Memorial Day weekend trip to Deshler and Fostoria (Ohio)

This past Memorial Day weekend, I spent the Saturday heading up to Deshler and Fostoria here in Ohio. As many times as I’d been to Fostoria, I’d never made it a little further west to Deshler.

After a stopping for lunch at the rest area south of Carey on US 23, I headed on to Deshler, passing through what was thankfully a brief rain shower on the way. At Hoytville, just west of CSX’s intermodal terminal west of North Baltimore, I got to wait on an eastbound stack train easing into the terminal.

http://youtu.be/rS56d3uq-Gk

Shortly after arriving in Deshler and finding the park, a westbound mixed freight came around the southeast wye and turned south. As it eased around the curve, a westbound tanker train rolled past on track 1. Shortly before the rear of the mixed freight, an eastbound tanker train turned south to follow the mixed freight.

http://youtu.be/LmH_7mgUDws

A westbound intermodal came through…

http://youtu.be/IyWOI_xpSKs

And then an eastbound mixed freight.

http://youtu.be/NV8EHO2g_6c

Soon after the mixed freight cleared, a northbound stack train eased around the wye, turning east. As it rolled around the curve, a hi-rail truck eased past on track 2 to follow the stack train east.

http://youtu.be/eGALe0EdN_E

A westbound mixed freight then went through Deshler.

http://youtu.be/AguLaO2zXkY

Right after the freight passed, the skies, which had been darkening, opened up. Everybody at the park started taking off. Looking at the radar on my phone, I could see the rain moving north and thinning out towards the east. I headed east to Fostoria and got into town just as the rain was letting up and the sun came out again.

As I pulled into the park, there was a southbound train of covered hoppers going past on CSX. Shortly afterwards, an eastbound CSX tanker train came through with BNSF power.

WOW. Like you hit the jackpot. Does this suggest that rail traffic might be picking up? Though only one NS.

I’ve been to Deshler several times now and have never been disappointed. Kept awake (I usually camp a night or two there), yes, but never disappointed.

Fostoria is just as entertaining, and even better now with the park.

If you have the ATCS for Deshler on your laptop, there is (usually) a wifi connection there and you can see the lineups…

Still have the B&O cpl’s in Deshler for now.The ATCS program won’t help because it’s satillite.There is a scanner at the park that will give you a heards up.With the longer trains some trains are held for quite awhile so they can all get through.

stay safe

Joe

Fostoria will be getting better, a caboose, trees and wi-fi are part of a park improvement project.

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Not sure I like all of that. Wifi is good, but the caboose and trees sound like impediments to watching trains. Right now, aside from the pavilion itself, there is an unobstructed view of almost the entire triangle.