NS Fostoria District Traffic

[NickThatRailfan]

So I have heard about the Fostoria District alot I always here different train counts on it some people have told me 5 trains a day ive been told 13 ive been told 20, etc. Whats true? Whats the train count on the Fostoria District is it alot? I know for being a single track and with PSR I doubt it will exceed 25 how many trains a day on the Fostoria District?

[joeyuboats]

rxThe NS line through Fostoria is double track. Used to have quite a bit of traffic, as did the CSX. Have not been there in a while due to being sick. My son and I once counted about 65 trains, ON BOTH LINES,CSX AND NS , in a 12 hour time frame. Don't know what it is now. Probably less.

[~Z~]

Nick - feel free to turn on the Fostoria webcam, count the number of NS trains over the past 12 hours. Wait 12 hours, pull up the camera feed again, rewind the previous 12 hours again and get a 24 hour count. Same advise we gave for getting CN train counts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siw7qIsn29Y

[NickThatRailfan]

Nick - feel free to turn on the Fostoria webcam, count the number of NS trains over the past 12 hours. Wait 12 hours, pull up the camera feed again, rewind the previous 12 hours again and get a 24 hour count. Same advise we gave for getting CN train counts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siw7qIsn29Y

Thats right I completely forgot about that cam, lol

[GTWTD3]

11 scheduled trains per day, 8 locals. Average day last week showed 12 trains (other than locals) through there, with high mark of last Monday having 17 trains and low mark of last Sunday having 9 trains

[penn central]

The last time I did 24 hours at Fostoria was in May of 2022 I can't believe its been a year and 7 months already but I got 8 trains on NS that is the lowest amount I ever got in a 24 period at Fostoria since I started going there in February of 1992. Back in the 1990s it was consistently between 20 and 30 trains per 24 hours on NS and then the breakup of Conrail happened and some trains where diverted by 2001.

[GTWTD3]

The last time I did 24 hours at Fostoria was in May of 2022 I can't believe its been a year and 7 months already but I got 8 trains on NS that is the lowest amount I ever got in a 24 period at Fostoria since I started going there in February of 1992. Back in the 1990s it was consistently between 20 and 30 trains per 24 hours on NS and then the breakup of Conrail happened and some trains where diverted by 2001.

Same. I'll never get used to the new counts

[penn central]

The last time I did 24 hours at Fostoria was in May of 2022 I can't believe its been a year and 7 months already but I got 8 trains on NS that is the lowest amount I ever got in a 24 period at Fostoria since I started going there in February of 1992. Back in the 1990s it was consistently between 20 and 30 trains per 24 hours on NS and then the breakup of Conrail happened and some trains where diverted by 2001.

Same. I'll never get used to the new counts

Yes sir the good old days of Fostoria back in the 90s.

[313 Railfan]

2025 Symbols:

Intermodal:
NS 258 (if routed via Fostoria)
NS 28N
NS 29C

Manifest/Autorack
NS 11E
NS 148
NS 302
NS 303
NS 304
NS 35N
NS 36N

Locals:
NS L70
NS L76

238/239 were abolished 12/16/24

[Erroneous Monk]

2025 Symbols:

Intermodal:
NS 258 (if routed via Fostoria)
NS 28N
NS 29C

Manifest/Autorack
NS 11E
NS 148
NS 302
NS 303
NS 304

Locals:
NS L70
NS L76

238/239 were abolished 12/16/24

That's it?? The fall off is impressive...

Has CSX fallen at a similar rate?

[313 Railfan]

2025 Symbols:

Intermodal:
NS 258 (if routed via Fostoria)
NS 28N
NS 29C

Manifest/Autorack
NS 11E
NS 148
NS 302
NS 303
NS 304

Locals:
NS L70
NS L76

238/239 were abolished 12/16/24

That's it?? The fall off is impressive...

Has CSX fallen at a similar rate?

I forgot 35N/36N, but yeah it’s nowhere near what it used to be.

[lakeshoredave]

I feel like NS has put all of their resources into the ex CR Chicago Line and will continue to run more and more trains that way.

[CSXBOY]

I feel like NS has put all of their resources into the ex CR Chicago Line and will continue to run more and more trains that way.

The few times I spent 10-12 hours on the NS Chicago line anywhere in Ohio in 2024 were the slowest I have ever seen the Chicago line. I would only get 15-20 trains in one day. Now that is better than anywhere in Michigan no doubt. But it would be just as busy as the CSX Willard Sub. The times I did the Willard Sub from North Baltimore to Deshler and spent that same amount of time I would end up with easily over 20. It is shame what NS has become because 6-10 years ago it would be completely different. From my observations the NS Chicago line from Toledo west towards Butler IN I don't think even touches 45 trains in a 24 hour period anymore. Plus CSX has better power variety, more foreign power and more trains it seems like. I will stick to the Willard Sub when I go railfan in NW Ohio

[GTWTD3]

Swanton train counts: 53 yesterday, 45 Tuesday, 46 Monday, 56 Sunday, 55 Saturday, 55 Friday, 57 Thursday = averages to 52 per day on the chicago line.

Fostoria train counts: 26 yesterday, 29 Tuesday, 18 Monday, 18 Sunday, 20 Saturday, 20 Friday, 28 Thursday = averages to 22 per day on the Fostoria district

*Disclaimer, these are movements. So a local going back and forth would count multiple times at Fostoria. 15 to 20 is a more realistic road freight count

[CSXBOY]

Wow 52 not bad at all for this time of year. I guess it just really depends on when they run them. That portion of the Chicago line has always been a very nocturnal line for years. Thank you for these counts. Much appreciated.

[GTWTD3]

I'd say it shifted a little bit, First shift (8am to 2pm) has the most trains through Vickers. Shift that back a couple hours to account for the run to Swanton, and it's still first shift is busier. Just like old times, second shift was slow, but the difference being thirds used to be nuts, now it's just busy with first being nuts. Pending any upcoming schedule changes

[lakeshoredave]

Appreciate your info! Super insightful when railfanning NS out in Ohio.

[NickThatRailfan]

272 and 273 also run the Fostoria District. You also forgot to add 259 for another intermodal, and for manifests, you still need to add 15Q, 38N, and 39N. Last I knew 35N run up to Toledo, then on through Bryan and turn at Butler.