G&W OCS on I&O...?

[midland sub]

Seems like the rumor that G&W has a OCS tour of the I&O set up is true. Couple of Cincinnati Railway passenger cars were dropped off in Wash CH. Former NP dome and SP car so far. Sounds like they will be running next week out of Wash CH. Then north to Lima and at least Delta later in the week.

[alittlevanwerty]

Hopefully on a day I'm off!

[midland sub]

CIND 2001 brought them up from Cincy to Wash CH with G&W brass on board. They are doing OC next and then back to finish up I&O.

[iKJames]

So, what's their official plan? I'd be interested in catching this if it came up to or near Delta.

[midland sub]

Passenger supposedly went to OC on Friday for a tour of the Panhandle and back. Return to the I&O and then trips over the rest of the I&O next week, but all subject to change.

[Loco_Engr]

Someone got a video of it on the Ohio Central. At least one of the cars is from the Wheeling...

http://youtu.be/CX9MLiy3WSg

[PowellWye]

Ran Columbus to Newark and return today. The brass was alighting along I-670 at 430 PM. Not sure what the train did after that.

[jallenp7]

Perhaps they are about ready to run from Midland to OC on the NS and were checking things out,

I assume the NS and CSX allowed them to run through Columbus.

Last I hear it could possibly be a Newark to Grove City or WCH Turn?

[midland sub]

OC takes care of move into Parsons and CSX handles the move between Russ (I&O) and Parsons.

[jallenp7]

So the OC interchanging at Queensgate a dead issue?

[midland sub]

The entire OC-I&O Columbus interchange is a dead deal at the time being. NS has no interest or gain from it so it continues to be a no. CSX will continue to be the middle carrier for anything that does move between the two or the Logan Sub.

The stone move from Melvin to Logan can happen, it just needs to move either by being tacked onto some sort of unit train coming from CSX out of Parsons. Problem with that is the time involved with CSX moving it for them. The other scenario is that it moves in it's own unit train with I&O power and CSX crews move it from Russ on the Midland to Parsons for a Logan Sub crew. A bit quicker this way, but CSX still says they are looking at 24 hours for each end of their part of the move. So at best the I&O loses a set of power for 48 hours on CSX......

G&W really not interested in it right now. Plenty of fluidity issues with the I&O that have to be addressed first before they can ever dream of handling more traffic......

[PowellWye]

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=445290

Here is the OC "OCS" from yesterday.

At present OC & I&O are swapping this train directly between the two roads via the use of a pilot. Marks the first time the G&W roads have done something like this and not sure what kind of strings had to be pulled with NS to allow it.

[midland sub]

My understanding of the situation is that a CSX pilot is allowable by NS and they can run as much as they want between the two this way. NS just is not interested in changing the trackage rights agreement with the I&O to allow the OC access the I&O via the switch at Russ/CP 139. NS knows CSX isn't interested in doing the pilot crew situation for anything but special occasions or moves like this.

CSX wants the trackage right deal situation fixed so they no longer have to handle the unit trains to Haynes on the Midland. The I&O or OC crews would handle the trains from Parsons to the Midland.

[jallenp7]

I sure money talks for NS to allow the move, if NS will not allow it are they able to take the issue to STB?

[midland sub]

Not inspecting the I&O. CNRY cars were in Wash CH last night to return to Cincy.

It's not an issue they can push with the STB.