Erie Lackawanna, Decatur Indiana, Ohio City Ohio

[JJRaff1822]

@EL3679 I agree - April 1, 1976 was a day of infamy for those of us east of the Mississippi River. Bad as PC was, it was still an exciting railroad scene in Ohio. All CrapRail did was wholesale abandonments - including almost ALL of the EL which I can remember seeing in Lima and Urbana, Ohio as a kid. I can still remember the large car plant in Bowlusville (Springfield) and seeing the plant switched by EL power several times back in the day. At least we've still got the photos, I guess.

[franky98765]

@JJRaff1822 Yeah, it sure was, just like the EL in this area, Erie was way ahead of there time around here. It's hard to believe even today yet 30 years later that all that infrastructure was pretty much just trashed, even today the 50-60 mile distance that I am close to still has roadbed better then some railroads still operating.

[PhilbruProduction]

Beautiful images + beautiful music = a good video. Thank you.

[franky98765]

@PhilbruProduction Thank you so much, I appreciate it.

[conrailman]

Do you know where that Conrail shot was taken showing the rail removal train on the EL line? I thought LB Foster removed all the EL rails across Indiana.

[franky98765]

@conrailman That's what I thought as well, I found this pic. on-line it said it was taken just inside the Ohio Line, near Wren Ohio, I believe, or right between there and Glenmore. I don't know for sure on that though, I found various pics on-line describing the former EL in Decatur showing double-track, and there hasn't been double for years, anywhere in Decatur of the EL, let alone have hoppers parked on it for storage.

[K9FON]

The elevator at Glenmore hasnt used rail service in years. They ship by truck.

[franky98765]

@K9FON Yeah, I was kind of curious of the last time that it was, was it in the 97'- time-frame, at the end of the SPEG operation or did RJ Corman run over there yet afterwards to Glenmore?

[K9FON]

RJ Corman started running the line back in about 1997. SPEG stopped running under IHRC in the fall of 1993.

[franky98765]

What did Corman do, run it for a few years after that yet, or was that pretty much it for them around 97' as well.

[animalou812]

it will open it up to glennmore. they would use all that track for storage.

[animalou812]

the line west of elgin might open back up. a rail car company wants to build a 40 acre plant by ohio city and use the rest of the track for storage. they are hashing out a interchange fee with corman and csx. it that goes good the tracks will open back up.

[franky98765]

Wow, that would be good news, especially for Ohio City area, what a "Ghost Junction" that is, too bad it didn't re-open the whole section to Glenmore again, it's in pretty good shape yet.

[animalou812]

they would open it up to glennmore. they would use it all for storage. they want to handle 90 cars at a time.

[ma7799]

@animalou812

I just heard of plans to remove the line to Glenmore. I hope that does NOT happen!

[franky98765]

@ma7799 Yep, they are taking bids for removal, it's on the VanWert County website. I was just over there yesterday, all signage is now removed from just a couple miles West of Elgin, all the way to Glenmore, 10 miles. I took some "last pictures" yesterday, may be a few months yet, but will all be gone after that.

[ma7799]

@franky98765

Could you please get some pics of Ohio City ASAP? I want one last look at that place before it become a railroad ghost town.

[ma7799]

@franky98765

Could you please get some pics of Ohio City ASAP? I want one last look at that place before it become a railroad ghost town.

[franky98765]

@ma7799 O.K., got some yesterday, also last summer and Fall as well, I will put some kind of video together, or slide presentation, I have nothing else to do.... ha

[ma7799]

@franky98765

Could you please get some pics of Ohio City ASAP? I want one last look at that place before it become a railroad ghost town.

[ma7799]

@franky98765

Could you please get some pics of Ohio City ASAP? I want one last look at that place before it become a railroad ghost town.