Great Miami Railway is now a US Rail coporation. US rail have run the GMRY name and operations into the ground. Currently GMRY / US Rail is using a LTEX 1415 GP15-1 in orange and black. They have the FLSX #1 GMRY #20 & #70 all sitting out next to the river. Unknown if they are operational. The GMRY is switching the Smart Paper mill in Hamilton, Ohio.
In Franklin, Ohio NS comes south from Moraine, Ohio to due switching. There used to be 2 roofing places in franklin, but one has closed up and is turning into a transload operation. The switcher will hit Mound corporation and then duck into the Franklin spur when it works. Point of interest. Catching the local on the bridge in the industrial track and the small segament of street running.
Middletown, CSX, NS, I&O, Industrial's: AK STEEL, EVERTZ Tech, Precision, Worthington, SOS, Cohen Bros. Some are accesible, some are not. I am local to middletown and if i can, will give you the dime tour if wanted.
Worthington Steel: located in monroe, ohio. Exit #29 of I-75. St rt.63. Take it west to New Garver Road and turn right. Follow garver rd around to a plastic manufacturer (stone throw from I-75) Turn left on a small side street and head towards a huge blue building. You might be able to get a good shot of the blue GP7 or GP9 that they have in use.
Precision Strip: Loactes in Middletown, Ohio on Oxford State Road. It is near the cincinati-dayton rd end. Take exit #32 from I-75. Go west on st rt 122 to cincinati-dayton rd. turn left on cincinati-dayton rd then go to Oxford State rd and turn right. You will cross a track and on the left is Precision. They have a critter of some sort (read 44 tonner, 80 tonner idea) it may be visible, may not. Directly across from Precision is the AK Steel complex.
Ak Steel: NOT RAILFAN FRIENDLY!!! Do not let any security see you taking pics. They go ballistic. You can still get shots of the fleet from public access, but it can be trying. The complex is about 2400 acres and very big. They oprate sw1200's ( ithink that is what they are) in RC mode. Red, WHite and Black snappy scheme.
SOS: Middletown, Ohio, Follow same directions for precision strip, but do not turn at Precision. Keep going straight. Turn left at Yankee Rd. cross one track and on the right side is SOS and Quaker CHemical. Only SOS has a Trackmobile.
Cohen Brothers Scrap Yard. Follow SOS directions, but turn right on Yankee rd and follow down quite a ways down. Yankee will turn into University. Cohen will be on left side when road gets wide. They have a Critter and i dinky in there (read 44 tonner, 80 tonner idea and a small end cab 2 wheel job)
Evertz Tech: My employer, inside a closed complex guarded by gates. Has a Trackmobile 4600
CSX has a yard in Middletown at the south end of town. It can be reached from Oxford State Rd. Not very photogentic. NS has a yard on the south east side of town off of cincinati-dayton rd. Not photgentic. Yardmasters and trainmasters on duty at both locations. No PD that i know of. NS & CSX both have 4 yard jobs per 24 hours. Numerous Trains dedicated to AK Stell.
Coils, Ore, Coal, Slabs, Coke & etc... Many road freights and an occasional I&O thrown in. West of Middletown is CSX's Toledo Sub. Hard to chase.
Story.... I had the opprotunity to follow a I&O south from Moraine Yard towards Middletown. I did not have a chance of keeping up throught the little towns and such.
To get frequencys and such, i would recomend visiting
http://www.cincyrails.com/ it will have the most up to date frequncys....
Bill