I know this is going to start a big discussion on Fostoria and I do have a lot of questions to ask. I just found out yesterday that there is going to be a Rail Festival at Fostoria Ohio on September 19th, 2009. Here’s more info about it - http://www.fostoriairontriangle.com/railFEST.htm I might be going to Fostoria this day to see the Train Festival and to watch some real trains, but I don’t know if I’m going. Right now it’s like a 30 to 100 chance I might be going. But, before I might go there I do have a few questions about area and the area for watching trains. The first question I have to ask is, Is Fostoria a nice town? Where is the best place to sit and watch trains go by without someone bothering you or a good location to watch trains? Is by the Station on South Main Street a good location? How many trains a day take the NS mainline? How many trains a day take the CSX Williard Sub? How many trains a day take the CSX main that goes north and south? Is a Saturday the busiest for train traffic through here? Is traffic higher on Saturday Evening’s? What was the Train Festival like last year, if there was any? So if anybody has any info they like to tell me then go right ahead. Right now it’s maybe.
I’ve only been there once, but it’s a great location. there are sidewalks along both sides of the track near the B&O station. Don’t cross the tracks, except at the grade crossings. They’re not far away, so it’s not a big inconvenience, and it keeps CSX happy. Remember, a happy CSX is a fence-free CSX!
Also, stay away from any area inside the tracks near the tower and the connecting tracks on the B&O/C&O diamond.
Judging from the plan for the railroad park shown on the website you linked to, it looks like it’s going to be a great park. Just hope they don’t put fences up by the station.
Well someone else mentioned one of the big don’ts.here are 2 more
DO NOT try to go in the auto mixing center east of town off of Rt 12.
DO NOT try to go into Blair yard(NS) east of town or the C&O yard south of town.
The depot is a good place to shoot as is the old warehouse on columbus avenue but you might find yourself going from place to place at times.What is nice is if they continue the shuttle service from the diamonds to the high school for the train show.That is good.I also hate to burst a bubble but word is that due to budget problems the grant for the railpark is gone.Another nice spot to shoot is the tiffin ave overpass west of town.It has sidewalks and photo holes on the bridge.parking is available at a nearby park.Fostoria isn’t bad to shoot in the daytime but at night I wouldn’t hang around too long.
stay safe
joe
I figured that probably the depot would be a good place to film. What do you mean by going from place to place?
Where’s the Middle School with the Train Festival located at in Fostoria?
The middle school is located on the west end of town(off of rt 18).There are other model displays and events downtown as well.Usually they have someone handing out maps.
stay safe
joe
Is this a good place to railfan while in Fostoria - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzoz77xuGDg&feature=channel_page This is not my video.
Going from place to place means that you could find yourself moving from each corner of the triangle.You could be at the depot and something runs North on the C&O.You could be at the old warehouse and something comes through on the B&O.Pick your photo spots and shoot.
stay safe
Joe
the video is from the NKP/C&O diamonds.I wouldn’t be that close to that diamond myself.
stay safe
Joe
It looks like it was shot east of the diamonds, which would be on railroad property.
The best place I’ve found other than the railfan park’s future location is the B&O station platforms. From there, you can see all three routes through town and won’t miss a thing.
I have videos from 1996 up on YouTube of my visit there.
Kevin
All of these question are for Fostoria.
What frequency does the NS (NKP) Mainline use for calling Signals, Mileposts, and Detectors?
What frequency does the CSX (C&0) Mainline use for calling Signals, Mileposts, and Detectors?
What frequency does the CSX (B&O) Mainline or CSX (Williard Sub) use for calling Signals, Mileposts, and Detectors?
The frequency for NS is 161.250 (AAR 76).
For CSX, log on to 160.230 (AAR 08), 160.320 (14) and 161.520 (94).
May I suggest downloading the CSX Lake Div EET, the subdivision(s) info will help as to locations when you do pick up a train. Have a great time in Fostoria.
What do you mean by this, and a EET?
OK, I see the Frequencies, but which one is it that the Engineers use to call Signals and Milesposts around Fostoria? Which one picks up the Detectors around Fostoria?
All these question refer to downtown Fostoria.
What Milepost is the NS (NKP Line) at in Fostoria?
What Milepost is the CSX (B&O / Williard Sub) at in Fostoria?
What Milepost is the CSX (C&O Line) at in Fostoria?
If the CSX line is going West, does that mean the Mileposts add up? (This is an example of what I’m trying to say - (MP13 is at CSX Town and MP12 is East of CSX Town, so does that mean going East is subtracting Mileposts.)
If the CSX line is going East which way add’s up and which way subtracts Mileposts?
If the CSX line is going North and South which way add’s up and which way subtracts Mileposts?
Sorry for all these questions. I hope you understand this question I’m asking because I really don’t know which direction add’s or subtracts Milepost or Control Points. Thanks.
On the Columbus Sub and Willard Sub the road frequency is 160.23 (AAR08), the dispatcher uses 161.520(AAR94). I made an error (oops, apologize for that) its not EET, but ETT. If you go to Yahoo and put in “CSX GreatLakes Division Employee Timetable” it will guide you to a site where you can download the time table. This will answer all your questions about mileposts, nearby detectors you can pick up on your scanner, signal locations they call out, etc. You can do the same for the NS Fostoria District.
I have visited Fostoria many times, but never gone there.
How can that be? I listen in on the web scanner feed. Go to greatlakeslive.com and click on audio and then Fostoria. I am listening in now. With the ETT, plus the reference for Fostoria on the Hot Spots section of this website, you will be up and running within a couple of days.
Keep track of the trains for an hour and you will catch on to the locations, track numbers, and the activity. There are certain trains which are very regular.
I really havent listen much the past year, so the automotive traffic is probably diminished, but it is still a busy location.
ed
I’ve been listening a lot yesterday and today and I hear a lot of engineers saying crossing malfunctions at State Route 43 and Road 59 in Fostoria. Also, yesterday from 4:00PM to 6:12PM there were 13 trains that went through. That’s a lot of trains. I guess that’s why they call it the Train Capital of the East along with Berea.
Wrawroacx,
It’s Rich. I have been to Fostoria countless times, and feel that I may be able to help you out a bit.
First off - while I don’t necessarily encourage railroad trespassing, being around the diamonds at Columbus Avenue (where the C&O and NKP cross) and Main Street (where the B&O and NKP cross), won’t get you in much trouble. The worst harm it could do, is attract the attention of a local Operation Lifesaver Representative woman, who to this day, hasn’t talked to anyone who has been interested in hearing what she has to say. She is a nuisance. She forces railfan train packets into your hands, and feeds you a bunch of balogna stories about getting too close to trains. Block her out, if you can. Fair warning! (She’ll also go on for at least 20 to 25 minutes about the town’s photo contest too). To top if off, you don’t even have to do anything wrong, to get her to talk to you. Just avoid her, if possible.
As for the train traffic, well, it is heavy all day long. On the B&O line, you will get about 50 to 60 train movements per day (no matter what day of the week it is). Not ALL will continue straight through town on the B&O. Rather, several will turn on the connections to head either north or south on the C&O. The C&O is decent with traffic north of the B&O diamonds, with about 20 to 24 train movements per day. South of the B&O diamonds, the C&O only gets about a dozen (at tops) per day. The NS former NKP line gets about 20 to 24 per day, with several locals (all lead by SD40-2 high noses) and yard jobs. Blair Yard and the Mixing Center keep NS radio chatter going. And a CSX autorack local - H795 - out of Toledo, transfers to NS trackage to work at the Mixing Center once per day.
The frequencies are pretty easy. NS’ road channel is 160.250. A lot of the yard jobs and locals talk on this channel too. The CSX road channel for this area is 160.230. Yard jobs and locals talk on both 160.530 and 161.160 in this area. The dispatcher channel
I didn’t think it was TOO bad, but as the sun sets on a warm summer evening, the less savory townies start showing up in large numbers. Kids, mostly, but noisy and annoying. On Sunday morning, however, it turned into a virtual ghost town.