Bellevue

A quick question...I'm going to be heading to Bellevue this coming Sunday to check out the Nickel Plate museum there for the first time. While I'm there, I want to check out any good places to watch trains, but since it's my first time being there, I'm pretty much in the dark. Anyone have any good suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Hey Mike, I've always had trouble finding viewing spots in Bellevue. I hear some people watch from the overpass of route (4?) but it sounds kinda busy and noisy to me. From hear you get a good view of the engine servicing facility and the mains but I've never gotten out up there.

Let me know if you find a good place.

If you want ground level photos, use the Center St. or Cemetery St. crossings. There is a parking area at each.

Also, on the South Side just past the Columbus Line / Ft. Wayne Line junction, there is a good viewing area with parking. (If there is no event at the Italian - American Social Club, you can usually park in the back lot under the trees.

Depending on traffic flow, you might also want to take a look at Attica Jct. where the Columbus Line crosses the CSX mainline. South on SR-269 / 4 about 12 miles.

Also, you could take a run up to Bay Jct. (CP-242) on the West Side of Sandusky where the Columbus Line crosses the Water Level Route.

Hey Mike if you haven't left yet and you see one, pick me up one of those calanders that we got that one day in Berea, I think they are made by the people who run the museum. I'll pay you back when your back in town.

Just if you get the chance, thanks Mike.

Your best bet is to sit in the back lot of the factory on Cemetary Street. You'll be able to see all the movements in town except for those to the south that take the "New Have Connection" from Columbus to Ft. Wayne. You should be able to see a few Wheeling & Lake Erie trains sitting at this location, too. I saw three today before noon.

Your best bet for catching any movement in the city and understanding what you do see if you keep your scanner going at all times. Be sure to monitor all of the NS and the Wheeling frequencies.

Just a heads up, the "Columbus Line" mentioned above is actually called the "Sandusky District" by Nofolk Southern. There is another route in Ohio called the Columbus Line that is an ex-Conrail line.

Matt,

I didn't see any of those calendars while there. It's possible I just missed them though. I believe the people the people that run the museum do in fact make those calendars.

Railohio,

I saw that parking lot, but was hesitant to park there with it being my first time in Bellevue. I did notice that you could see pretty much the entire area from thie crossing, but alas, I chickened out. I don't think I had all the right frequencies either.

I had the following entered in:
NS Bellevue DS: 160.440
Cleveland Term. DS: 160.620
Wheeling: 161.025
Sandusky Dist. DS: 161.190
NS exNKP Lines: 161.250

If there are others, please let me know. Thanks.

A few highlights of passing trains while checking out the museum...

A westbound W&LE rock train with a Bessemer tunnel motor on the point and an unpatched Rio Grande tunnel motor trailing.

An eastbound doublestack with two BNSF dash-9's pulling.

A south to westbound Triple Crown roadrailer with 2 dash-9's and a patched Rio Grande Tunnel motor for the 3rd unit. Total of 115 trailers.

I usually set up at two places in Bellevue.

First is the parking lot for the musuem, labelled here as 1.

Most often, I sit in a small stone lot across from a pizza place right near the yard leads. It's a great spot and I've never been hassled by either NS or local police, who have seen me there multiple times, so I make sure to always be responsible.

The tracks aren't to scale by any means, but that's the general location of them.