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Hey! Going to Fostoria in a few weeks and would like some tips on how to navigate the area.

Outside the park, what are the best places to watch trains, especially on the B&O since lighting from the park is poor? From what I heard the Amtrak station (and its parking lot) is CSX property and is off limits but I've also heard recent stories of people who have been on the platform without incident. If the station and parking lot are forbidden then are there any adjacent sidewalks?

What other places within walking distance of the interlocking are legally accessible? Thanks!

Amtrak platforms were removed a few years ago...

Not much other then the park for the B&O as far as light. Station is not totally off limits if you are respectful and keep of the tracks. Poplar St. at the entrance to the Park isn't bad If you want to explore there are many nice rural crossings East of town. The old station area(station is long gone) in Tiffin offers some nice views including overhead shots from the bridge next to Tiffin University. It is a little known spot that most out of towners do not go to because it is no longer a junction other then one freight a day for interchange with the NOW.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.119557, ... a=!3m1!1e3

As far as navigating town use google maps or buy a good local map. If you drive in one direction long enough you will hit a highway and all country roads are North South or East West in grids every mile or two.

Parking lot at Main Street between NS and CSX is public parking owned by the city.

How bad has the chaos been since they closed F tower?

SousaKerry wrote:How bad has the chaos been since they closed F tower?

Not as bad as one would think. Fostoria has more blocked crossings after talking with a police officer from the city.
Biggest problem is Fostoria to Tiffin with the antique electric line having power surges and causing problems with signal system on CSX.

railohio wrote:Amtrak platforms were removed a few years ago...

Really? Aw man...

SousaKerry wrote:Not much other then the park for the B&O as far as light. Station is not totally off limits if you are respectful and keep of the tracks. Poplar St. at the entrance to the Park isn't bad If you want to explore there are many nice rural crossings East of town. The old station area(station is long gone) in Tiffin offers some nice views including overhead shots from the bridge next to Tiffin University. It is a little known spot that most out of towners do not go to because it is no longer a junction other then one freight a day for interchange with the NOW.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.119557, ... a=!3m1!1e3

As far as navigating town use google maps or buy a good local map. If you drive in one direction long enough you will hit a highway and all country roads are North South or East West in grids every mile or two.

We're just going to stick to the park and the surrounding area. We may have given Tiffin a try if the Holiday Inn there hadn't filled up stupidly quick and the price hadn't gone up stupidly high. It's still a consideration but we're likely just going to stick to the plan this time. Thanks for all the info though!

JoJames wrote:Parking lot at Main Street between NS and CSX is public parking owned by the city.

Really? That's awesome, I'll definitely be heading over there. Thanks!

Biggest problem is Fostoria to Tiffin with the antique electric line having power surges and causing problems with signal system on CSX.

Ahh yes the Rural Electric Co-op. If you need power they ain't got it. Fortunately Mom and Dad's Farm was on AEP. Whatever happened to battery backup power or did they pull that out too?

North Baltimore has a nice parking lot downtown that has a nice view of the former B&O going right past it. The intermodal yard is also just outside North Baltimore, though there aren't any really good views of the action except on an overpass that doesn't have a sidewalk or shoulder on the eastern side. At the western end of the yard is Range Rd., you can see them making movements there when they exit the yard.

There's also Deshler, which is only about 30-45 minutes from Fostroia straight down OH-18.

A FYI for anybody going to Deshler/Fostoria and going via I-75 there is a lot of construction going on. Be prepared for delays or use an alternative route.

I was out there for most of the day today. Saw SOO Line engine on the B&O headed east. Usually it's busier in the morning and slows down in the afternoon, but today it was the opposite- most of the trains came between 1 and 5. Good luck!

StupidFlee​t wrote:A FYI for anybody going to Deshler/Fostoria and going via I-75 there is a lot of construction going on. Be prepared for delays or use an alternative route.

What?!?!? You mean everyone isn't a fan of looking at orange barrels?

Seriously though, if you're headed to Fostoria from Michigan via I-75, US-23 is the way to go from Toledo down. On the weekends there's no traffic and it shaves about 15 miles from the trip. As a nice little bonus, the gas stations at the intersection of I-280 and the Turnpike usually have cheap gas.

the gas stations at the intersection of I-280 and the Turnpike usually have cheap gas.

Those gas stations rock I fill up there on the way home every time I go down to the Parents place. Even took gas cans with me once when it was almost $4.00/gal and they were like $3.50

I-75 is also being reconstructed in Monroe County and is a total mess.

Gas was 2.89 a gallon yesterday at 280 & Woodville Road.

Alright, the mom and I went down Friday afternoon and stayed till Saturday evening. The place more than delivered and though I knew of Fostoria's reputation well beforehand, I still can't help but feel impressed at the amount of traffic that flows through that town. Never before have we been spoiled like this, not even when we went to Chicago a few years ago.

Total, we saw about 40 trains (at least 14 on Friday and at least 20 on Saturday) including the N&W heritage unit! We'll definitely be going back in the near future.

Nice! Here's a tip. although Fostoria is super busy, you will be shocked how busy it is from 11pm to 8am. One time in Deshler, I saw 37 CSX from 11pm to 5am. Absolutely insane.

Know when Fostoria and Deshler are set to be the busiest? On Saturday Sept 12th and Sunday Sept 13th.... or at least that's when we are hoping it's the busiest. Come meet board members on those dates: viewtopic.php?t=32319