After spending an incredible Thursday at Media Day at Cedar Point, I wanted to get out and do some railfanning. Unfortunately, the weather today would be a complete 180 compared to yesterday with gray skies and light to moderate rain with much cooler temperatures. I wasn't gonna let this stop me if at all possible so I made the near 80 mile drive from Sandusky to the small Northwest Ohio Town of Deshler. Located south of Toledo, this is the location where CSX's Ex-B&O Garrett Sub crosses another former B&O line, now CSX's Toledo Sub. At the location of this diamond sits Crossroads Park, a railfanning park allowing for good views of these two mainlines. The park features a covered pavillion with picnic tables and free wi-fi internet. There is also a radio broadcasting the local railroad radio along with a fire pit. I spent part of my afternoon here to see some trains while dodging the raindrops! Included here are photos taken during my visit here...
The covered picnic pavillion with free wi-fi internet at Crossroads Park.
A bulletin board with some historical photos on display along with a fire pit.
This is the diamond that is the main feature of Crossroads Park. From the forward left to the far right, that line is the CSX Garrett Sub
which is a former B&O Line that CSX double-tracked when they acquired their portion of Conrail which makes this a "new" Chicago Line
that picks up trains from Buffalo and points east on the former New York Central Water Level Route and takes them to Chicago. The
line in the far left to the closer right of the photo is the CSX Toledo Sub which is also a former B&O mainline.
The former B&O Passenger Station now boarded up and abandoned. I'd love for someone to invent a time machine so I could
go back here and board a train from this station!!!
The stone footers from the old water tower that used to occupy this piece of land next to the Toledo Sub.
The old switch tower located at the diamond.
OK, now for some trains! First we have northbound Q-401 on the Toledo Sub with GE AC4400CW #544 on the lead.
Next up is eastbound Q-110 with GE ES44DC #5316 on the head end.
Here we have westbound Q-163 with GE ES44AC #947 leading.
The last train I would photograph at Deshler was eastbound CSX Train K-424 with solid BNSF power!
Today's train was lead
by GE ES44DC #7557.
I wanted to stay longer at Deshler but due to poor weather and time constraints, these would be the only 4 trains I would see here before deciding to make a side trip to Lima, OH to visit the former Pennsylvania Railroad Passenger Station there. If you're ever in the Northwest Ohio area, you need to make a stop at Deshler. There are convenience stores in Deshler where you can pick up provisions for a good railfanning outing! Figuring that Lima was only another 40 miles from Deshler, I hopped in the Honda and made the drive, dodging more raindrops the whole way there. Check out the link below to see a few photos from the home of the Lima Locomotive Works!!!
