Fall Amtrak Vacation Trip 2005: |
Railfanning In Fostoria, OH |
Sunday, October 30th, 2005 |
After spending my 2 days at the park, now came time for my “off day” during this trip. I woke up and took a drive over to a nearby Laundromat to wash all my clothes (it’s easier to pack only so many clothes then do laundry during the trip rather than travel heavily!). After doing laundry, I decided to take a drive out to Fostoria, OH about 50 miles from Sandusky to visit a railfanning hot spot. (Why not? I got a rental car and I'm on vacation so what the heck!) And what a hot spot it was!!! I ended up railfanning with someone from Indianapolis as well as another railfan from Columbus, OH along someone from London, Ontario Canada. Over the 2 or so hours I was there, over a dozen trains went through the area with my photographing about 9 of them, there’s plenty of space to park at the old Amtrak Station there as Amtrak no longer serves Fostoria since the Three Rivers train was redone to operate New York to Pittsburgh Only. Below are some photos I took while railfanning there... |
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The original B&O passenger station in Fostoria, used by Amtrak's Three Rivers until the train was discontinued West of Pittsburgh, the station now sits vacant. |
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The sign above needs no explanation, it's really unfortunate that all that was left of the famous Pennsylvania Broadway Limited no longer runs west of Pittsburgh! |
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CSX Train Q-393 with an HLCX Lease unit (EX-BNSF SD40-2 #7171) on the lead is the first train of the day at 2:34pm. This train is on the CSX Ex-B&O mainline that is now the "New Chicago Line" that was double-tracked a few years ago to accommodate CSX's takeover of their share of Conrail. All freights that run the original Chicago Line that stay in CSX's territory will run on this line to Chicago. |
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Norfolk Southern Train #233 comes through with GE C40-9W #9485 on the lead. This line is the Ex-Nickel Plate line that runs from Chicago to Buffalo, through Fostoria, it is Double Track but most of this line is single track with passing sidings. |
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This Eastbound CSX Manifest was next up through Fostoria with C40-8W #7339 on the head end. |
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BNSF SD70MAC #9862 leads this CSX Train heading East. |
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NS Train 17K is next with C40-9W #9197 leading, heading West through Fostoria at 4:16pm. |
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NS Train #306 heads East with a former Conrail GP40-2 now NS #3003 on the lead at 4:30pm. |
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UP SD70M #4081on the lead of CSX Train Q-390 heading East at 4:35pm |
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CSX Garbage Train G-894 with SD40-2 #8147 on the lead passes through Fostoria at 4:44pm. |
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Finally, CSX Train Q-117 (Conrail Train TV-7) heads West through Fostoria at 4:43pm with CSX AC6000CW #5005 on the lead. |
After finishing up railfanning in Fostoria drove back to Sandusky just before sunset which was now earlier since today was the day we set our clocks back as daylight savings time was over. After getting back to the hotel, I picked up a pizza from Pizza Hut, ate it at the hotel then watched my Beloved Buffalo Bills lose to New England 21-17, as the game was a nationally televised game on ESPN, in years past I’ve missed Bills games since I’m not home so it was nice to be able to watch the game while on vacation. Around the end of the game, I drove the rental car back over to Enterprise and turned in the keys as I would no longer need it, I then tried to take a quick nap but that proved to be useless and so ends today. |
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