Deshler vs. Fostoria vs. Berea

[bnsfben]

I have talked to a lot of people before. When asked what their favorite railfan place in Ohio is, almost all say Deshler, Fostoria or Berea. So I wanted to create a poll and actually see what your favorite place is. This is not a poll just for amount of trains, or "atmosphere" comfort, or best picture opps. It is for your favorite place overall.

[Y@]

My favorite "locations" aren't usually in towns. Rural life shows a lot of the character for photography, which is the main thing for me. If I had to chose, I would say Deshler because it's a good place to base from. Wifi, built in scanner, and many good people around.

[ConrailForever]

I don't really like any of them. They're all overrated hot spots. If I had to choose one, I'd pick Deshler, though. That's mainly because I like the photographic opportunities for the Toledo Sub. It's also a cool chase from Deshler to Leipsic.

Each place has its pros and cons, and I've more or less overdone each of them. They all have their good photographic venues, but you can only do the same thing so much before you get tired of it.

[Y@]

That's mainly because I like the photographic opportunities for the Toledo Sub. It's also a cool chase from Deshler to Leipsic.

If you think Deshler to Leipsic is cool, try chasing one down to Lima! Or at least setting up for one down there. Lima has some neat photo ops along with Ottawa and Columbus Grove on the way down.

[cbehr91]

Yes! So far I'm the only one who voted Berea.

[MagnumForce]

Marion

[GLC 392]

Like Y@ said i like rural areas for photo locations especially corn fields, but if i had to vote for a city i would say toledo, Deshler is nice for sitting in one spot and relaxing F-town is nice to see alot of trains.

[bdconrail29]

Out of the 3 choices, I went Berea. However, none of the 3 are my favorite. My favorite 2 are Vermilion and Oak Harbor. Then I'd go Greenwich, Attica, and finally Berea.

[Y@]

Marion

I was thinking the same thing.

[redside20]

Bellevue, Leipsic, and the Akron area

[PAT.C]

DON'T ANY OF YOU TRAVEL SOUTH ???

THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES IN THE PORTSMOUTH /IRONTON AREA THAT ARE GREAT LOCATIONS FOR RAILFANNING.

AS FOR THE CITIES MENTIONED---DESHLER WHEN Y@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ISN'T THERE .

[MagnumForce]

Hamilton has to be on the list as well.

[AARR]

I haven't been to any of them so I went "Enie Menie Minie Moe..." and picked one.

[bdconrail29]

Traffic volume is fairly important to me. I'm not going to go sit somewhere because it's a cool place and see 6 trains in 8 hours. That's my personal perference. I like a good location where you can really learn some big time mainline operations. I do enjoy it greatly when I visit any of the 3 places mentioned.

Like Cody said, the hotspot for some is not the best. For instance, you can't beat a classic all-nighter out at Graytown, OH

Great discussion guys. I guess it will always remain a personal issue. My heart is dear to Crestline because that's where I spent a good portion of my youth (1985-1999). However, I can't stand the lack of traffic anymore and have had to just give up railfanning there all day like in the past.

[cbehr91]

Traffic volume is fairly important to me. I'm not going to go sit somewhere because it's a cool place and see 6 trains in 8 hours. That's my personal perference. I like a good location where you can really learn some big time mainline operations. I do enjoy it greatly when I visit any of the 3 places mentioned.

Like Cody said, the hotspot for some is not the best. For instance, you can't beat a classic all-nighter out at Graytown, OH

Great discussion guys. I guess it will always remain a personal issue. My heart is dear to Crestline because that's where I spent a good portion of my youth (1985-1999). However, I can't stand the lack of traffic anymore and have had to just give up railfanning there all day like in the past.

Graytown -- I like it. And you probably saw more trains there than at Deshler

And I agree, Crestline has really gone downhill. I've spent nearly two whole days there and it was really slow. Unfortunately the Indy Line past Greenwich is primarily nocturnal but that's not to say it can't get busy.

I won't be surprised if Deshler runs away with this survey because of the railfan "fluff" there. I, like Brett, go for volume over anything, and Berea can easily see 100 trains over a 24 hour period (it's actually busier now than it was during Conrail). And a railfan would not have to move a muscle to see every movement, unlike at Fostoria.

I've had good luck at Greenwich too. It seems like every time I show up the trains do as well.

If I had to pick, it would either be an all-nighter in the tower at Marion, or somewhere along the Chicago Line, like Olmstead Falls, or Vermilion, or Wauseon, or Bryan, or Stryker, or Oak Harbor. Too bad all those places are a 3+ hour drive for me!

[cbehr91]

That's mainly because I like the photographic opportunities for the Toledo Sub. It's also a cool chase from Deshler to Leipsic.

If you think Deshler to Leipsic is cool, try chasing one down to Lima! Or at least setting up for one down there. Lima has some neat photo ops along with Ottawa and Columbus Grove on the way down.

It's a pretty epic chase up (or down) the whole of the Toledo Sub. That piece of railroad is pretty sweet.

[redside20]

The Dayton District when there are trains running. The ohio central around Newark and Coshocton when They are running. The northern sub and columbus division right around Chilicothe. Washington Court House (Haynes) Midland City, Dover and New Philadelphia where the RJ Corman operates. Come to think of it the whole NS line south of Columbus come to think of it. Ansonia

[CG Tower]

These are nice photo locations, but the big issue is the lack of traffic. Ironton for one is just a small river town..Portsmouth does have the NS yard, but it's a shell of itself. Hoping over the river to Kentucky can help, but again the issue is the amount of traffic.

Personally, one of the best lines to railfan is the C&O south of Columbus, however, it's hit or miss with traffic.

CG Tower

DON'T ANY OF YOU TRAVEL SOUTH ???

THERE ARE LOTS OF PLACES IN THE PORTSMOUTH /IRONTON AREA THAT ARE GREAT LOCATIONS FOR RAILFANNING.

AS FOR THE CITIES MENTIONED---DESHLER WHEN Y@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ ISN'T THERE .

[strugglin]

Personally, one of the best lines to railfan is the C&O south of Columbus, however, it's hit or miss with traffic.

I couldn't agree more, and I'd like to nominate Duvall, just south of Columbus. Great photos with the Duvall Feed Elevator adjacent to the NS line, and you also get all the intermodals coming out of the NS Rickenbacker Yard. The C&O is single track through there and there are slight curves on both sides of the grade crossing, which make for some great head on pictures.

As far as high traffic, I like Marion because its closer to me in Columbus, but you can't go wrong with Fostoria if I had to vote out the 3 places listed.

[Y@]

Personally, one of the best lines to railfan is the C&O south of Columbus, however, it's hit or miss with traffic.

Pretty much the entire C&O is awesome.