Napoleon, Defiance and Western: The Definitive Thread

[Notch 8]

GH&A has opened a Facility in Kendallville IN and is located on the NS Chicago Line and will be using the NS for receiving they are on the same spur as Colormaster. something will have to be done because once cars are spotted for Colormaster it blocks the track leading to GH&A

[jimnorthwood]

Somewhere in the thread mention was made as to the fate of switcher 107 (NW-2?), after it left the ND&W for points unknown, possibly scrap. Yesterday I came across a January, 2016 picture of it on another Pioneer line in Tennessee. I won't post someone else's photo without their permission, but you can find it online if you search under PREX 107.

[JoJames]

State of Ohio is offering the railroad 3.5 million dollars. In return 325 thousand of that 3.5 million will be used to close crossings starting at US 24-6 and working east toward Liberty Center by removing rail through crossing. The remainder of the money would be used to rehabilitate the Defiance Yard and a siding at Jewell.
My opinion is the state realizes they should have built a grade separation at the U.S. 24-6 crossing at Napoleon when the Fort to Port project was done making the highway all four lane from Toledo to Fort Wayne.

[jimnorthwood]

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2016/0 ... moval.html

Sounds like a good deal for the railroad? The elevator in LC trucks its product to CSX in Hamler, so they are not likely to resume using the ND&W. The only traffic to LC in recent years has been the firebrick from Delta, and that is very sporadic. It did seem odd that the state choose not to grade separate the track at the US24/6 crossing when that section of road was upgraded. Perhaps they figured the writing was on the wall for Napoleon-LC anyway.

[bluestreak81]

Sounds like a bad deal. They are dangling a carrot.

[JoJames]

Marketing manager for Pioneer Rail Corp is reporting in today's Defiance newspaper that they have agreed to take the money and close the crossings.

[MQT1223]

Wow. I guess they will finally put the tracks out of their misery...

[bluestreak81]

Sad. Take photos while you can and signals. Any timeline announced?

[railohio]

Take photos while you can and signals.

Care to elaborate?

[bluestreak81]

With everything being pulled up, taking photos of what's left and of the signals before they're taking away would be a nice memory.

[JoJames]

I would say the only signals that would be pulled out would be at the U.S. 24-6 grade crossing. None of the rail is to be removed between road crossings in case of future need. I would look for the diamond to be removed although.

[jrgerber]

A good summary of rehab to date prior to the 3.5 million (more details?):

http://www.ohioeda.com/resources/docume ... ailway.pdf

[Notch 8]

Lifting the east end will put a dent in their ability for car storage. Similar sort of deal recently
went down on the very west end on the INE west of Coldwater MI and the last 2-3 miles will be
lifted, the overpass over US 12 will be eliminated and I believe the line will stop just short of
crossing the bridge over the Coldwater River and just east of N. Behnke Road crossing.

This scene will be eliminated.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/digitalra ... 481848085/

[ohiopower]

If there was any serious potential for business in LC, NDW could sell that little piece to I&O and I&O puts in a switch in place of the diamond to serve LC off their line. Overall this is a good decision for more rehab on the line, and improved safety on US 6/24. If they had decided to build an overpass in the 1970s around Napoleon on the original US 6 bypass, we would not be having this conversation. They probably thought the line was going to be abandoned soon back then, just like they probably thought that with the US 24 project.

[Notch 8]

The money it would take to rehab the tracks to LC could never be justified by car revenue.. This was a Golden Egg for the ND&W.. they needed it too !

[jrgerber]

So what the does the 3.5 million buy the NDW for the 24-25 miles between Napoleon and Defiance?

[JoJames]

Some of the news media is saying 2.5 million. Others are saying 3.5 million. Three hundred fifty thousand is figured to remove rail and ties through crossings and new asphalt. Remainder of money will be used to rebuild a siding runaround track at Jewell and rebuild a track in the yard at Defiance.

[jrgerber]

Thanks, just a follow up, so if the funds are spent for a new yard track in Defiance and a passing siding how does that stop or decrease the number of derailments between Defiance and Napoleon?

[bluestreak81]

If or when they start removing the crossings between Napoleon and Liberty Center, can someone post any updates of the project on here? Thank you.

[JoJames]

Had a good laugh tonight. ODOT put on a presentation where they would like to close some intersecting crossroads or build overpasses on the new four lane 24 in Paulding, Defiance and Henry County. Also was mentioned about building a overpass across the ND&W at Napoleon. Once again the left hand in government doesn't know what the right hand is doing.