I live right by the Cincinnati-Dayton mainline on CSX’s Toledo Sub and over the years I have seen only the occasional intermodal train. However, lately… I’ve been seeing alot of single-stacked intermodal cars at the front of auto trains and occasionally there will be a large double-stack train come through.
I haven’t paid as close attention over the last 10 years as I have for say, the lasy year… but I live so close that I think I would have noticed if there was as much intermodal traffic coming through as there is now.
That being said, a summer issue of Trains (August maybe?) said that CSX had plans within the next 5 years or so to make a large northeast freight corridor which a lot of intermodal traffic would go through. I could tell by the map that the Toledo sub would be part of the corridor.
Does this have anything to do with the recent intermodal activity? Are they doing testing to see how fast they can get an intermodal train through certain sections, etc? Or, am I blind and have just overlooked this same amount of traffic over the years? The only possible explanation I can think of for missing it over the years would be that they usually tend to come through town early in the morning, and I’m not always up that early. However, lately intermodal in various forms have been coming through at all different hours of the day, yesterday for example a long double stack train came through around 6pm.
well those single containers would be on q 231 which goes to louisville ky.also there have been some reroutes of trains due to the ice/snowstorm in southern indiana so they are using the toledo sub for a detour.as for more containers expect more.In north baltimore ohio(rt 18 and I-75) they (CSX)are going to build an intermodal facility.As part of the heartland corridor project on csx they could also send more intermodals down to cincinnati through deshler.If all goes well that southeast wye in deshler and fostoria itself will be buisier too.
I’m hoping as the Heartland Corridor eventually takes place I might see increased traffic levels through here. I’m probably the only person in town who wants to see MORE trains (I live in Carlisle, and the NS Cincinnati-Columbus former Conrail/PC/NYC/Big Four is literally as close as 100 feet or so from CSX’s main line in one spot of town, so most people get sick of trains) come through, but I especially like the potential for more intermodal traffic. I love double stack trains for some reason.
no problem.you shold see a q 501 and an r 121 today.we were in deshler for a bit this morning and heard the dispatcher talking them through Lima.I am more of a mixed frieght train person myself but any train will do.come to deshler if you get the time.
I think one of the trains you mentioned just came through. I’m not super familiar with the numbering system, but I’m guessing it was R 121 (seems like I remember 100-series being intermodal)? It had a few single containers, then some double stacks, then a long line of full tractor trailers on flat cars, a long line of empty intermodal well cars, then quite a few double stacks to round it out.
Was this another reroute or a train I could regularly expect to watch for?
r is a rerouted train.the q 501 was yesterdays 501.Todays 501(501-01) just passed through defiance and has a clear shot to Deshler.things look a bit crowded at south deshler according to the Atcs screen.not sure how long it would take to get past your place.
You seem to know alot about the area. Do you have much knowledge of the NS Cincinnati-Columbus line? I’ve always been curious about that line too because it is double-tracked for a large portion of it’s route, yet, as far as I can tell, doesn’t get nearly the traffic that the CSX single-tracked main w/sidings gets. I’m not sure why NS and formerly Conrail keep it double tracked for an equal or even lesser amount of traffic that CSX can get through a mostly single tracked line.
I’m hoping to visit Deshler for a day some time in the spring. I’m an engineering student at Wright State so I don’t get much free time for a day trip during the quarter, but I’m hoping during spring break I can pick a day and head up there to watch all the action - I hear there’s alot of great places to railfan in the area!