Hocking Valley Track Parallel to I-280 in Toledo

[jimnorthwood]

I've driven I-280 for years, and until this week have never seen any activity on this track. Earlier this week I saw a CSX locomotive, a dozen or so tank cars, and a caboose. That was a surprise. Yesterday I saw this same lashup again. Does anybody know if this track is used fairly often, and I've just never seen any of the activity, or is this something new? Track used to extend to the Hocking Valley docks near the Craig Bridge.

[ToledoTerminalRy]

Jim
Im not sure of the train number but it is 95%of the time a CSX GP and some form of a open hopper (sometimes old ballast side dump hoppers) a number of tanks cars between 3 and 10 or so another open hopper and then a CSX Caboose. This train runs usually 2 times a week, and whenever the storage facility needs it. The facility is at the end of those HV tracks, you can see the buildings it serves from Front St at 280. Its on the right side just before the new on ramp to the Veterans Glass Skyway bridge (right side going away from downtown). It comes from the yard next to the Ann Arbor yard near Manhattan, down the fromer TT to just past Pickle Rd. in CSX's Oakdale Block. Once in the block they wait for a signal and shove back into the old HV track. They do their business and bring out other tanks lashed-up in the same manner. Come back to the Oakdale block and wait for a signal, and backup back towards their starting spot. They have been doing this for as long as I can remember, Im 24 and I grew up here watching trains on the TT from my backyard. I hope this helps you.

Ryan

[jimnorthwood]

Well, thank you very much for the info. I wonder how I managed to miss that train for all these years until last week, when I saw it twice on the evening commute home. And I wasn't aware that there was anything on the HV that required rail service, either.

Good info!

[ToledoTerminalRy]

Jim

This morning at approx. 7:30 there was a train sitting on the old HV siding. I dont know if it was picking up or dropping off but there was a similar consist as before.

Ryan

[jimnorthwood]

Thank you, Ryan. I must have just missed it, in that I drive through there at about 7:05-7:10 a.m. each morning on the way from our home in Northwood to work in the Detroit suburbs.

You must see a lot of neat stuff on the TT from your vantage point. When we lived in Toledo our next door neighbor worked for CSX (he probably still does, unless he has retired) as an engineer. He used to run from Walbridge to Flint McGrew, but now he has sufficient seniority that he can hold a daytime yard job in Walbridge and spend his evenings and nights at home.