Ohio Northern Ry.

[Y@]

The OHNR was formed in 1983 to operate over lines deemed surplus by Conrail. Originally, the OHNR operated over the former Pennsy Carrothers Secondary between Toledo and Mansfield, and the former New York Central branch to Riga where a connection and trackage rights took them to Flat Rock. In 1987, the OHNR abandoned the Mansfield to Tiffin portion of the Carrothers Secondary.

In 1991, the OHNR acquired the former DT&I between Diann, MI and Lima, OH. The southern half of the DT&I was sold to G&H Investment Company, who created the Ohio Southern RR (OHSR). A short time after the acquisition of the DT&I, G&H bought the OHNR and the Ann Arbor RR with plans to operate them as one, with room for expansion. With the AA under the G&H wing, the Riga-Toledo portion of the ex-NYC was abandoned and removed by the end of 1992.

In 1993, G&H and Norfolk Southern worked out a deal that saw the OHNR take over operations of the former Nickel Plate between Lima and Arcadia, with trackage rights into Fostoria for interchange. RJ Corman took over the NKP east of Lima.

Since 1993, the system has remained largely unchanged. A fleet of GP38's, GP40's and SD40-2's has kept the railroad moving and traffic has grown systemwide. Today, the OHNR operates between Ann Arbor and Toledo, Flat Rock and Lima, and Toledo and Tiffin. Trackage rights via CSX's Toledo Terminal allow OHNR transfer runs to move between the Annie Yard and the Pennsy Yard.

Interchange Points
Canadian National - Flat Rock Yard, Lang Yard
CF&E - Ford Park Yard
CSX - Walbridge Yard, Tiffin, Findlay
Maumee Valley Ry. - Liberty Center
Norfolk Southern - Pennsy Yard (Walbridge), Fostoria
Ohio Southern RR - Ford Park Yard
W&LE - CN Lang Yard

Train Listing
AATO - Ann Arbor-Toledo Turn (M-W-F) (Also works lineside industries)
FRLI (400) - Flat Rock-Lima Freight (Tu-Th-Sa)
LIFR (401) - Lima-Flat Rock Freight (M-W-F)
TOFR - Toledo-Flat Rock Turn (Tu-F)
TOTI - Toledo-Tiffin Turn (M-W-F) (Also works lineside industries)
402 - Fostoria-Lima Local (M-W-F)
403 - Lima-Fostoria Local (Tu-Th-Sa)
DEDE - Delta Switcher (M-F) (Works lineside industries between Metamora and Ottawa Loop)
X404 - Flat Rock-Lima Auto Loads (As needed)

Any other extra trains simply go by engine number and direction. (Ex: OHNR 7232 North)

As far as traffic goes, the OHNR handles a large amount of automotive traffic on the former DT&I, along with pig iron and steel to/from Northstar in Delta. Grain trains are also handled to/from Metamora and Hamler. Several other customers also see rail service. The Ann Arbor is similar, with lots of grain and automotive traffic. The former Pennsy sees plenty of rock and bulk materials, along with ethanol to/from the Poet plant in Burgoon. On the former NKP, traffic is primarily composed of cars for Cooper Tire and the refineries in Lima, along with some overhead traffic from CSX, CF&E and the OHSR.