I left the Travelodge at 6:45 AM after stopping for petrol and doughnuts and drove south on Interstate 71 to Exit 117, then took Grantville Road under three railroad underpasses to Worthington.
The last bridge had an "Ohio Railway Museum" sign on it. I turned right on Proprietors Road and arrived at my first destination of the day then waited in front and started hearing a trolley whistle coming my way, then the Ohio Railway Museum opened the front door for a special visit to their unique museum. Here I met my hosts for this morning's visit, Vickie Broskie, Jake Crayton and Ethan. After cards were exchanged, they took me out for a personal tour of the museum, which started in 1948 as the Central Ohio Railfan Association and years later, took the current name. We went outside to see their collection.
Norfolk and Western 4-6-2 578 built by Alco-Richmond in 1910 and donated to the Central Ohio Railfan Association in 1959. It sits in front of the replica depot built in 1968. They also own another steam engine, Marble Quarry 0-4-0 1 built by Vulcan, but it is off the museum site at the moment.
Pittsburgh PCC car 1772 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1949. It left the museum in 2015 and was acquired by the Downtown Trinidad Development Group in Trinidad, Colorado that year.
Cleveland RTA Airport Line 163 built by Pullman Standard in 1967, one of three of these cars preserved.
Columbus Railway Power & Light Company streetcar 703 built by Kuhlman Car Company in 1925.
Chicago RTA rapid transit car 4449 built by Cincinnati Car Company in 1924.
Canadian National 5060 built by Canadian Car and Foundry in 1937 as Canadian National 5198. This is the coach they use on their excursions.
Kansas City Public Service Company streetcar 472 built by Brownell in 1900 and acquired in 1956.
Cincinnati and Lake Erie Rail interurban "Red Devil High Speed Car" 119 built by Cincinnati Car Company in 1930. It operated on that line from 1930 to 1938 then Cedar Rapids & Iowa City from 1938 to 1953 before being acquired by the museum that year.
Erie Doodlebug 5012 built by Bethlehem-Electro-Motive Corporation in 1931. It was leased to the New York, Susequehanna and Western by the Erie Railroad and was last used by Erie to pull commuter trains in the New York area. It was acquired by the museum in 1952.
Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee interurban 154 built by J.G. Brill in 1915.
Norfolk and Western combine 1511 built by Bethlehem in 1918.
Columbus & Southern Ohio Electric Company steeplecab 7 built by Kuhlman Car Company in 1925. This is the locomotive I be riding in during my visit today.
Illinois Terminal PCC Car 450 built by St. Louis Car Company in 1948.
Ohio Public Service interurban car 21 built by Niles Car & Manufacturing in 1904. It operated as Toledo Port Clinton & Lakeside 21 from 1904 to 1912 then Northwestern Ohio Railway & Power 21 from 1912 to 1924 and Ohio Public Service 21 from 1924 to 1939. In 1939, it was acquired by the Eastern Ohio Chapter, National Railway Historical Society until 1945 when it was acquired by the fledging Ohio Railway Museum.
Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Company flat car 1002 and later Marion Reserve Power Company. It was acquired by the museum in 1966.
Youngstown & Ohio River Railroad steeplecab electric 7 built by Baldwin-Westinghouse in 1922. It served the railroad from 1922 to 1933, then became Omaha Lincoln & Beatrice 2 from 1933 to 1950. It then went to the Cornwall Street Railway Light & Power in Cornwall, Ontario as their 11 from 1950 to 1971 before being acquired by the Ohio Railway Museum that year.
Columbus Delaware & Marion parlour car 501 built by American Car and Foundry in 1926. It served the railroad from 1926 to 1933, then in 1963, was acquired by the Ohio Railway Museum.
Museum scene.
Pennsylvania Railroad Railway Post Office Car 6510 built by the railroad in 1920.
United States Army 65 ton switcher 7178 built by General Electric in 1943.
The builder's plate of 7178.
Museum scene.
Ohio Public Service Car 64 built by the Kuhlman Car Company of Cleveland in 1924.
Swift refrigerator car 25021 built by General American in 1954.
My new friends Vickie Brokie, Jake Crayton and Ethan List in front of Columbus & Southern Ohio Electric Company 2. It was now time for a unique train ride.
Jake would be operating the locomotive for my ride this morning.
We left the museum behind.
We headed for the gate out of the property.
There is a locomotive repair shop next door to the museum.
We crossed the bridge over Grantville Road.
Passing a few stored cars.
You feel like you going back in time as you run through the trees.
The tracks were right next to the CSX and Norfolk Southern mainlines that cross each other at this location in Worthington.
I was really enjoying my ride aboard Columbus & Southern Ohio Electric Company 2. Soon we reached our turn-back location.
Jake had to change the trolley poles for the return trip.
Two views of the locomotive at the southern point on this unique railroad.
Views on the trip back to the museum grounds. Now the engines at the locomotive repair facility.
Michigan Air Line Railway Company FP7A 1306 2011, ex. COE Rail Excursion Train 1306 2011, exx. AMT (Agence Metropolitaine de Transport) 1306 2002, exxx. STCUM (Société de transport de la communauté urbaine de Montreal) 1306 1997, exxxx. Société de transport de la communauté urbaine de Montreal 1306 1985, exxxxx. Canadian Pacific 4070 1982, exxxxxx. Canadian Pacific 1433 1960, nee Canadian Pacific 4040 1955, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1951.
Michigan Air Line Railway Company FP7A 1304 2011, ex. COE Rail Excursion Train 1304 2011, exx. AMT (Agence Metropolitaine de Transport) 1304 2002, exxx. STCUM (Société de transport de la communauté urbaine de Montreal) 1304 1997, exxxx. Société de transport de la communauté urbaine de Montreal 1304 1985, exxxxx. Canadian Pacific 4074 1982, exxxxxx. Canadian Pacific 1430 1960, nee Canadian Pacific 4074 1955, built by Electro-Motive Division in 1952.
Both of the above locomotives have moved on from here and are at the Stourbridge Railroad in Honesdale, Pennsylvania.
Coming back into the museum's grounds.
A look back at Silcott Railway Equipment.
GLSX S1 511 built by American Locomotive Company. History unknown.
We went back by the center cab.
Pulling back to a stop at the museum. I then walked through some of the museum's cars.
I rode in this car on the Rio Grande Scenic.
Interior of Norfolk and Western combine 1511.
Interior of Pennsylvania Railroad Railway Post Office Car 6510.
The post office car had a baggage area and I opened the casket to find this lady mannequin. Next we went into the streamlined coach from Cleveland and found a few more items.
Two more mannequins, Norman and Norman as a conductor.
A few more scary things.
The green gorilla?
Interior of the substation from the Columbus and Ohio Electric Company in 1958.
A Bamtan crane.
We returned to the replica depot and I was given a set of postcards and an Ohio Railway Museum hat. I thanked them for such a special visit before bidding them goodbye. I drove north on US 23, stopping at Walmart in Delaware, Ohio with Kim being a big help there before I drove to Marion, my next stop on this trip.
