Fremont - Clyde: Best weekday to see trains?

I am planning on taking the kids to Fremont this week to ride the bike trail that runs to Clyde. In years past, we have usually gone on a Tuesday, and have had pretty good luck seeing trains on the the tracks that run parallel to the trail. Typically we would see at least three trains between 6 and 8 PM.

But the predicted weather for this Tuesday is still a little cool. I would rather now go on Wednesday or Thursday, when the temperatures will be a little bit warmer and the kids won't get cold while biking.

I was wondering if the traffic is as good on Wednesday or Thursday as it is on Tuesday. If any one knows how many trains can be expected between 5 and 7:30 PM or so on those days, please let me know. The last thing I want is to go all that way and not see any trains while we are biking.

Thanks, in advance. Drew

Hey Drew, traffic on the Chicago line has been busiest in the wee hours of Wed and Thur morning. I have 2 delivery routes west of Toledo and cross the main 5 times between 1 and 5 AM each day and have noticed this trend. That said, I would think those 2 days would be, at the very least, every bit as good as a Tuesday along the Bellevue Route, as most of this line's traffic now comes from that Chicago line. But its just a guessing game.

If you get there early enough say, 4 or 5, you may catch the Wheeling and Lake Erie train headed to Bellevue, I usually see it in the late afternoon around Clyde.

Now is probably a good time to go because by Mid May, the foliage between the trail and the tracks will be so thick you'll only be able to see the tracks from grade crossings.

Let us know what you see, I'll be headed out there next weekend.

Geeze it's been awhile since I've been here! But that shouldn't be an issue much anymore, thank goodness!

I'm actually from Fremont, born and raised. I just moved back for the summer last week too. The traffic on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is usually just about the same. I don't think you'd miss much by putting it off a day.

I realize this post is a little late, but I figured it'd inform you of any future visits or someone else's future visits. I might even see some of you guys if you come over this way this summer, I do a boatload of local railfanning around Fremont.

Happy fanning!

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chessie8212 wrote:Geeze it's been awhile since I've been here! But that shouldn't be an issue much anymore, thank goodness!

I'm actually from Fremont, born and raised. I just moved back for the summer last week too. The traffic on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday is usually just about the same. I don't think you'd miss much by putting it off a day.

I realize this post is a little late, but I figured it'd inform you of any future visits or someone else's future visits. I might even see some of you guys if you come over this way this summer, I do a boatload of local railfanning around Fremont.

Happy fanning!

Well, I didn't get chance to get out there until Tuesday, May 17, but we did manage to see three trains during
our 12.5 mile trip. Here are some pix from my trip with my son Shaun, age seven and daughter Rose, age five.


Here is a shot of of our first train. Wouldn't you know it - the kids had to go to the bathroom and we missed
the beginning. But hey, if you want it to rain, just wash your car...



Here is a shot of my daughter riding EB toward Clyde. There was no way that she was going to make it all
the way to Clyde on her bike so the plan was for her to ride two miles, then we would ditch her bike, and
she would ride in the wagon (which I was pulling) the rest of the way. Then, on the way back, we would
retrieve it and she would ride two miles back.


Every time we came to an intersection, I had my son look to see if a train was coming, so we could view
the train where visibility was highest and there wasn't a lot of vegetation. No luck this time though.


The kids taking a rest, about halfway to Clyde.


Downtown Clyde. We had ditched Shaun's bike in a hidden place at the five mile point and we rode the rest
of the way with the wagon. (I had been pulling the kids in the wagon since they were tots. It was the only
way I could take both kids together on one trip. But this year, with almost 95 pounds between them, not
to mention the 25+ pound wagon, it was quite exhausting pulling them, even for three miles.)

The plan was for Shaun to bike a total of ten miles, with the balance of the trip with him in the wagon so he
could rest and ride five miles back. That way he could bike ten miles and we could go all the way to Clyde.


A shot of the kids in the wagon on the return




Finally, a good shot of a train!. We were about 1.5 miles on our way back, and had just retrieved Shuan's bike
and heard the far off horn fast approaching from Clyde. We raced to the next intersection in hopes of getting a
couple of good shots in time.

We would see one more train, an east bounder, less than 10 minutes later, but we didn't get a good look at it
because we were away from the clearings and there was a lot of brush. Oh well, at least we got a couple of
good views in.


This was the place where we had ditched Bethany's bike on the way out, just over two miles from the
Fremont Trail Head. We had hid the old bike between two parked trucks and it was still there when we
got back. Then again, who's going to steal a 15+ year old spraypainted Barbie bike! All rested, Bethany
rode the last two miles even faster than on the way out.


On a trip between Fremont and Clyde last year, we must have seen 25 bunnies at various points along the
trail. Some would dart in the brush as we approached while others stayed put really close to the edge of the
paved bikeway. This one seemed to have no fear at all.

Well, that's all folks! Shaun did manage to ride 10 miles, more than he had ever rode on a single trip. I am
glad that I brought the wagon though, because it enabled us to go all the way to Clyde instead of going only as
far as Bethany could go (three miles max) and then having to return.

Drew-

Looks like you had a pretty good time. Although I bet the kids had a better time than you did! Pulling over 100 pounds for that long can take a toll on anyone!

That's a really neat shot of the 9816 near the Whirlpool plant. Don't feel too bad for not being able to catch some of those trains. They really get moving on that line sometimes. Which is a change from what I remember as a little tyke before that trail was there (I used to walk the old dirt and stone "path" that was there before the trail). I always remembered them going a bit slower, but NS has done alot of work on that line over the years, and those trains can really cook between Clyde and Fremont.

Three trains isn't too bad. I usually see 3-4 when I make a trip, so you did pretty well. Too bad you didn't get to spot a WLE train though. I see them most often in the early morning and early afternoon.

You ditched the bike at as about as good a spot as any to do so. That old grain building hasn't been used for a loooong time. Plus, being that road there is a state route, traffic moves very quickly and not many people go slow enough to even notice the building itself!

Looks like the group had fun and that's the important thing. I'll be hitting the trail myself next week after I give my bike a good inspection (been since last summer since I rode it being that I left it here while at school).

Good pics Drew, looks like everyone had a good time. Sounds like the vegetation is getting in the way again but what can you do...

3 is a good # to see, too bad you couldn't catch the Wheeling run.

Your report makes me want to hop in the car this weekend...perhaps I just will.

What railroad used to run where that bike path is now?

Former Penn Central (ex-NYC Southern Division) "Norwalk Branch". The branch line ran from Millbury to Elyria. It was abandoned before Conrail took over in 1976.