Everything/Anything CF&E thread...

[bdconrail29]

railohio it lasted into Conrail for awhile. I actually knew an engineer: he's since passed, that did the last run on this part of the line north and south of Van Wert. The last train he was on brought back 8 cars to Van Wert for interchange. He was one bummed railroader that Conrail was abandoning most of it. I don't remember when this was.
There was still traffic on the line but not in Conrail's plans. I don't know if it could've lasted til today, but there was enough traffic that a shortline nowadays could probably make it. Changing times at the times. Downsizing and all.

Mr Tops, I think we have pictures in our Van Wert County Historical Society that show cars with just CN reporting marks. We've just always called it the CN: Cincinnati Northern around here. I'm not doubting you but now I'll have to check some of the pictures out again. The Cincinnati Northern also had a division point here with roundhouse and shops and a yard. They even built freight cars here and I just saw a photo of one the cars there outside the shops. Wasn't a great photo but at least it still exists. The shop building just this last summer was destroyed by fire and is considered arson. The last building in Van Wert of the Cincinnati Northern. SAD!

PW

No, Brian is actually correct. The only portions that went into CR were to Ansonia from Cincy, the small sections in Van Wert and Bryan, and that's it. All else abandoned effective C-Day.

[bnsf8000]

Brett, I'll have to check on that. Jim was the railroader that told me about this and I was definitely under the impression he said it was under Conrail. But as I get older maybe I'm getting confused. He also worked for the Pennsy and Penn Central before that. I remember him telling me about the trips south through Ansonia and such. I also remember him telling me about the pull up the hill: maybe you guys can remember where this hill was on the south end. The last run could have been under PC but I wasn't thinking so. This reminds me of Conrail shutting down the EL. They still ran some locals on the line after C-day on the info I have. I'm thinking this is the same for the old Cincinnati Northern line. I agree they may have wanted to shut it down. I'll be talking to a guy today who'll have some info on this. Plus, another gentleman who was a long time employee of PRR/PC/CR I'd like to talk to about this when I see him. He has given our county historical society plenty of items and is very knowledgeable on the lines through Van Wert. You've got me wondering now.

PW

[bnsf8000]

11/11/11. Veterans Day. WB CFE train LIFW at 12:25PM through Van Wert. In the lead were CFE 3886/CORP 4024/IORY 4034 and 65 cars. 32 covered hoppers: BNGX, CSYX, AEX, FMLX, even a BNSF, an exAGP, 18 loaded gons, 8 box cars: most of them CN, 4 tank cars and 3 empty steel flats going back to SDI west of Ft. Wayne at the Columbia City plant. Rolling through at close track speed.

PW

[bnsf8000]

11/14/11. WB LIFW at 11:35AM. Leading were CFE 3886/3882/CORP 4024 and 30 cars. in the consist were 9 grain cars: AEX, DME and FMLX amomg others, 9 empty steel flats, 8 box cars: TTX, CN and others, 3 gons and 1 tank car. Cruising along through Van wert.

EB FWLI at 4:25PM through VW. In the lead were CFE 3880/3886/3882 and 67 cars. In the train were 43 grain cars: BNGX, AEX, CSYX, FMLX, BNSF and AGP, 11 loaded steel flats and bulkheads, 8 gons, 3 box cars and 2 tank cars. All units were running long hood forward and trying to outpace the oncoming thunderstorm. Seems we will be seeing different units on the local since the new shops are open in Fort Wayne.

Also, the locals did run after C-day on the old Cincinnati Northern. I can actually remember them now plus I got it on good authority also. Will have to try and find out when Conrail actually shut the old Cinn. Northern down completely.

PW

[bdconrail29]

11/14/11. WB LIFW at 11:35AM. Leading were CFE 3886/3882/CORP 4024 and 30 cars. in the consist were 9 grain cars: AEX, DME and FMLX amomg others, 9 empty steel flats, 8 box cars: TTX, CN and others, 3 gons and 1 tank car. Cruising along through Van wert.

EB FWLI at 4:25PM through VW. In the lead were CFE 3880/3886/3882 and 67 cars. In the train were 43 grain cars: BNGX, AEX, CSYX, FMLX, BNSF and AGP, 11 loaded steel flats and bulkheads, 8 gons, 3 box cars and 2 tank cars. All units were running long hood forward and trying to outpace the oncoming thunderstorm. Seems we will be seeing different units on the local since the new shops are open in Fort Wayne.

Also, the locals did run after C-day on the old Cincinnati Northern. I can actually remember them now plus I got it on good authority also. Will have to try and find out when Conrail actually shut the old Cinn. Northern down completely.

PW

You're right PW. I wasn't ignoring you, I dug out all my old timetables, and it looks like CR's last run might have been north out of Van Wert in early 1977. However, it looks like the diamonds at Ansonia were gone pretty early, but I can't tell if it was CR there or not.

[bnsf8000]

11/16/11. WB LIFW through Van Wert at 11:25AM Leading were CFE 3886/3880 and 48 cars. The train had 11 grain cars including DME, 7 empty steel flats, 1 gon and a 29 car empty welded rail unit.

EB FWLI into Van Wert at around 2:30PM running light with CFE 3880/3886. Went out and worked CSP and picked 3 empty plastics hoppers. Left town at 4:30PM EB with the 3 cars.

On a side note the Scott Equity elevator is not using rail service in town. My friend Bill talked to the mamger and he said the way the ethanol market is right now it is a better rate for them to truck it where it's going. Said if market conditions change or rail is the better option for the destination they will use rail service.

PW

[AARR]

On a side note the Scott Equity elevator is not using rail service in town. My friend Bill talked to the mamger and he said the way the ethanol market is right now it is a better rate for them to truck it where it's going. Said if market conditions change or rail is the better option for the destination they will use rail service.

So will the loss of corn traffic that used to go by rail be offset by the increase in ethanol and distillers grain?

[bnsf8000]

11/17/11. WB CFE train LIFW through Van Wert at 11:45AM. Leading were CFE 3886/3882 and 19 cars. Train included 8 loaded gons, 7 grainers. 3 empty steel flats and 1 tank car.

The Van Wert Terminal has 11 soda ash hoppers there as of today. 9 cars on the unloading track and 2 on the second track.

AARR, there won't be any ethanol or distillers grain traffic for the CF&E. There are no ethanol plants on the line that I know of. I do wonder where the Scott's Equity corn is going since it's going to an ethanol plant . The one's I know of close around here Lima, Leipsic amd a few others in Ohio/Indiiana that maybe their using. Have to see if we can find that out.

PW

[midland sub]

Scott's is probably selling their corn to the Lima ethanol plant. I would assume they also truck whatever soybeans they get over to Decatur for Bunge.

If you see some Cargill grain cars heading to Bunge they came from the I&O. Cargill has shipping out 20 to 30 cars of soybeans at a time. The last 30 car cut was supposed to being to Decatur and Bunge.

[vwwillie]

You are right. The last CN train out of the Van Wert yard was July of 1977. Here are some photos taken of the event by H Marshall. This is my first post on this site please let me know if you can accesses these pictures. Have many more old train pictures from Van Wert area I bought from Harley before he left us. http://www.flickr.com/photos/willlie123 ... 8115875241

[conrailman75]

I can view your photos vwwillie. I've seen those two CR shots before, Dr. Brown used them in his Cincinnati Northern book. Keep posting vintage Van Wert shots, I enjoy seeing how things used to look.

[bnsf8000]

11/22/11. WB LIFW at 11:50AM. In the lead were CFE 3880/IORY 4034/CFE 3886 and 20 cars. Train had 13 covered hoppers including: 9 FMLX, 4 box cars and 3 CSX coal/ballast hoppers? Have been a lot of short trains lately when i catch them. EB FWLI went back through around 3:30PM and sounded short also hitting the diamond.

Same day CORP 4024 came into Van Wert WB light at around 9:30PM. Went down towards Scott Equity elevator where there were 4 ACFX plastics hoppers for CSP in VW. The surprise was that CFE 3880 had been parked at the grain elevator's west lead that is used for loading grain cars. I have no idea when it came into town. So 4024 coupled to the 3880 and I believe took the 4 cars out to CSP. Didn't stay around to see. There is also a lone grain hopper at the elevator that was snuck in.

There are 10 soda ash hoppers at the VW Terminal as of 11/25.

Not much going on right now through VW on the CFE

PW

[AARR]

There are 10 soda ash hoppers at the VW Terminal as of 11/25.

Sorry if I missed it earlier but who is the soda ash for and do they have direct rail access?

[bnsf8000]

AARR, the soda ash is transloaded at the Van Wert Terminal and trucked to Winchester, IN to a glass plant which sits by a double track CSX mainline. I believe the company is Anchor Glass IIRC. We passed it on one of our railfanning sojourns. At the VW Terminal the soda ash is transloaded by a portable conveyor that goes under the hatches on the car then is loaded at the top of the bulk truck trailer.

PW

[AARR]

AARR, the soda ash is transloaded at the Van Wert Terminal and trucked to Winchester, IN to a glass plant which sits by a double track CSX mainline. I believe the company is Anchor Glass IIRC. We passed it on one of our railfanning sojourns. At the VW Terminal the soda ash is transloaded by a portable conveyor that goes under the hatches on the car then is loaded at the top of the bulk truck trailer.

PW

Seems like they get a lot of soda ash. But, I am not surprised that Anchor chooses to transload their deliveries rather than build a spur and have CSX deliver directly to their plant.

Does CF&E get the soda ash from CSX or another railroad?

[bnsf8000]

AARR, I believe the soda ash almost all comes from the western US. This very topic was talked about on this thread awhile ago. I'm thinking Midland and some others had that info. i think they gave some scenarios of how it may get to the VW Terminal.

PW

[Brakie]

Sat Nov 26 at 4:55 pm.

Westbound Cargill train pulled by 2 (I&O?) engines through Bucyrus..

[midland sub]

Soda ash comes from one of the western roads in Chicago. It's cheaper at the moment for Anchor to route it via the CFE and transload it at Van Wert- a bit faster too. If CSX decides they want the traffic back, they'll meet the rate.

[AARR]

Soda ash comes from one of the western roads in Chicago. It's cheaper at the moment for Anchor to route it via the CFE and transload it at Van Wert- a bit faster too. If CSX decides they want the traffic back, they'll meet the rate.

I recall you writing a very detailed report about the soda ash traffic. I will scroll through the threads one of these days for the whole story. Thanks midland.

[Brakie]

Westbound CSX grainer through Bucyrus on CF&E at 5:40 pm with a GE unit and a lease unit(FURX?)