Napoleon, Defiance and Western: The Definitive Thread

[TC Man]

I was on US-24 near exit 13 (Cecil), and where there is a railroad underpass, a black locomotive pulling a tank and at least 10 short hoppers was passing under the highway. Reporting marks on the hoppers (at least the ones I could see) were LAFX. Searching this thread, it looks like there is a cement plant in the area, but it doesn’t appear they ship any cement out- has this changed? It was headed to the south. I assume this was the ND&W?

[AARR]

The cement plant in Cecil receives tank cars regularly and ships out cement on and off it seems.

I was on US-24 near exit 13 (Cecil), and where there is a railroad underpass, a black locomotive pulling a tank and at least 10 short hoppers was passing under the highway. Reporting marks on the hoppers (at least the ones I could see) were LAFX. Searching this thread, it looks like there is a cement plant in the area, but it doesn’t appear they ship any cement out- has this changed? It was headed to the south. I assume this was the ND&W?

[MSchwiebert]

The inbound material goes to Systech (an affiliate of LaFarge/Holcim- which becomes kiln fuel for the LaFarge Paulding operation. As others have stated, outbound cement is a hit or miss thing. The trackage to the the facility is former Cincinnati Northern accessed from Cecil.
http://go2systech.com/locations/paulding-ohio/

[jrgerber]

good overview of Pioneer Railcorp, discusses ND&W

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/s ... ce=prhome1

[MQT1223]

Thread BUMP...

Any updates on this?

[MSchwiebert]

I was out that way yesterday and it appears that the line has been indeed severed west of the US6/24 crossing as there's an obstruction/marker placed in the gauge. Crossing protection at the crossing however is still present and still marked "exempt". I also noticed the last time I was through Liberty Center that the Route 109 crossing had the final remnants of the flashers (the crossbucks had been gone for years) removed as well. There's also track equipment and evidence of track work between the Napoleon Industrial park area and "downtown" Napoleon.

[jimnorthwood]

I was out that way yesterday and it appears that the line has been indeed severed west of the US6/24 crossing as there's an obstruction/marker placed in the gauge. Crossing protection at the crossing however is still present and still marked "exempt"

Yes on both. We spent Monday checking out the ND&W. We started in Napoleon. There were several MWCX open hoppers at the far east end of the line, shoved as far as aforementioned obstruction/marker. 1601 was switching the industrial park in Napoleon. We saw a cut of cars on the main just west of the industrial park. 1601 eventually came to retrieve that cut of about eight cars, a mix of boxcars and covered hoppers, and took those east into the industrial park, too. We had seen the Napoleon-Defiance operation a number of times. But we had never explored west of Defiance. So we drove to Defiance with the intent of going further west. In Defiance the Gettysburg unit was in the yard. There were lots of cars, but nothing was moving, which meant the other locomotives had to be out on the line somewhere west of Defiance. There were about four cars on the interchange track. We headed west. There was one tank car in the new siding in Cecil. In Antwerp there were about a half dozen covered hoppers. After hanging out in Antwerp for about fifteen minutes we saw a headlight for an approaching eastbound. 1603 was pulling a few boxcars, one tank car, and about 10 cement hoppers. Again we headed west, for Woodburn. In Woodburn the 3054 was sitting at the NS interchange, with a few cars around, too. The NS local with its caboose was switching the B.F. Goodrich plant. We drove back east, and caught up with 1603 and its train just west of Cecil. We assume 1603 backed the bulk of its train down the old CN, but we didn't stick around to watch. We drove back to Defiance, hoping we might catch the 1603 moving across the diamond. We didn't, but we did get to see 1601, which by that time had returned from Napoleon, switching Johns Manville. 1606 was coupled behind 1601, although it was not running. They switched a few cars out of JM, and then picked up some cars in the yard to switch in to JM. The short but very warm (82 degrees) October day was rapidly coming to an end, so we left with 1601 having just eased its cut of three cars into JM. All in all we spent a very enjoyable day checking out the ND&W. Friendly crew guys, too.

[Robertrains]

OK, how has the NP&W track improved since they started? Is is still very bad and "Rickety?" I have not been there since 1-26-2015! I want to go back before it is "Re-built" a lot! I'm feeling the track will stay bad for a few more years, correct (if anyone knows)?

[MQT1223]

OK, how has the NP&W track improved since they started? Is is still very bad and "Rickety?" I have not been there since 1-26-2015! I want to go back before it is "Re-built" a lot! I'm feeling the track will stay bad for a few more years, correct (if anyone knows)?

It's better because it's actually being worked on versus no work during the MAW days. It will never be high speed again, but with the amount of work it needs things will only slowly improve.

[jimnorthwood]

Yes, many improvements since the Pioneer takeover. Per one of their TIGER grant applications that I read online, their goal is to be able to run a loaded 30 car train from one end of the line to the other. Think of the property as a fixer upper house that until Pioneer's purchase, had had little if any maintenance in 30+ years. But in this case, the house is 50 miles long.

[MQT1223]

Yes, many improvements since the Pioneer takeover. Per one of their TIGER grant applications that I read online, their goal is to be able to run a loaded 30 car train from one end of the line to the other. Think of the property as a fixer upper house that until Pioneer's purchase, had had little if any maintenance in 30+ years. But in this case, the house is 50 miles long.

Longer then 30 years. I bet the Wabash was the last one to do any serious work. I wonder if any records exist.

[jimnorthwood]

Could be 50 years. It would seem Norfolk @ Western would have done something along the lines of maintenance during their 25 years of ownership, but who knows. I used 30 years as the benchmark on account IHRC purchased the track in 1989, thus marking the beginning of the shortline era for this line.

[JStryker722]

Could be 50 years. It would seem Norfolk @ Western would have done something along the lines of maintenance during their 25 years of ownership, but who knows. I used 30 years as the benchmark on account IHRC purchased the track in 1989, thus marking the beginning of the shortline era for this line.

Im sure N&W did some work on the line like tie replacement but from what I ever read on the line,the Wabash were the last ones to do real serious work on the line was 1964 before the merger.

[Notch 8]

Could be 50 years. It would seem Norfolk @ Western would have done something along the lines of maintenance during their 25 years of ownership, but who knows. I used 30 years as the benchmark on account IHRC purchased the track in 1989, thus marking the beginning of the shortline era for this line.

Im sure N&W did some work on the line like tie replacement but from what I ever read on the line,the Wabash were the last ones to do real serious work on the line was 1964 before the merger.

The only real work this line has had is when they built it ! I do give Pioneer credit as they have sunk money into it since they purchased it

[Coaltrain]

Does anyone know how often each customer gets served per week by the ND&W?

Thanks!
Jordan

[wildcatsa1fan]

We at the cement plant and Systech are using rail about two to three times a week. Cement inventory is low so we aren't shipping as much as Columbus would like. Systech very busy but not using much of the rail cars right now. Truck in bounds are keeping them busy.

[JoJames]

Does anyone know how often each customer gets served per week by the ND&W?

Thanks!
Jordan

I would say if the customer calls. There ready to service. Only way they will keep and build business.

[AARR]

It seems they go to Napoleon five days a week and the Manville plants in Defiance are switched several times a week. From what I've read they handle about 2000 cars a year (about eight per weekday) all customers combined.

Does anyone know how often each customer gets served per week by the ND&W?

Thanks!
Jordan

[jrgerber]

From the ORDC minutes as of July 2016 they still hadn't heard re the TIGER grant. Anyone have an update?

[jimnorthwood]

STB grants the Discontinuance of Service for the easternmost five miles, into Liberty Center. Effective date is December 16, 2016. The sole shipper in LC is relocating its transload to Naopleon. Grade crossings will be pulled but rail will be left in place elsewhere.

https://www.stb.gov/decisions/readingro ... /45387.pdf