Railfanning Amtrak & CSX In Conneaut & Ashtabula, OH

I left home at 3:55am in an attempt to make it to Conneaut, OH in time to photograph Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited passing by the Conneaut Railroad Museum which is built inside a former New York Central (Lake Shore & Michigan Southern) passenger depot. The sun finally rose just before 7:00am when I crossed into Ohio on I-90. As luck would have it, the train lost some time at Cleveland so I knew the only thing that could possibly keep me from getting a decent picture of the train, and render the value of driving 140+ miles significantly reduced, would be if a freight train blocked my view of the train on another track! Being that there was another mainline in the area (Norfolk Southern's Ex-Nickel Plate Buffalo-Chicago main), there were other train horns in the area which got me a little bit concerned but in the end, I got the pic and you'll see it here. I also would make a quick drive out to Ashtabula, OH to see another former New York Central (Lake Shore & Michigan Southern) Passenger Depot there as well. I also would tour the museum in Conneaut once it opened later that day before making the drive back home. Included here is a collection of photos taken on this excellent day-long railfanning road trip! Enjoy...

Shortly after arriving in Conneaut, the first train I would see would be CSX train K-961 with C40-8W #7352 on the head end.

This was the photo I drove 140+ miles to get! Amtrak Train #48 - The Lake Shore Limited with P42DC #156 painted up in Phase I
for Amtrak's 40th Anniversary, heads east past the Conneaut Railroad Museum.

After breakfast at McDonald's in Conneaut, I took a drive out to Ashtabula, OH to see the old Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
passenger depot. This station is today used as a signal house for CSX and unfortunately is in rather sorry shape.

Another view of the main station building in Ashtabula.

A second smaller building on the station grounds in Ashtabula, used by CSX.

The first train I saw here was eastbound van train Q-020 with CW44AH #5120 on the head end.

Union Pacific power leads train B-740 with AC4400CW #6769 leading this eastbound.

The final train I would see in Ashtabula would be Q-167 with AC4400CW #61 leading this westbound.

On the drive back to Conneaut, I saw Norfolk Southern yard extra train L99 with SD40-2 #3446 leading. This is a former Conrail unit.

The second unit in this train was an Operation Lifesaver painted GP38-2 #5668 which was rebuilt from a GP38.

A wide-angle view of Norfolk Southern's Conneaut Yard.

The Conneaut Area Historical Society's museum is built inside the former New York Central freight depot in Conneaut
and is located across the tracks from the passenger depot.

Looking east from Mill Street in Conneaut, we see the passenger depot and its original platform which is fenced off from the mainline.

A view of the Conneaut Area Historical Society museum from across the track.

Next up was this CSX eastbound with AC6000CW #671 on the lead.

Here we see an autorack train with C40-8 #7616 heading east.

The museum has an excellent HO scale model train layout inside.

Seeing layouts like this make me want to get back into model trains again!

While I was busy admiring that layout, CSX train K-248 came through Conneaut with windmill blades in tow!

C40-8W #7717 leads a westbound autorack train past the K-248.

Next up is this eastbound with AC4400CW #157 leading a string of covered hoppers.

ES44DC #5500, also lettered as the "Spirit of Cincinnati" leads a string of tank cars eastbound.

Next up, an eastbound van train lead by CSX C40-8W #7699.

Now standing next to the cab of the Nickel Plate #755 steamer on display at the museum, we see a westbound
van train with ES44AH #951 sporting CSX's new "boxcar" logo on its power.

An "approximate" view of the fireman's side of the Nickel Plate #755.

A cab view of this incredible steamer!

Here is a view of the centerpiece of this museum, former Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 Berkshire #755.

A former Bessemer & Lake Erie 3-bay hopper car is coupled up to the #755.

Former Bessemer & Lake Erie wooden caboose brings up the markers on the train featuring the 755!

A former New York Central speeder car on display with a couple flat cars in tow.

A small steam train on display behind the "real" train!

Some baggage carts on display behind the station on the platform.

This museum has lots of great historical artifacts about railroading in general.

You could spend all day here checking out all the great stuff in this museum!

This New York Central schedule board shows when the last train stopped here, which was October 25th, 1962.

Now think about this, the depot and the brown brick building across the street have obviously been here for many years, don't
these "futuristic" automobiles look a little "outta place" next to these buildings?? I don't know, these are just the things I think
of when I take a picture like this!!!

Another westbound CSX freight passes by the depot!

Finally, C40-8W #7823 leads this eastbound manifest. That's all folks! Until next time, Happy Railfanning!!!