Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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Y@
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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Most of the final details on the flurry of activity are in, and here they are.

Beginning on Monday, March 8, 2010, the entire Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern system will be folded under the wing of the Ohio Belt Railroad. Included in this purchase is the CFE main from Lima to Chicago, the branchline from Fort Wayne to Decatur, and the Norfolk Southern route from Fort Wayne to Muncie, along with trackage rights to Indianapolis via CSX.

An upgrading program on the route from Lima to Chicago will begin sometime in March. This will include:

Adding/rebuilding/lengthening sidings
Adding/upgrading signals
Gradual work on track conditions

More power will be needed on the system, and the OBRR plans to lease several more units from HLCX, NREX, and LTEX in the coming days. An order of new power (most likely from GE) is expected to be placed by the end of the day Saturday.

Several new trains will be added, including 4 to 8 intermodal trains that formerly ran via the NS. Eastbound intermodal trains will become NS trains in Fostoria, after completing the run on the OBRR from Chicago to Arcadia. Westbounds will come from NS in Fostoria.

Expect the next several weeks to be very interesting as far as operations and locomotive placement goes. A system map is posted below.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie ... 9cbb12&z=8
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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From talking to an engineer buddy that works out of Lima, this is what we will be leasing from three companies. All of the units should be placed on property by the time the takeover begins. We are also inheriting the CFE's current roster of power, including ex-SP tunnel motors, RA Geeps, and other assorted units.

HLCX SD40-2 6205: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=70377
HLCX SD40-2 6210: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=70614
HLCX SD40-2 6216: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 891&nseq=1
HLCX SD40-2 6332: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=44268
HLCX SD40-2 7065: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=93165
HLCX SD40-2 7178: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=22462
HLCX SD40-2 7196: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=71735
HLCX SD40-2 8153: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=28081
HLCX SD40-2 8162: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=64874
HLCX SD40-2 8179: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=53470

NALX SD40-2 8533: http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/att ... 1267231365
NALX SD40-2 8580: http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/att ... 1267237278
NALX SD40-2 8637: http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/att ... 1267231365
NALX SD40-2 8641: http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/att ... 1267231365

NREX SD40-2 5417: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=80595
NREX SD40-2 5665: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... oID=104406
NREX SD40-2 6300: http://www.locophotos.com/PhotoDetails. ... toID=72142
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Y@
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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It just gets better and better...

With the NYSW testing SD90MAC's from CEFX, they have leased to us one of their units.

NYSW SD40-2 3018: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 52&nseq=10

This unit should be on property by the middle of the week. This is really starting to get colorful now.
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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The order is in, and the building process will begin for the first new locomotives built for the OBRR. ES40DC's 8000-8011 will be delivered in the scheme shown below.

OBRR ES40DC 8000: http://www.railroadforums.com/forum/att ... 1267300243
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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I got the chance to talk to one of the OBRR dispatchers today, and he relayed some information to me about how the OBRR will implement it's new traffic lane system.

Trains 113 (eastbound) and 114 (westbound) will haul high priority UPS traffic between Chicago and Fostoria.

Trains 151 (eastbound) and 152 (westbound) will haul assorted high priority intermodal traffic between Chicago and Fort Wayne.

Trains 167 (north/eastbound) and 174 (west/southbound) will haul assorted high priority intermodal traffic between Fostoria and Muncie.

Trains 321 (eastbound) and 328 (westbound) will cover the former CFE from Chicago to Fort Wayne, with switching stops in Valparaiso, and Warsaw.

Trains 337 (eastbound) and 342 (westbound) will cover the former CFE from Fort Wayne to Lima.

Trains 383 (north/eastbound) and 386 (west/southbound) will run from Indianapolis to Lima via; the CSX (Indy-Muncie), former NS (Muncie-Fort Wayne), and former CFE (Fort Wayne-Lima) with switching stops in Muncie and Bluffton on the former NS.

Trains 413 (northbound) and 438 (southbound) will run as Automotive trains between Muncie and Fort Wayne.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Monday, several OBRR surveyors will be out between Lima and Chicago on the former CFE checking out track conditions, potential places for upgrading or building new sidings, as well as locations for new signals. The CFE is currently all dark territory, and the new signals are not expected to be functional until early April.

Permanent train schedules will not take effect until the new signals and sidings are in place. All traffic will begin running under the OBRR ownership on March 8, 2010. The NS will continue to Dispatch both of the new lines until the new OBRR Dispatchers office in Warsaw is complete. This should be in mid to late April.
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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It's developing nicely, Y@.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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As a part of what the OBRR is calling it's "Central Corridor" project, a new connecting track will be added in Findlay. Using money from a recent grant, we purchased the closed Findlay Industries building that occupied the southeast corner of the diamond area, and after it is demolished, a new interchange track will be built. This will make it easier for different trains to use the diamond, and will also provide NS with a better secondary route into Fostoria and Bellevue should anything happen on their route between Bellevue and Columbus.

This link shows the building that will be torn down: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 3&t=h&z=18
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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New signals are in place on the former CFE in the following locations.

Hamlet, IN
Plymouth, IN
Bourbon, IN
Atwood, IN
Columbia City, IN

More signals will be added in the coming weeks. The ones listed above should be placed in service sometime this weekend.

The siding in Columbia City is also nearing completion, and the final touches will be completed by Sunday. This is the first of 4 new sidings being added on the former CFE.
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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Haven't done an OBRR update in awhile, so here we go.

All new signals are in place and have been activated along the former CFE. New sidings are active in Valparaiso, Plymouth, Warsaw, and Columbia City.

The logistics center being built west of Plymouth will be open and in service by the end of the month. This will add two new intermodal trains to the line, and maybe more in the future.
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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An addition to the OBRR system is the former Ohio Northern "River Line" (Van Wert-Oakwood-Ayersville-Florida-Napoleon-Liberty Center-Whitehouse-Monclova-Maumee) that was once a Toledo-Indianapolis route on the OHNR. The route has been in service under OBRR ownership since they took over the CFE to Chicago.

Trains that use this route are as follows:

Intermodal/Automotive Freight 291- Chicago-Maumee. Runs as needed. Call time is usually 23:00 when needed.
Road Freight 387- Van Wert to Maumee. Departure from Van Wert at 08:00 daily.
Road Freight 388- Maumee to Van Wert. Departure from Maumee at 16:00 daily.
Local 656- Bases out of Van Wert and works as far north as Napoleon. (See customer list below for details)
Local 933- Bases out of Maumee and works south as needed. (See customer list)

Customer List:

Van Wert
Andrews Local Co-op (Grain)
Butte Metals (Scrap)

Ayersville
Grande Plastics (Chemicals)

Florida
Mason Rubber (Boxcars/Hoppers)

Napoleon
MAW Interchange

Colton
Colton Grainery (Grain)
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AARR
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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Cool Y@ :)
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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The OBRR has acquired 5 former UP SD60's, now lettered as OBRR 6620-6624. There may be a few more of these coming in the future. The only one that is currently in service is 6623, which will leave Maumee on 388 tonight behind NECR 3845. The other 4 are all sitting at CSXT Walbridge.
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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I don't think UP has changed its color scheme since dieselization
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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Been awhile since the last update, so here we go.

With an upturn in traffic, OBRR has leased several CITX engines.

A pair of ethanol trains have been added that run from Chicago to the new plant at Dunkirk. The symbols are 691 (loads) and 698 (empties). The loads come from the DME and often run with CP/DME/ICE power.

A new contract was picked up in June to haul taconite from Toledo to a mill north of Indianapolis. Because of this, 280 used hoppers were bought and stenciled to OBRR reporting marks. Their number series is 200120-200400.

A new contract has brought overhead BNSF traffic to the OBRR between Chicago and Fostoria. Train 511 comes off the BNSF in Chicago and runs over the former PRR to Lima, then up to Fostoria where the train is handed off to NS. It usually keeps it's BNSF power for the entire journey. The westbound counterpart is 536 and also usually has BNSF power.

Grain trains have been running like crazy lately. Loads have been going to and from Toledo at the rate of about 6 total trains a week.
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Re: Ohio Belt RR (OBRR)

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Big changes are coming to the OBRR. Despite being RA's best money-making railroad, there are talks of differing ownership of the former PRR from Chicago to Lima to the Chicago, Minnesota & Southern Railroad (CMS) as early as next week.

If the deal goes down, it would give the CMS full ownership from Gary, IN to Lima, OH. The OBRR would retain trackage rights between Van Wert and Fort Wayne for access to the former NS between FW and Muncie, and trackage rights into Indianapolis on CSX. The CMS would split ownership with RA (OBRR) from Lima to Dunkirk and from Dunkirk south into Columbus to access the intermodal and automotive yard there.

The CMS is a power short railroad as it is, so when this does go down you can expect most of the lease units on the OBRR to hang around the area, back and forth between the CMS and OBRR.

I'll post the CMS roster eventually.
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