The GLOR has "sold" an additional railroad which will also become a wholy owned subsidiary of the GLOR.
The GLOR's line from Liberty Center, OH to Fort Wayne, IN has been spun off to the Ohio Western Railroad (OWRR). This railroad will assume all ownership and leases of the lines, including trackage rights between Liberty Center and the connection with the GLOR's Southern Division, and Fort Wayne, where the railroad conencts with NS and the GLOR's Fort Wayne Division.
Operations are expected to remain the same on the line.
GLOR will be "selling" 4 units for the OWRR from the GLOR Roster. These units will be GLOR GP38-2's #2024, 2027, 2032, and GP38-3 #2036.
As part of the agreement, the GLOR will maintain "free of charge" trackage rights over the length of the system.
Operations of the OWRR will commence on 8/26/2024 at 00:00.
All employees of the OWRR will be transfers from the GLOR's staff working on the Definance Subdivision previously and all labor agreements in effect for employees will be transfered to the OWRR employees for the length of the remaining labor agreements.
Ohio Western Railroad
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
The Ohio Western will see it's first regular through freight trains in a significant period of the time. As part of the GLOR's mergers with several railroads, there have been requests from LSRC for access to Chicago and Peoria. While not granting direct access, LSRC and GLOR have come to an agreement which will have GLOR operate a single (and up to 3 times per week in the future), hualage train from Saginaw to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where traffic would be added to added to either Peoria or Chicago bound trains. These trains, would be running from Saginaw to Diann to Liberty Center to Fort Wayne. The GLOR will be using trackage rights it retained over the OWRR for the final portion of the run. In addition, the GLOR may in the future also begin running their Toledo Jeep Plant to Chicago autorack trains over the line as well.
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
The Ohio Western, after inspection by both UP and BNSF will begin hosting trackage rights trains from Toledo to interchange with the respective western railroad. These will be the autorack trains from the Toledo's Jeep Plant. The trains currently run north from Toledo to Diann, taking the relatively new connector in the SW Quadrant to head south to Lima, before heading WNW from Lima to Ft. Wayne and Chicago. The trains will now proceed south from Diann to Liberty Center before heading across the OWR to Ft Wayne and on to Chicago.
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
The Ohio Western Railroad has been off to a successful start. Unlike previous ownership, when the railroad was known for having the worst tracks in America, the Ohio Western's owners, the Great Lakes and Ohio River poured millions of dollars on top of what previous owners put into the railroad. The railroad now consists solely of 286K track at Class 2 track. This is what has allowed the GLOR to operate BNSF and UP powered autorack trains over the line between Liberty Center and Fort Wayne.
The Ohio Western operates three daily freights each day. The first DEF-1, which is based in the GLOR's Fort Wayne Yard, runs to the NS Yard to pick up any interchange traffic before heading east on "home tracks". They will work as far as the Defiance Yard, where they will leave outbound cars bound for Liberty Center, or cars for the customers east of Defiance. DEF-1 will also organize the cars they need to have to switch industires heading back west. After finishing work on the line, they will drop off cars for NS in their yard before tying down in the GLOR's Yard.
The second train is DEF-2, which works the line east of Defiance and the interchange in Liberty Center.
The third train, DEF-3 operates as the Defiance Yard Switcher / Defiance line industry swticher.
In addition, UP and BNSF Jeep trains from Toledo run through on the line and soon we may see LSRC trains on the line as well.
Power for the railroad is as follows and wears the same paint scheme, only lettered for the OWR.
Ohio Western Railroad
#10 MP15AC
#58 GP9u
#2024 GP38-2
#2027 GP38-2
#2032 GP38-2
#2036 GP38M-3
#10 and #58 normally work the Defiance Yard, while #2024 and #2027 are normally found on the east end while #2032 and #2036 are often the powering the trains on the west end. If additional power is needed, normally the power is short term leased from the GLOR.
The Ohio Western operates three daily freights each day. The first DEF-1, which is based in the GLOR's Fort Wayne Yard, runs to the NS Yard to pick up any interchange traffic before heading east on "home tracks". They will work as far as the Defiance Yard, where they will leave outbound cars bound for Liberty Center, or cars for the customers east of Defiance. DEF-1 will also organize the cars they need to have to switch industires heading back west. After finishing work on the line, they will drop off cars for NS in their yard before tying down in the GLOR's Yard.
The second train is DEF-2, which works the line east of Defiance and the interchange in Liberty Center.
The third train, DEF-3 operates as the Defiance Yard Switcher / Defiance line industry swticher.
In addition, UP and BNSF Jeep trains from Toledo run through on the line and soon we may see LSRC trains on the line as well.
Power for the railroad is as follows and wears the same paint scheme, only lettered for the OWR.
Ohio Western Railroad
#10 MP15AC
#58 GP9u
#2024 GP38-2
#2027 GP38-2
#2032 GP38-2
#2036 GP38M-3
#10 and #58 normally work the Defiance Yard, while #2024 and #2027 are normally found on the east end while #2032 and #2036 are often the powering the trains on the west end. If additional power is needed, normally the power is short term leased from the GLOR.
Last edited by chapmaja on Wed Oct 30, 2024 5:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
There have been some other changes on the Ohio Western Railroad since the line was purchased by the GLOR and subsequently spun off as the Ohio Western beyond the track improvements to bring the line to Class 2 standards across the entire line.
The biggest has been the addition of a couple customers on the line.
OmniSource in Defiance previously only had a connection with CSX, however OmniSource and GLOR representitives worked out an agreement where GLOR built a siding off their mainline into the OmniSource facility to connect to the rail network inside the facility. This was done to provide competition for CSX for this traffic. Traffic from the OmniSource site can now directly access all Class 1 Railroads either directly via the OWR or from its connection with the GLOR to the western lines via the IHB.
In addition, OWR / GLOR reconnected the spur to the Johns Mansville plant 8 on the east side of Defiance. Several loads of feedstock have been delivered to the plant in recent months. Also, the Tessenderolo Kerley plant rail infrastructure is in plane along the line west of Defiance, however the plant has not yet begun receiving or shipping regular rail shipments. A few shipments of construction products for the plant have come in via rail. The plant is expected to begin production late in 2024 and be at full swing early in 2025.
Campbell's Soup in Napoleon is not a direct customer of the railroad, however they do get product shipped in to the storage facilities on the OWR. These products include both dry and wet ingredients that are offloaded as supplier locations. Since the beginning of 2012, when the MAW was sold to Pioneer, there has been a significant increase in traffic going to the facilities. Campbell's has considered, but has not get pulled the trigger on an on-line warehouse for finished soup products. It would be prefered to simply reinstall rail service to the plant, unfortunately construction at the site does not allow access from the OWR direction, and it would be cost prohibitive for the GLOR to reinstall tracks from their mainline which GT tore out decades ago.
Related to the Campbell's plant service is Silgan Containers. While currently not a customer, Silgan containers is the can provider to Campbells. GLOR / OWR is looking at ways to get Silgan online as a customer via a transload location
One final customer who gets occassional service in Pandrol, a railroad equipment supplier also located in Napoleon, Oh.
The reconnection of the OWR to the rest of the GLOR system provided the access to CN interchange to the east as well as the western railroads, something multiple customers on the line have mentioned is a key factor in location on the OWR.
One other still ongoing product run is the cement from the Lafarge Holcim Plant in Paulding to the distribution center in Dundee. 20-30 carloads of cement per week is being run on this operation. There is the possibility of this becoming a unit train operation in 2025. The current operational plan for this traffic is that DEF-1 picks up the traffic and takes it to Defiance, where DEF-2 runs it to the Liberty Center Interchange. GLOR's DEL-1 interchanges with the OWR, taking the cars to Delta. They are then placed on DFR which dropps them in the Diann interchange yard for TOL-4 to run to the Dundee distribution center. GLOR currently has 90 cars dedicated to this servce which they have leased. They and LaFarge Holcim are considering an agreement to lease an additional 90 cars to create four 45 car sets to run as unit trains between the locations. While small by unit train standards, it is possible this would work due to the relatively short haul for the traffic. This operation would require only 2 crews, one on the OWR and a second on the GLOR, rather than 5 different touches by railroad crews.
The biggest has been the addition of a couple customers on the line.
OmniSource in Defiance previously only had a connection with CSX, however OmniSource and GLOR representitives worked out an agreement where GLOR built a siding off their mainline into the OmniSource facility to connect to the rail network inside the facility. This was done to provide competition for CSX for this traffic. Traffic from the OmniSource site can now directly access all Class 1 Railroads either directly via the OWR or from its connection with the GLOR to the western lines via the IHB.
In addition, OWR / GLOR reconnected the spur to the Johns Mansville plant 8 on the east side of Defiance. Several loads of feedstock have been delivered to the plant in recent months. Also, the Tessenderolo Kerley plant rail infrastructure is in plane along the line west of Defiance, however the plant has not yet begun receiving or shipping regular rail shipments. A few shipments of construction products for the plant have come in via rail. The plant is expected to begin production late in 2024 and be at full swing early in 2025.
Campbell's Soup in Napoleon is not a direct customer of the railroad, however they do get product shipped in to the storage facilities on the OWR. These products include both dry and wet ingredients that are offloaded as supplier locations. Since the beginning of 2012, when the MAW was sold to Pioneer, there has been a significant increase in traffic going to the facilities. Campbell's has considered, but has not get pulled the trigger on an on-line warehouse for finished soup products. It would be prefered to simply reinstall rail service to the plant, unfortunately construction at the site does not allow access from the OWR direction, and it would be cost prohibitive for the GLOR to reinstall tracks from their mainline which GT tore out decades ago.
Related to the Campbell's plant service is Silgan Containers. While currently not a customer, Silgan containers is the can provider to Campbells. GLOR / OWR is looking at ways to get Silgan online as a customer via a transload location
One final customer who gets occassional service in Pandrol, a railroad equipment supplier also located in Napoleon, Oh.
The reconnection of the OWR to the rest of the GLOR system provided the access to CN interchange to the east as well as the western railroads, something multiple customers on the line have mentioned is a key factor in location on the OWR.
One other still ongoing product run is the cement from the Lafarge Holcim Plant in Paulding to the distribution center in Dundee. 20-30 carloads of cement per week is being run on this operation. There is the possibility of this becoming a unit train operation in 2025. The current operational plan for this traffic is that DEF-1 picks up the traffic and takes it to Defiance, where DEF-2 runs it to the Liberty Center Interchange. GLOR's DEL-1 interchanges with the OWR, taking the cars to Delta. They are then placed on DFR which dropps them in the Diann interchange yard for TOL-4 to run to the Dundee distribution center. GLOR currently has 90 cars dedicated to this servce which they have leased. They and LaFarge Holcim are considering an agreement to lease an additional 90 cars to create four 45 car sets to run as unit trains between the locations. While small by unit train standards, it is possible this would work due to the relatively short haul for the traffic. This operation would require only 2 crews, one on the OWR and a second on the GLOR, rather than 5 different touches by railroad crews.
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
There is a slight operational change taking place on thw OWR. The OWR will now be operating a 4th train, PAU-1, which will be switching the Paulding, OH Holcim facility and another adjacent customer. This change with allow DEF-1 crew to complete their work in a more timely manner. The crew for PAU-1will be the same crew that operated DEF-3, the Definance Yard Switcher. The crew will drive to Pauling to operate as PAU-1 as needed.
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
GLOR has sent 1 additional unit, GP30M #103 to provide service to the OWR. This unit will be assigned to Paulding for use on PAU-1.
In addition, the GLOR has been contacted by Gerald Grain Center in Liberty Center about the possibility of restoring the line from the interchange with the Southern Division east into Libery Center to provide rail service. This would require reinstalling approximately 1.5 miles worth of track from the location of the former diamond to the edge of the Gerald Grain property. As this would be a small shipper, it is unknown if OWR / GLOR management would be willing to invest in a rebuilding project for the line.
In addition, the GLOR has been contacted by Gerald Grain Center in Liberty Center about the possibility of restoring the line from the interchange with the Southern Division east into Libery Center to provide rail service. This would require reinstalling approximately 1.5 miles worth of track from the location of the former diamond to the edge of the Gerald Grain property. As this would be a small shipper, it is unknown if OWR / GLOR management would be willing to invest in a rebuilding project for the line.
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
The OWR / GLOR may be getting a new customer from the Napoleon area. As has previously been mentioned, the GLOR does not provide direct rail service to the Campbell's Soup complex, however the OWR does provide service to the cold storage locations along the line which are used by Campbells for sourcing inbound food product.
Previously it was also mentioned that Silgan Containers, which purchased the Campbell's Soup canning division in 1998, was not a customer. It was also mentioned that due to track and building construction, the rails to the north of the Campbell's facility could not be relaid. That may not be completely true after all. Campbell's, the GLOR, the OWR, and the City of Napoleon have all been in talks about resuming direct rail service to the plant.
The previously used railroad bridge across the Maumee River is still in place, and the ROW largely remains clear. A canning plant manufacturing facility was built across the former ROW, but it turns out the facility was built with the possibility of reinstalled rail service to the complex. The building was built in such a manner that the railroad can construct tracks through the building onto the property adjacent to the building on the complex. This portion of the building was built to allow two tracks, one for unloading product and one for running through the building. It was also built so panels from the roof could be removed, allowing for open air passage to prevent the accumulation of diesel exhaust within the building.
The bridge over the river is still intact, however the rest of the trackage would need to be rebuilt and repairs to the bridge structure would be required. In addition, a bridge over US424 (East Riverview Ave) would also need to be reconstructed as it was removed between 10 and 15 years ago.
The funding for this project would come from the OWR / GLOR, Campbell's, Silgan, the State of Ohio and Federal grant funds. Ann additional source of funding has also been presented for part of the project, but that would require the railroad to use electric (battery) or hydrid power on the line to the plant. The funding would either pay for said locomotive(s), or if they are purchased for less, go towards the cost of the project.
In addition to the rebuilding of this spur, there would need to be additional rail infrastructure improvements to the area, specifically the rebuilding of the yard tracks in the Campbell's facility, and the passing siding in Napoleon would need to be reconstructed.
The OWR / GLOR is requesting a minimum of 100 carloads per week into and out of the facility for a period of not less than 10 years as part of the projecting planning agreements, offset by any carloads additional customers on the rebuilt portion of the line may generate. There are a couple other potential customers looking to access the railroad, but those would be a car a month if not less.
Estimated products to be carried to the plant would include tin plate (the Silgan's plant), tomato and other vegitable product, sweeteners and other various food additives. It is not anticipated that much if any product would be shipped outbound, although that could change depending on the product and its destination.
If the project does end up moving foward, it is estimated that the work would start in the spring of 2025 and completion of the project would be in late 2026, assuming all required permits are issued in a timely manner.
The total distance of the reinstalled "main" track would be approximately 4500 feet , with an additional roughly 2000 feet of sidings and spur tracks.
Also, a decision was reached regarding the possibility of reinstalling the tracks to the Gerald Grain Center in Liberty Center. This is not a project that will get funding, and given Gerald's other locations, would not make financial sense to complete.
Previously it was also mentioned that Silgan Containers, which purchased the Campbell's Soup canning division in 1998, was not a customer. It was also mentioned that due to track and building construction, the rails to the north of the Campbell's facility could not be relaid. That may not be completely true after all. Campbell's, the GLOR, the OWR, and the City of Napoleon have all been in talks about resuming direct rail service to the plant.
The previously used railroad bridge across the Maumee River is still in place, and the ROW largely remains clear. A canning plant manufacturing facility was built across the former ROW, but it turns out the facility was built with the possibility of reinstalled rail service to the complex. The building was built in such a manner that the railroad can construct tracks through the building onto the property adjacent to the building on the complex. This portion of the building was built to allow two tracks, one for unloading product and one for running through the building. It was also built so panels from the roof could be removed, allowing for open air passage to prevent the accumulation of diesel exhaust within the building.
The bridge over the river is still intact, however the rest of the trackage would need to be rebuilt and repairs to the bridge structure would be required. In addition, a bridge over US424 (East Riverview Ave) would also need to be reconstructed as it was removed between 10 and 15 years ago.
The funding for this project would come from the OWR / GLOR, Campbell's, Silgan, the State of Ohio and Federal grant funds. Ann additional source of funding has also been presented for part of the project, but that would require the railroad to use electric (battery) or hydrid power on the line to the plant. The funding would either pay for said locomotive(s), or if they are purchased for less, go towards the cost of the project.
In addition to the rebuilding of this spur, there would need to be additional rail infrastructure improvements to the area, specifically the rebuilding of the yard tracks in the Campbell's facility, and the passing siding in Napoleon would need to be reconstructed.
The OWR / GLOR is requesting a minimum of 100 carloads per week into and out of the facility for a period of not less than 10 years as part of the projecting planning agreements, offset by any carloads additional customers on the rebuilt portion of the line may generate. There are a couple other potential customers looking to access the railroad, but those would be a car a month if not less.
Estimated products to be carried to the plant would include tin plate (the Silgan's plant), tomato and other vegitable product, sweeteners and other various food additives. It is not anticipated that much if any product would be shipped outbound, although that could change depending on the product and its destination.
If the project does end up moving foward, it is estimated that the work would start in the spring of 2025 and completion of the project would be in late 2026, assuming all required permits are issued in a timely manner.
The total distance of the reinstalled "main" track would be approximately 4500 feet , with an additional roughly 2000 feet of sidings and spur tracks.
Also, a decision was reached regarding the possibility of reinstalling the tracks to the Gerald Grain Center in Liberty Center. This is not a project that will get funding, and given Gerald's other locations, would not make financial sense to complete.
Re: Ohio Western Railroad
There have been no significant changes with the OWR in recent months. The desired rebuilding of the spur is still in the planning stages. There are a lot of moving parts and as of now the required permits needed for such a project have not been applied for, so the projects start date likely would not be until at least the Fall of 2025 if not next spring, depending on when the process was initiated.
A competing proposal has now also been offered in Napoleon for a transload facility to be built alongside the OWR for transloading all traffic to Campbell's / Silgan. (Several warehouses already get service for the plants as well). The new facility would be located east of the current industrial area and north of the expressway. This proposal would include something both locals and Ohio's DOT want, the seperation of the OWR line and the expressway. Currently the OWR crosses the expressway at grade. This project, which is much more in demand by ODOT would also allow for access to the Industrial Rd bridge across the river.
A competing proposal has now also been offered in Napoleon for a transload facility to be built alongside the OWR for transloading all traffic to Campbell's / Silgan. (Several warehouses already get service for the plants as well). The new facility would be located east of the current industrial area and north of the expressway. This proposal would include something both locals and Ohio's DOT want, the seperation of the OWR line and the expressway. Currently the OWR crosses the expressway at grade. This project, which is much more in demand by ODOT would also allow for access to the Industrial Rd bridge across the river.