This sign let me know I was at the correct location. I parked the car and waited for Mike Schroeder to arrive.
National Lime & Stone HL2 18 ton switcher 999 built by Plymouth in 1925. Mike soon arrived and we went inside the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation building.
The train runs above the main room here.
This train can be put together by groups as a bonding exercise.
Here is a small model of a steam engine.
A motor car with a trailer full of railroad tools.
This diesel can pull their passenger cars when they run their quarter-scale excursions.
Steam engine 901, the main engine used for their excursions, built by the Israelite House of David in Benton Harbor, Michigan prior to World War II and was used to provide train rides at their colony park until the park closed in 1971. It is one of the last railroad engines built and operated at House of David. The train was purchased and moved to Findlay in 2000, and was fully restored and placed into service at the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Museum, debuting in 2001.
Two views of the passenger cars they use for their trips. From here we went outside.
The water tower and shanty building.
The Lake Erie & Western Findlay station was built in 1885 and moved here.
Looking back towards the main building.
Norfolk and Western caboose 518676 built by International Car in 1970.
Baltimore and Ohio caboose C2157 built by the railroad in 1927.
Unknown wooden box car.
A shed of lumber.
View of the display train.
The Spring Lake interurban station was dismantled for moving and will be rebuilt. From here Mike took me inside to see their model railroad.
Views of the model railroad featuring Lionel, HO and N scale.
One of the engines in this picture came here from the House of David from Benton Harbor, Michigan. I thanked Mike for a great visit then left the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation.
The Drive to DefianceI drove back to Interstate 75 and went south two exits back to Ohio Highway 15, which I took west to almost Ottawa, but was stopped by a major accident that shut down the highway. I turned around and followed a school bus which led me into Ottawa where I found the next station.
The brick Cincinnati, Hamilton & Detroit station in Ottawa was built in 1900 and replaced a wooden structure. At the time two railroads crossed where the square tower is at the northeast corner. The Cincinnati Hamilton and Dayton line ran north-south while the Findlay, Fort Wayne and Western line ran east-west. The FFW&W line has been removed. The CH&D later became B&O, which ended passenger service here in 1971. It is now owned by CSX which uses the depot for storage.
The Cincinnati, Hamilton & Detroit freight house built in 1900. I headed north to Defiance.
On the way there I passed by this barn and upon entering Defiance, soon found what I was looking for.
Maumee and Western Railroad GP16 1603, ex. Pioneer Rail Equipment 1603, exx. CSX 1742, exxx. Seaboard System 4642, nee Seaboard Air Line 1915 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955. The Michigan Southern Railroad (doing business as Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railroad, formerly Maumee & Western) operates between Woodburn, Indiana and Napoleon, Ohio and comprises 58 miles of track. The railroad originally extended to Toledo; portions have been converted to a rail trail. Pioneer Rail Equipment bought Maumee and Western in 2012.
Maumee and Western Railroad NW2 107, ex. Pioneer Rail Equipment 109, exx. Burlington Northern 454, exxx. Burlington Northern 5, exxxx. Great Northern 106, nee Great Northern 5306 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1939.
Two views of the Maumee and Western Railroad motive power here.
The Wabash station in Defiance built before 1888. From here I drove out to AuGlaize Village.
