Possible bad news for Bellevue railfanning

[Bellevue_Guy]

In today's Bellevue Gazette it is stated that NS wants to permanently close 5 railroad crossings in the Bellevue tower area. They are: Center St (which has been closed for months already), all 3 crossings on Monroe (Toledo connection, old NKP, Lakeshore connection) and East St (Brewster connection.) An "alternate route" for street traffic would then be made by connecting McKim St to Dewey St which would create 2 new crossings (Lakeshore and Brewster connections.)

If this were to happen, it would effectively cut off railfans from the Bellevue tower and really restrict movement around that area. It's also unknown what will happen with the property the railroad museum now owns across from Bellevue tower and wants to turn into a railfan viewing platform.

This isn't final, our City Council will have the final say, and sounds like there are still many little things to be worked out. I'll update this thread as the situation develops.

Edit: here's a link to one of the 2 articles about it - http://thebellevuegazette.com/local-new ... crossings/

[Bellevue_Guy]

One thing I'll speculate on...

If NS is willing to add the new crossings for the alternate route, then that means they are either...

1. Going to then turn around block them all the time with the WLE trains that currently wait on those tracks
2. Going to have the WLE trains stop before those crossings, which would mean blocking Prairie and Bauer more often
3. Planning on putting one of the diamonds back in

That last one is something that's apparently been rumored. And it could be one of the reasons they want to close the Monroe St crossings.

[redside20]

They should've thought about that before they closed Cemetery Street. How are people going to get out to the Rec Center or when they have activities out there? They might as well underpass Monroe Street.

[esprrfan]

I guess I should take a trip through there again, its been almost a year

[Bellevue_Guy]

There hasn't been a lot of news on this yet, though there is a public hearing scheduled for Tuesday May 29 after a city council meeting, so maybe we'll find out then if they have decided whether or not to do this.

On another note regarding Bellevue railfanning, the site across the street from Bellevue tower that was donated to the railroad museum to be a viewing platform is now open. The no trespassing sign has been removed and benches have been added. Yesterday was the first time I saw anyone using it.

[TrainWatcher]

Well thats going to complicate things, especially for the Mad River and NKP Museum isn't it....

[redside20]

Well thats going to complicate things, especially for the Mad River and NKP Museum isn't it....

What are you referring too James?....

[Bellevue_Guy]

Well thats going to complicate things, especially for the Mad River and NKP Museum isn't it....

It would complicate their brand new rail fan platform I just mentioned and railfanning the Bellevue tower area in general. But as the for the museum location itself, no, Southwest St is not one of the crossings they want to close.

[redside20]

There not planning to close the crossings down by New Haven Connection are they?

[Bellevue_Guy]

No, or at least that hasn't been mentioned. The crossings that have been mentioned are:

-Monroe St across the Toledo conection
- Monroe St across the NKP
- Monroe St across the Lakeshore connection
- Center St (already closed across the NKP, would keep that closed and likely close its crossing over the Brewster connection as well)
- East St across the Brewster connection

[Bellevue_Guy]

According to today's Bellevue Gazette it appears that the city is going to tell NS to pound sand. It looks like none of the crossings will be closed and that Center St would probably reopen.

Nothing official yet though, this is based on what the mayor and safety service direction told the public at last night's hearing.

[redside20]

According to today's Bellevue Gazette it appears that the city is going to tell NS to pound sand. It looks like none of the crossings will be closed and that Center St would probably reopen.

Nothing official yet though, this is based on what the mayor and safety service direction told the public at last night's hearing.

Because they know that Route 20 (Main Street) can't hold all that traffic in case something happens. Now NS is asking Clyde to close some of their crossings now too and this is my thoughts are this? Why did NS choose to make Clyde the rail grain terminal for Sunrise as it was in a congested area which the tracks run across Route 20? They had other elevators they could've had this operation out of, Attica, Green Springs, and Bellevue location by the museum. I think Green Springs could've been the best spot

[MSchwiebert]

It's called "posturing" (or "chicken" if you prefer). Mayor & Council stand up to the big railroad - Railroad sweetens the pot with something (upgrades to lights/gates at other crossings in town etc.) in exchange for closing the crossings originally asked for, and eventually everyone saves face and gets what they want. Went through the same thing here in Perrysburg - the closing of 3 crossings (all of which had serious design flaws) took over 10 years from when the idea was first floated to it actually being carried out, but after telling CSX "no" twice - it went through because CSX agreed to upgrade the all the crossings in town that didn't have full protection (gates and lights) to have them.

[Bellevue_Guy]

If that's the case, then I guess the thing Bellevue is posturing for would be annexation of the rail yard, which NS won't agree to. That, plus the fact that none of the NS proposals do anything to solve the pedestrian traffic issue, were two things that were mentioned in the article as reasons why it "wouldn't be a sound business decision to close any of the crossings"

[JohnnyO]

Isn't it more likely that Sunrise chose to make Clyde their grain terminal and told NS, this is where it is going to be?

[redside20]

Isn't it more likely that Sunrise chose to make Clyde their grain terminal and told NS, this is where it is going to be?

Your right JohnnyO, I didn't think about the business end of Sunrise's decision..I can take that into consideration too

[TrainWatcher]

Isn't it more likely that Sunrise chose to make Clyde their grain terminal and told NS, this is where it is going to be?

Your right JohnnyO, I didn't think about the business end of Sunrise's decision..I can take that into consideration too

The Grain loading at Bellevue at the Museum was a cramped operation, from words I have had with several members. And if NS and CSX want to do these 90 car grain trains, where or how were they going to shove and switch a 90 car grain train at that location and not have to uproot the museum or other things? NS is happy with the museum where they are and having to move them out just for seasonal grain trains makes no sense. The Clyde operation, albeit crowded as they do have to cross Route 20, it seems to make the better situation for the current time.

[redside20]

I already knew about what was going on in Bellevue James, because Sunrise stopped shipping out that location about 10 years ago. If they want to collect all their eggs in one basket at the Sunrise Elevator in Clyde, sounds like a sensible business decision to me.