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  • Lake Cities 2020

  • Discussion relating to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, the Erie, and the resulting 1960 merger creating the Erie Lackawanna. Visit the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society at http://www.erielackhs.org/.
Discussion relating to the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, the Erie, and the resulting 1960 merger creating the Erie Lackawanna. Visit the Erie Lackawanna Historical Society at http://www.erielackhs.org/.

Moderator: blockline4180

 #1499267  by Dcell
 
As January 4, 2020 will mark the 50th anniversary of the final run of The Lake Cities, the last long distance passenger train, I was wondering how much of the Route is still intact? Could a train in theory run along the same route as The Lake Cities did on January 4, 1970 or are there rails that have been pulled up in the past 50 years?
 #1528419  by Spin
 
Very little of Marion Yard still exists, CSX does some switching there.

The route itself is out of service or pulled up long ago over much of the mileage west of Youngstown, Ohio.

In Ohio Ravenna to Kent and the Barberton to Rittman segments are operated by the Akron Barberton Cluster Railroad.

From West Salem to Mansfield it is operated by the Ashland Railway.

From Galion to Marion it is operated by CSX, it was the Erie/NYC joint double track.

West of Marion, nothing. The Dayton Branch is also history.

On the Cleveland line between Solon and E55th St in Cleveland are operated by another shortline, it's changed hands a couple times and I don't know who owns it. East of Solon and west of E. 55th St, it's all gone.

That's just about it for Ohio.
 #1528524  by ExCon90
 
It would have to run over the Graham Line today--wiki says the changeover from the original Main Line dates from 1983.

Belay that--I just realized it ran over the M&E beginning in the 1960's. (I tried to delete the entire post, but apparently you can't do that anymore.)
 #1542239  by urr304
 
You can only go as far west as Doughton, Oh where the former First Sub Mahoning joins the NS Youngstown line. That is just west of Hubbard.