Napoleon, Defiance and Western: The Definitive Thread

[Joshua Niederkohr]

Just sad for this abandonment. in Liberty Center to U.S. 24. Why didn't they build an overpass when they rerouted U.S. 24 a few years ago?

[CSX_CO]

Discontinuation of service isn't abandonment. Might be the first step, but it leaves the option open for now.

Probably didn't install an over pass because if increased expense. Give the railroad a fraction of the cost of the overpass as a olive branch, and pull the rails. Bridges have continuing expenses, where as pulling the crossing won't.

[MSchwiebert]

The crossing is on a section of 4 lane that was done in the mid 1960's as the US6/24 bypass around Napoleon. ODOT didn't feel the need for an overpass then either. The only way one will see an overpass there is if the Midwest high speed passenger service ever comes to pass as the ND&W to the I&O diamond was selected as part of the Chicago-Toledo (via Fort Wayne) route. Needless to say, that is a long way off - if it ever occurs.

Just sad for this abandonment. in Liberty Center to U.S. 24. Why didn't they build an overpass when they rerouted U.S. 24 a few years ago?

[Macowiec]

I just posted some vintage (1988) video of the N&W running from Defiance to Napoleon, taken by Doug Leffler:

http://tecumsehjunction.com/2016/12/31/ ... irca-1988/

[Waddy]

I saw your video on FB its really cool.

[AARR]

A N&W GP35 on Bloomberg trucks set up to run short hood forward. That's a rarity.

I just posted some vintage (1988) video of the N&W running from Defiance to Napoleon, taken by Doug Leffler:

[Y@]

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[h2466]

[quote="AARR"]A N&W GP35 on Bloomberg trucks set up to run short hood forward. That's a rarity.
[quote="Macowiec"]
Ordered by the Wabash, was to be there #549 but delivered as the N&W #1303. Ken.

[MQT1223]

Indiana Hi-Rail must've really destroyed the line. Tracks look fairly decent in the video and they were running 15-20 miles an hour it looks like in a few clips.

[ELwillie]

Indiana Highrail did the same to the Cloverleaf in Van Wert County. When I lived in Ohio City Norfolk and Western would roll through town at 15- 20 mph track was clear of brush and good shape. Then highrail took over, it was not long before they could barely make it to Delphos in one day, because of crawling speeds or falling off the track.

[ELwillie]

Indiana Hi-Rail corporate moto was 'Run the rails off the ties then walk away'

[mowingman]

Indiana Hi-Rail corporate moto was 'Run the rails off the ties then walk away'

And, that operating philosophy has not changed, as they still operate this way . Now they just call themselves IBCX, (Indiana Box Car Corporation)

[jrgerber]

What is the current locomotive roster looking like these days?

[Y@]

105, 1601, 1603, 1606, and 3054.

[jrgerber]

Thanks is the gettysburg unit gone

[Y@]

Thanks is the gettysburg unit gone

No. 105.

[MQT1223]

Anything in terms of track work planned for this year now that Pioneer got the money from Mothballing the one segment of existing Trackage?

[Joshua Niederkohr]

Indiana Hi-Rail must've really destroyed the line. Tracks look fairly decent in the video and they were running 15-20 miles an hour it looks like in a few clips.

I said the same thing when I saw the video. Indiana Hi-Rail did some to screw up the tracks. 50 years of deferred maintenance is bogus.

[JoJames]

Indiana Hi-Rail must've really destroyed the line. Tracks look fairly decent in the video and they were running 15-20 miles an hour it looks like in a few clips.

I said the same thing when I saw the video. Indiana Hi-Rail did some to screw up the tracks. 50 years of deferred maintenance is bogus.

Being 50 years old and living very close to the line along with working in the M&W side of a class one railroad. I will say this when Indina Hi-Rail took over during 11-89 it was maintained to class two standards being 25 mph. When nothing is done from that time it doesn't take much time as things will deteriate very quickly in a former swamp.

[jimnorthwood]

IHRC surely didn't do the line any favors during the time it was under their ownership, which was about seven years. MAW owned and operated it for twice as long, and although they did work with the ORDC for grants and loans, they weren't exactly meticulous when it came to maintenance, either. As JoJames notes this track traverses an area of northwest Ohio that was known as the Great Black Swamp. Ignore or defer ditching, drainage, tie replacement, etc for any length of time on a line that traverses an area with this background and it won't take very long to see the (negative) results.