon. Restoration began in August and was made possible in part by donations from the member of the Nickel Plate Technical and Historical Society. Final preparations are currently underway in the old Mason locomotive barn, including installation of an original Mars light and number boards.

NKP #901 will leave the Mason engine house overnight on Thursday, September 29th. The special train will depart Lebanon Friday morning. There will be a one-hour lunch layover in Mason at the Brazenhead Pub. The return trip should, weather permitting, include a photo run-by somewhere along the line. The consist is scheduled to include #901 (facing South), the open-air car, and 3 of the ex-Lackawanna coaches. For more information and for tickets, visit the LM&M’s website.

Check back later this week for photos and a brief history on NKP #901. It is currently scheduled to stay in Lebanon through October, and then resume work powering the Cincinnati Dinner Train.

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Week: CNRY Fireworks Train

It’s been a while, but there is quite a bit of news from this summer that needs to be recapped. First off, CSX has announced recently they would be expanding their Intermodal operation in Columbus. Known to locals as the Van Yard, the intermodal operation was acquired as part of the Conrail split. It is located directly east of Norfolk Southern’s Buckeye Yard.

Crews have already begun working on the 31-acre expansion, demolishing a number of neighboring warehouses. This area will be paved and used for the storage of containers, the footprint for the rest of the site will be redesigned, tracks realigned, and improvements will be made to increase capacity.

Additionally, CSX will be purchasing three new container cranes for the site, like the one pictured above was purchased for the North Baltimore Intermodal Yard. These cranes run completely off of electricity supplies by an attached tether cable. Overall, $59 million in improvements will be made at the site.

The Columbus expansion is needed with the construction of the new site at North Baltimore. This intermodal hub, part of the National Gateway series of improvements, recently opened Phase II of the project. Click through to read the full press release after the break.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – August 29, 2011 – CSX announced today that a $59 million intermodal freight terminal expansion is underway in Columbus, Ohio.

This terminal expansion is part of the National Gateway initiative, linking deep water east coast ports with Midwestern markets. The overall project covers six states and the District of Columbia and includes rail capacity enhancements and intermodal terminal capacity improvements. Earlier this year, CSX opened the cornerstone of the National Gateway, a new $175 million intermodal terminal in Northwest Ohio.

“CSX’s goal is to consistently provide the highest quality transportation service for our customers,” said Wilby Whitt, president of CSX Intermodal Terminals. “We have a proud history of helping the Midwest thrive, and we believe this investment will help increase the benefits available in Central Ohio and beyond.”

The Columbus terminal expansion will ready the region with the capacity needed for anticipated growth in business and continue to enhance the economical and environmentally-friendly rail intermodal service offered to customers.

The terminal expansion, which is part of the company’s previously stated capital investment plans, includes a redesign of the site footprint, installation and realignment of tracks, reconfiguration of inbound and outbound truck gates, additional onsite parking, and three, high tech, rail-mounted, electric wide-span cranes. This investment expects to create over 400 construction related jobs over the course of the project here in Columbus.

The wide-span cranes will operate with zero emissions and regenerate power back to the terminal grid or to the electric utility.

Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman said the announced investment by CSX is great news for the local economy, not to mention the state.

“CSX’s significant private investment in this expansion brings with it great opportunity for Columbus,” Mayor Coleman said. “This is a solid example of how Columbus continues to lead in economic development opportunities in Central Ohio. CSX’s investment strengthens the region’s transportation infrastructure, and provides our businesses with access to more efficient, cost-effective green transportation.”

Railroads are the most environmentally-friendly and energy efficient way to move goods on land. On average, railroads are three or more times more fuel efficient than the alternative. Trains can also move a ton of freight nearly 500 miles on a single gallon of fuel. A single train can carry the load of more than 280 trucks.

About CSX
CSX Corporation, based in Jacksonville, Fla., is one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, providing rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services. The company’s transportation network spans approximately 21,000 miles, with service to 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia. CSX’s network connects more than 240 short line and regional railroads and more than 70 ocean, river, and lake ports. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com.

About the National Gateway
The National Gateway is an innovative infrastructure project that will improve the flow of freight rail traffic throughout the eastern United States by increasing the use of double-stack trains, creating a more efficient rail route between Mid-Atlantic ports and Midwestern markets. This award-winning public-private partnership will clear 61 obstructions and build or expand six intermodal facilities along CSX’s network in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and the District of Columbia that together make up the National Gateway. The National Gateway is supported by a broad and diverse group of more than 300 public and private sector organizations and individuals. For more information visit www.nationalgateway.org.

Related posts:

1. Pacific-Intermodal-Terminal (PIT)
2. A Brief History of Buckeye Yard
3. Columbus Railfan

In fact, it wasn’t that long ago that we published the details from my personal trip aboard the Bluebird as well as some details about the history of the line.

As of right now, the TLE&W was already closed until June, pending FRA required trackwork. With this set-back, volunteers are unsure if the railroad will be able to open ever again. The TLE&W, like many cash-strapped tourism lines, cannot afford to insure their equipment from vandalism.

Source: Trains.com Newswire

No related posts.

The following is our first guest post by Giles Kennedy, taking a quick look at the Sandusky District around the Columbus area. Giles runs a Facebook railfan group called The Ohio Railroader. If you like this article, be sure to check out his page and become a fan. Finally, if you would like to guest post on Ohio Valley Railroads give me a shout. We accept articles from all over the state (and sometimes even out of it).

Railfanning this section of NS’s busy Sandusky Line can be a feast or famine without a scanner. Trains can bottleneck easily, leading to long dry spells and brief periods of excitement. But, when the trains do fly by, you get a piece of America’s class 1 railroading. In this post I’m going to go over the southern part of the route and point out some great places to park and railfan.We’ll start with the portion of the line between Lewis Center and Worthington.

First, a few ground rules:

• A lot of hard working folks and railfans live along this stretch. My Aunt Jean, a novice train fan; actually had a condo along the section north of Flint because of the trains roaring by. If you have been at this for longer than 5 years, be an ambassador. Introduce yourself if you encounter these folks. If they ask questions about the railroad, feel free to educate and interact.
• Secondly, scanner or not, be patient. There is always a mix of consists. Never a dull train, but there may be dull moments until the train rolls by. Grab some of your favorite books, train magazines, and relax.
• Third and finally, respect railroad property. Norfolk Southern employees are more gracious than most class 1 railroads. But, don’t test their patience or railroad boundaries. I have talked to many of the NS maintenance workers at the Lewis Center office. They recommend you watch from a distance, outside of railroad property lines. Respect them and nine chances out of ten, they will respect you.

Okay, enough of the preaching. Let’s get to it.

Lewis Center

Old Lewis Center

Prime parking spot: Vacant lot next to Delaware County EMS and near Lewis Center Barber Shop/offices. This is located right off Lewis Center Road between Old State Road (Delaware County) and US Route 23.

That being said, the newly built Olentangy Crossing Shopping Center features a Kroger Marketplace and a Kroger fuel station. It is west of Olentangy Senior High School and the NS mainline. Close to amenities, this leaves you with a place to stock up for snacks, etc.

Green Meadows Business Center

Prime parking spot: Heading south on Old State Road from Lewis Center Road; take that to Powell Road. Turning right, follow Powell Road past the Boyd’s Goodyear to the four lane section of Powell Road. Turn right from where East Powell dead ends into the four lane section of Powell Road. Follow over the railroad overpass and turn right on Cotter. Follow the drive around the warehouses.

This is a privately owned business center. However, parents with kids and railfans alike visit this spot to catch some train action. You will see the Powell Road signal towers next to the mainline, and Norfolk Southern stop here to change crews.

Several restaurants are nearby. My favorite is Taranto’s Pizzeria in the Oak Creek Center. Great food and free Wi-fi makes this a haven to hang out at.

Flint

Prime parking spot: There being only one place to park; it’s right next to the mainline. Follow Powell Road east (from Green Meadows/Cotter) back to Sancus Blvd. Turn right and take to Park Road. Turn right and follow to the railroad tracks.

Flint used to be a station stop back during the old PRR/N&W days. The remnants of that are the Flint Carryout and the Flint Pub upstairs. Clerks and barkeeps alike know railfans show up. When trains are not rolling by they can share great stories. The Carry Out has good coffee and an ample snack section.

Worthington

While there are several good places for railfans in Worthington, two of which I have found are prime photo locations.

Crosswoods Park and Ride

Prime Parking Spot: Take Park Road back to Sancus; follow that south to Worthington Woods Blvd. Turn right on Worthington Woods and cross over the overpass. You will see the park and ride on the left. COTA and DATA buses run here on a regular basis. Towards the back of the park and ride lot is prime photo opportunities. You are also near a lot of gas stations, restaurants, and coffee spots.

Worthington Community Center Park

Prime Parking Spot: South of the Crosswoods Park and Ride is the Worthington Community Center Park. Many ways to get there, easiest is taking Worthington Woods back to Sancus. Sancus will merge with Worthington-Galena Road. Follow to Wilson Bridge Road. Turn right and look to the left after passing the railroad tracks.

Again, you are close to the mainline and close to many places to eat and fuel up your ride.

Some of you folks already know these places. Others, this maybe an eye-opener to spots to watch trains. Either way, it was a joy to scout them out. Let me know in the comments if you have other great Columbus railfan spots you would like me to scout out in the future.

Related posts:

1. Cbus #3: Sandusky District
2. Busy Day on the NS Sandusky-Columbus Line

Quick, what was the first transcontinental railroad? If you guessed the Union and Central Pacific’s combined route across the United States then I’m sorry, but technically you’re not correct. The original Panama Railway completed the first route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in 1855. I recently had an opportunity to ride the Panama Railway’s modern successor, the Panama Canal Railroad Company.

Though not exactly an Ohio railroad (a opportunity it misses by about 2,000 miles) I wanted to take some time to talk about this fascinating railroad, its history, and its present-day operations.

History

Construction and Early Years

The land of Panama had long been recognized as having a strategic geographic position. The Spanish had used a rough trail over the continental divide, hauling the riches of South America on the backs of mules. Yet it wasn’t until the invention of the steam locomotive that this position could really be exploited on an industrial scale.

When the United States began to settle California and the west coast, businessmen in the East look for ways to improve the long trip by sea around Cape Horn. Soon their attention turned to Panama (then part of New Granada). The project to build a railroad was headed up by William H. Aspinwall, along with Henry Chauncey and John L. Stephens. The California gold rush, which began in 1848, quickly hastened the need to build a quick connection to the West Coast.

Construction began in May 1850, but progress was slow and difficult. The oppressive jungle climate combined with disease-ridden mosquitoes to create a deadly environment for works. Over time, as swamps were drained and some jungle cleared these conditions would improve, but a popular saying claimed that “a body lies beneath each tie.” For a time the Panama Railway funded its company hospital solely by selling of cadavers to medical schools. More than 12,000 workers died in the construction effort.

After almost going bankrupt a number of times, the completed railroad line finally opened in 1855. With a construction cost of $8 million, it was the most expensive railroad per-mile ever constructed. That being said, at one point the Panama Railway’s stock was the highest price stock ever traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The Coming of the Canal

The railroad was successful from the start, and proved to be invaluable in the construction of the Panama Canal. The original American investors sold the company to the French as part of their ill-fated attempts to construct a sea-level canal in the 1880s. The US Government acquired the line as part of the concession they purchased from the new government of Panama in 1903.

As part of the plan for the canal the railroad line had to be relocated out of the Charges river valley. Canal excavations provided the fill for the massive earthworks the were required. The old mainline was used for construction and then abandoned. The railroad moved all the steam shovels needed for construction as well as the dirt the digging produced. The new mainline was completed two years before the canal in 1912.

William Bierd, in a particularly fascinating piece of innovation, devised pre-made tracks that could be moved around the excavation sites. Cranes positioned these pieces of real-life flex track exactly where they were needed.

Disrepair and Neglect

The opening of the Panama Canal, combined with the increase of US transcontinental lines, began to take its toll on traffic passing over the Panama Railway. The last improvements were made in the 1950s when executives from the PRR introducted mechanical track maintenance. In1979, he US Government handed the railroad over to the government of Panama as part of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. It quickly became a mecca of patronage and favors.

By the 1990s slow orders were everywhere, and some parts of the line were completely inoperable.Passenger service was given up as unsafe. Even the signaling system broke down from disrepair.

Rebirth and Modernization

In the early 1990s the Panamaniam Government looked toward private industry to help modernize its infrastructure. In 1995 Kansas City Southern and Mi-Jack Products (a company which sells the lift equipment used for intermodal containers) each purchased 50% of a 25-year concession and a 25 year option to reconstruct and operate the railroad.

Reconstruction began in early 2000. The entire line was rebuilt from the subgrade up, as well as converted to standard gauge (originally the railroad had been built to five foot gauge due to pre-Civil War southern railroad interests). Continuous welded rail replaced joined rail, curves were super-elevated, and limestone ballast was brought in from Nova Scotia, Canada. Contractors also lowered the floor of the only tunnel on the line, in order to provide clearance for double-stacks.

Initially the shipping giant Maersk was the railroad’s only customer, and the railroad has struggled to expand its capacity while remaining in the black.

Operations

A number of factors make the PCRC unique in the world of railroad’s. For starters, there are no junctions or rail connections to the outside world. All equipment is captive, and this allowed everything to be wired for multiple unit operation. Thus, the railroad operates in a push-pull configuration without turning locomotives at either end.

The 40-foot well-cars, acquired from the US when the domestic containers moved toward 53-foot lengths, are hooked with power inputs that allow refrigerated “reefer” containers to be transported without supplemental power. These are operated via the head-end power unit on the ex-Amtrak F40PH locomotives are part of each consist.

Passenger services was added in response to demand by tourist companies and commuters. Refurbished Amtrak coaches and an ex-Southern Pacific dome car make up the consist. A number of business people take the commuter train daily to their jobs in the Colon Free Trade Zone, though passenger traffic has dropped since the construction of a new cross-isthmus highway.

Route

The modern day route of the Panama Canal Railway begins at milepost zero in Colon. Originally named Aspinwall, the city was built by the railroad. Today the ports of Cristobal and Manzillo International are both served with intermodal trains. The passenger station is located in Colon in the remains of an old yard.

From there the line travels south across swampland. Tall grasses lie on each side of the tracks until it makes a sharp turn eastward and then southeasterly onto the Montelino causeway. Here the railroad lies on an earthen embankment, with Gatun Lake and the canal on one side and another large lake on the other.

Eventually the railroad emerges from the heavy jungle and begins to parallel the Panama Canal. It passes through the town of Gamboa and across the curving bridge over the Charges River.

From Gamboa the railroad crosses the continental divide at Summit, passing through a short tunnel and quickly beginning the decent toward the Pacific. On the way the railroad passes the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks.

Finally the railroad ends at the port of Balboa, 47 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The passenger station is located just north of the Pacific Intermodal Terminal. Extensions across the causeway and into Panama City proper have been abandoned, and the Panama City roundhouse has been recently torn down.

Roster

Locomotives

*#1855 is expected to be gutted and the locomotive body donated to the City of Colon for display. Roster current as of 2011.

Passenger Coaches

Photos

References

1. Johnson, Bob. “Our Railroad in Panama.” Trains. September 2002: 43-50.
2. Otis, F. N. “Illustrated History of the Panama Railroad.” New York: Harper & Brothers, 1862. Print.
3. “Panama Canal Railway Company.” Accessed 9 Feb 2011. Web.

Related posts:

1. Where in the World?
2. Pacific-Intermodal-Terminal (PIT)
3. Scenes Along the DL&C: The Orgonia Bridge Company

I always find railroad photos to be just that much better if something interesting can be worked into the background. This photo takes that concept to the extreme with the entire Cincinnati skyline behind CIND #4070.

Flickr user mikebiehn contributed this shot to our Flickr pool. Originally it was taken in June of last year near the old River Road Amtrak station.

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Week: NS 5349
2. Photo of the Week: Oakley Station
3. Photo of the Week: Steam in Indian Summer

We’re continuing our Hocking Valley theme this week with a look back at Summit station around 1983-1984 The above photo was posted by Hank Randal on Flickr. He has a number of interesting Hocking Valley photos posted, including the remains of Eagle Tunnel and some shots of the present-day Hocking Valley Scenic Railway.

View River Division in a larger map

Summit was exactly that, the high point on the Hocking Valley Railway’s River Division. At a distance of 59 miles from Columbus, it stood at an elevation of 897 feet. The only facility there was a short 19 carlength siding. The photo above, taken about 2 miles south of Union Furnace, was made about 2 years after the subdivision had been abandoned. The rails were gone by nature had yet to reclaim the right-of-way. In the distance you can see the old Route 328 bridge, a small wooden structure. According to Hank, the Summit sign located to the left is still there to the present day.

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1. Photo of the Week: Ballast Train
2. Photo of the Week: CIND Stoors
3. Photo of the Week: Der Zug

Eagle-eyed reader will notice that earlier today I put up a page on the history of the Hocking Valley Railway. This is the first real railroad history on the site that I would consider anywhere close to complete. It showcases the direction I would like to go in the future on Ohio Valley Railroads, with pages of similar length and breadth for other lines across the state.

Beyond the brief history, I’ve put together an interactive map of the Hocking Valley (seen above). Clicking on this map will take you to Google Maps, where you can then study it in more detail. From there you can also load the file in Google Earth. Google Earth is my preferred way to view these maps (it’s how I create them), because the maps web page doesn’t handle all the landmarks very well. Some of the more obscure stations get pushed down on the priority list, and are best viewed in the client. That being said, the web page works fine for casual exploration of the route.

Above I called the Hocking Valley page complete, but I use that term loosely. There is so much information out there about this road. If you notice and errors or major omissions, do not hesitate to contact me. The page is also a little light on photos. If anyone has photos they would like to share please let me know. I prefer photos to be licensed with some form of Creative Commons license, like the rest of the site, but it’s not a requirement.

Additionally, this is the 200th post since I’ve started this site. Not only that, but Ohio Valley Railroads will be three years old next week. I’ll try to write something special to have up by then, but no promises.

Related posts:

1. Book Review: The Hocking Valley Railway
2. Hocking Valley Railway
3. Photo of the Week: HV at Summit

There is no more of an Ohio railroad than the Hocking Valley. As both the largest intrastate rail line and one of the larger independent roads, the story of the Hocking Valley’s journey from minor railroad to C&O mainline is really a microcosm of the entire railroad industry in the state.

The Hocking Valley was a coal hauling railroad through and through. Extending from the mines in southeastern Ohio to the Toledo Docks, the Hocking Valley provided an outlet not only for its own coal but that of other intersecting rail lines. Eventually becoming part of CSX, the Hocking Valley’s Toledo line still serves as an important part of the CSX system.

History

The Hocking Valley Railway began life on February 24, 1899 at the foreclosure auction is its predecessor, the Columbus, Hocking Valley, and Toledo. It was formally charted on March 1st with Nicholas Monsarrat as president.

Shortly after reorganization, the Hocking Valley acquired ownership in the Toledo & Ohio Central as well as the Kanawha and Michigan Railway. In 1902, the Zanesville and Western was added to the burgeoning system. For a while operations were integrated between the three roads, but in 1909 the Hocking Valley’s control of the T&OC and the Z&W was ruled illegal by Ohio courts. They were soon separated from the Hocking Valley and acquired by the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. The Kanawha and Michigan remained jointly owned by the LS&MS and C&O until another court ruling in 1914 forced the C&O to sell their share as well.

The Hocking Valley spent most of its history under the control of outside railroads. In 1903, a syndicate composed of the PRR, B&O, C&O, Erie, and Lake shore and Michigan Southern acquired majority ownership. By 1906 the C&O slowly began to increase its ownership stake, and on March 10, 1910 the C&O acquired majority ownership.

Under C&O ownership significant improvements were made to the Hocking Valley’s lines. Parsons Yard, located in South Columbus, was built in 1913. Still used by CSX today, the complex initially featured a pair of yards each with ten tracks. Other improvements included steel bridges to replace a number of older structures, and a new dock built solely for the Hocking at East Toledo.

One of the biggest change to the Hocking Valley came with the incorporation of the C&O Northern on May 22, 1914. Engineered to the highest C&O standards of the time, the new railroad ran from Kentucky to an interchange with the N&W in Waverly, OH. A 63 mile extension of the line directly to Columbus was built as the Chesapeake and Hocking Railway in 1927. Together, these railroads provided a connection between the C&O and its Hocking Valley holdings, bypassed low profit interchange with other railroads in Cincinnati, and created a direct outlet for C&O coal on Lake Erie.

Traffic on the Hocking Valley centered completely around coal. In 1922 coal accounted for 77% of total freight tonnage. 73% of this came from other railways (including the C&O’s other lines).¹ Passenger revenue reached its highest point in 1910, and then began a long slow decline.

In Autumn 1929, shareholders from both the C&O and the Hocking Valley approved a formal merger, and the Hocking Valley was officially merged out of existence in August. In 1932 the C&O closed the Logan and Mound Street Shops, relocating facilities to Parsons Yard and Russell, Kentucky.

Over time coal traffic on the Hocking Valley decreased as the mines ran out, and most of the southeastern branches were abandoned or sold by the 1980′s. W. J. Harahan, president of the C&O, once quipped that he would sell the Hocking Valley south of Columbus for a dollar to anyone who would assume its debt. The last passenger trains ran to Athens and Pomeroy on December 31, 1949. On September 1, 1987 the remainder of the Athens Subdivision was sold to the Indiana and Ohio (I&O Logan Sub).

The Toledo side of the Hocking Valley fared much better, becoming part of the C&O and now CSX’s Columbus Subdivision. It is currently a heavily used mainline route.

Route

Hocking Division

The original purpose of the Mineral Railroad Company, was to provide a coal hauling route more reliable than the Hocking Canal. After a name change to the Columbus and Hocking Valley Railroad, construction began in 1867. The end result was the River Division of the Hocking Valley, a line running from Columbus to Athens via Lancaster, Logan, and Nelsonville. Major yards and shops were at Mound Street (Columbus), Parsons (South Columbus), Lancaster, Logan, and Nelsonville. The line lied in a river valley, and as such features numerous curves, the largest of which was six degrees. Grades were mild with a maximum grade of 0.8%.

For many years the river division was the heart and soul of the Hocking Valley. However, as the mines ran out and its importance to the C&O declined, parts of it were abandoned. Today the I&O operates the line between Valley (diamond with the N&W near Parsons Yard) and Logan. The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway operates the segment between Logan and Nelsonville, and the remainder to Athens was abandoned in segments between 1972 and 1978 (and is now being developed into a bike trail).

Toledo Division

CSX train heading south on the ex-Hocking Valley Columbus Subdivision, 2010.

The Toledo Division was built as the Columbus and Toledo Railroad in 1872, a line created for the sole purpose of transporting Hocking Valley coal to the docks on Lake Erie. Columbus, Deleware, Marion, Upper Sandusky, Fostoria, and Toledo make up the principle cities on the route. It was an exceptionally well engineered railroad, with no grade over 0.5% and no curve over four and a half degrees. Today CSX operates most of the Toledo Division as part of their Columbus Subdivision.

River Division (Pomeroy Subdivision)

The River Division of the Hocking Valley owed its construction to three principle roads. Both the Gallipolis, McArthur and Columbus Railroad and the Columbus and Gallipolis Railway tired to built a line between the Ohio River and the Hocking Valley, but it was the Ohio and West Virginia Railway which achieved this goal in 1880. Leaving the Hocking Division at Logan, the River Division ran south to Jackson, Gallipolis, and Pomeroy on the Ohio River. This portion of the Hocking Valley featured the only two tunnels on the system, the Eagle and Campbells tunnels. The curving, almost mountain-like roadbed also contained the sharpest curve on the system, a 17-degree bend located a milepost 134.4. The grade at the highest part of the route was 1.4%. With statistics like this, it’s easy to see while the majority of the Subdivision was abandoned in 1982.

Wellston & Jackson Belt

This line was originally conceived and founded as an independent road in 1895. However, shortly afterward Hocking Valley predecessor Columbus, Hocking Valley, and Toledo began to finance most of the construction and assumed control. The W&JB was unique compared to most rail lines of the period. It functioned as a passenger interurban with steam trains providing freight service. Because of this design, the power lines were located to the left of the trolley car instead of the traditional location overhead.

Interurban service ended late 1914 and freight continued until 1931. Today a small portion is operated by the Great Miami & Scioto Railway around Jackson. Some of the B&O that parallel the line is still in use, but the rest is either rail trail or abandoned.

Branchlines

• Straitsville Branch 1871-1933
• Monday Creek Branch 1880-1971
• Snow Fork Branch 1882-1950
• Coalgate Branch -1937
• Brush Fork Branch 1878-1940
• Sand Run Branch 1880-1937
• Lost Run Branch 1880-1971
• Sugar Creek Branch (Athens, Amesville, and Chauncey Railway) 1909-1939

Presidents

• Nicholas Monsarrat (1899-1910)
• George Stevens (1910-1918)
• Frank Trumbell (1918-1920)
• George Stevents (1920)
• William J. Harahan (1920-1929)
• John J. Bernet (1930)

Map

View Hocking Valley Railway in a larger map

Photos

References

1. Miller, Edward H. “The Hocking Valley Railway Athens, OH: Ohio UP, 2007. Print.
2. Miller, Edward H. ““The Hocking Valley Railway”. Columbus Railroads. Accessed 20 Jan 2011. Web.

Related posts:

1. Book Review: The Hocking Valley Railway

Our first photo of the week for 2011 comes on a little bit of a sad note. The above is a shot of the Oakley depot, on the old B&O in Cincinnati. The station was originally built in 1903 as part of the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad. It was an important stop for workers commuting to industries in Oakley, like Cincinnati Milacron.

While not a technically impressive photo, I wanted to bring attention to the fact that this historic depot is currently scheduled to be demolished. The owner, Doug Master, purchased the station in 1991 but can no longer afford the lease payments for the land it sits on. The payments to CSX are now $1,300 per quarter.

Currently there are no solid plans to save the station, although there has been some discussion about moving the station to land with more favorable arrangements. If anything solid develops we will post about it here.

If you have a photo of your own to show off, put it up on your Flickr account and add it to the Ohio Valley Railroads Flickr Pool. Include some details like the date, location, and subject matter. You might see it featured on the main site.

Related posts:

1. Photo of the Week: Der Zug
2. Photo of the Week: CNRY Fireworks Train
3. Photo of the Week: NS 5349