PRR Columbus-New Paris OH Routes

[CPF363]

In the hay-days of the old PRR, they had two main lines between Columbus and New Paris, OH. One line went via Columbus-Xenia-Dayton-New Paris while the other went via Columbus-Bradford-Greenville-New Paris. Which line had more freight traffic on it, both through freight and local and were both lines double track and signaled? Were either line subjected to any grades significant curves? The line through Bradford was part of the old Panhandle mainline from Columbus to Chicago via Logansport, IN, did this line have a significant amount of through freight traffic also? Did the PRR route Pittsburgh and Columbus westbound traffic to Indianapolis and St. Louis primarily via Dayton or was it sent via Bradford?

[pumpers]

Here is a link to an employee timetable from 1954 for the Western Region, Columbus Division I found with Google. http://pennsyrr.com/kc/docs/downloads/e ... lumbus.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I haven't dug through it all, and I'm not an expert, but pages 28-29 and 32 show freight traffic west from Columbus via the 2 routes. Looks like more going on the Panhandle route overall, if I read it correctly, including the through freight for Indianapolis (Thorne). Seems like just local freight for Columbus/Xenia/Dayton/New Paris. For Indianapolis passenger traffic, (see around page 15 or so) it looks like it goes via Dayton/Xenia.
If you dig through it more, it might indicate double track and so forth. Some other timetables at http://pennsyrr.com/index.php/general/e ... timetables" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . It looks the "Southwest" division timetable is the continuation to Indianapolis
Have fun, JS

EDIT: dig more digging last night in the timetable. page 64
Columbus to Xenia: double track
Xenia to Dayton to New Paris: single track, except for a short section of double track through Dayton

Columbus to Bradford (Panhandle): double track, with a short section of 4-track in Columbus and triple track just west of Urbana
Bradford to New Paris : single track, with short section of double track Bradford to West Bradford

[pumpers]

One more thing from page 64: Freight speed limits on both routes were generally 50 mph, except for short stretches right in Dayton or Columbus. Passenger traffic was 20 mph or so faster. So the curves of both lines were not a big deal and everything was well maintained I assume. It looks like the PRR was still in very good shape in 1954! JS

[ExCon90]

Pumpers, thanks for the link. Lots of interesting stuff in there -- according to Special Instruction 1155-B2 at the bottom of page 62, it indicates that hog drenchers were still in service at Bradford, Selma, and Yard A Columbus in 1954. I don't know what craft that job belonged to -- or when the last shipment of live hogs took place on the PRR.

[edbear]

The route via Dayton was primarily the passenger main; via Bradford through freight. Up until World War II era, several through passenger trains ran via the freight main skipping Dayton entirely.