Sidney Ohio

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JTNikon
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Sidney Ohio

Unread post by JTNikon »

Looking to go to Sidney for a day, worth the trip ? Can you sit in the SE corner of the jct. just NW of the graveyard where the NB to EB B&O to the Big 4 junctions ? Looks like a gravel road gets you back in there behind the cemetary. How many trains per day ? Any idea ? Best times ? Please advise.

Thanks

JTNikon

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railohio
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by railohio »

That's the CSX access road to the junction. I've never been hassled in Sidney, but I know of a few who have. The only reliable place to sit and watch trains without being hassled is on the overpasses west of the old station. Crews will call in people behind the cemetery and and the city police will run anybody out of the station parking lot account of vandalism problems in the past.
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JTNikon
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by JTNikon »

Thanks for the info....does not sound good. Any idea how many trains on both lines per day ?

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railohio
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by railohio »

Not as busy as you'd think it is. Not much runs west of Sidney anymore and a lot of that is at night. Probably less than 35 on both combined.
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by CSX_CO »

railohio wrote:That's the CSX access road to the junction. I've never been hassled in Sidney, but I know of a few who have. The only reliable place to sit and watch trains without being hassled is on the overpasses west of the old station. Crews will call in people behind the cemetery and and the city police will run anybody out of the station parking lot account of vandalism problems in the past.
Isn't the model railroad club in the old Big Four Station? That's off limits now?

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railohio
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by railohio »

CSX_CO wrote:Isn't the model railroad club in the old Big Four Station? That's off limits now?
As of last month the layout had been disassembled. I don't know if the club has been officially disbanded or not.

There were vandalism issues at the station over the years and railfans were discouraged from hanging out there except during club functions. City police would escort errant railfans off the property from time to time.
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by CSX_CO »

railohio wrote:
CSX_CO wrote:Isn't the model railroad club in the old Big Four Station? That's off limits now?
As of last month the layout had been disassembled. I don't know if the club has been officially disbanded or not.

There were vandalism issues at the station over the years and railfans were discouraged from hanging out there except during club functions. City police would escort errant railfans off the property from time to time.
Since the station is a bit 'out of the way' railfan presence would have discouraged vandalism, unless it was the railfans doing the vandalism. Always seemed to be a few die hards there all night long.

Oh well.

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MSchwiebert
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by MSchwiebert »

It's more interesting on either side of Bellefontaine anyways, Rushlvania was a spot I liked.

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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by JTNikon »

Agree, Rushylvania is a nice place with a banked curve coming into town from the west and old time rr murial painted on a building wall next to the tracks. Can incorporate that into photos. Pizza / italian place across the street from the track (15 yards) GREAT as well - good Calzones ! Gas station / conv. store at the tracks as well for goodies or restroom break. Quiet small town, very peaceful.

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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by CSX_CO »

JTNikon wrote:Agree, Rushylvania is a nice place with a banked curve coming into town from the west and old time rr murial painted on a building wall next to the tracks. Can incorporate that into photos. Pizza / italian place across the street from the track (15 yards) GREAT as well - good Calzones ! Gas station / conv. store at the tracks as well for goodies or restroom break. Quiet small town, very peaceful.
Just don't buy your gas there, highest prices anywhere on the Indy line at that station.

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csxfan6120
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by csxfan6120 »

i live here in Sidney.never been ran out of the parking lot.don't use the access road because it is too close to the police departments gun range and there is always a cop or two there target shooting.don,t wave at the Sidney local their conductor is a dick head and will cause problems.any day but Monday is a good day because Mondays are really slow.as for the club they are just a rail fan club now.monitor Sidney police frequency 159.210 when in the parking lot.that way you can get advanced warning because they usually don,t show up unless dispatched.
Last edited by csxfan6120 on Sat Oct 02, 2010 12:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by csxfan6120 »

JTNikon wrote:Thanks for the info....does not sound good. Any idea how many trains on both lines per day ?
i have seen 25 trains in a 14 hour stretch both lines combined.

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Re: Sidney Ohio

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Any new updates about railfanning Sidney since the last post on this about 7 years ago? Going to be working nearby for a couple weeks in August and may get a hotel there.
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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by Huelsy'sTrainBlog »

~Z~ wrote:Any new updates about railfanning Sidney since the last post on this about 7 years ago? Going to be working nearby for a couple weeks in August and may get a hotel there.
Don't hold your breath waiting for any trains! The Indy Line is still very hit or miss. I have been at the depot for 3 hours and seen nothing while I might be there an hour and get 6 or 7. Toledo Sub is still decently busy, when things aren't jammed up in Lima or near Cincy. Best bet for the Indy Line is if you ask to join the "Indianapolis Railroad Heads Up" on Facebook, the one guy lives right next to the tracks in Anderson and will post when trains come by his house. Once he posts a heads up figure about 2 hours before it makes it to Sidney. Also while in Sidney, make sure you eat at "The Spot" located in downtown. If you have any other questions just let me know.

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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by Huelsy'sTrainBlog »

Also forgot, CSX MOW crews stay at the Comfort Inn in Piqua. There are a group of us who hang out around the mall area along the Toledo Sub.

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Re: Sidney Ohio

Unread post by cbehr91 »

It's still very hit or miss on the Indy Line, however some of the recent Indianapolis changes have added a few trains. The Toledo Sub can be anywhere from 30-40 a day, and usually traffic comes in streaks.

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