B&O LODI - WOOSTER BRANCH

[shlustig]

I recently saw a photograph of the trestle across the PRR Ft. Wayne Line that was just south of Wooster when the line originally extended to Millersburg where it met the PRR's CA&C line.

I know that the portion from Lodi to Wooster was heavily damaged in a 1970's hurricane and traffic was rerouted to go Warwick / Mace Tower - Massillon / Wooster via the CL&W and x-PRR.

Does anybody know when the portion south of Wooster was abandoned and why?

Thanks In Advance

[Spin]

"On July 4, 1969, a record breaking storm known as the “Ohio Fireworks Derecho” blew through Wayne County. The storm claimed 42 lives and devastated communities all throughout Northeast Ohio. Rising floodwaters washed out most of the former CA&C Fredericksburg-Orrville line and severely damaged the B&O's Millersburg branch. "

https://wiki.wcpl.info/w/Railroads_in_W ... unty,_Ohio

[shlustig]

Spin;

The portion of the branch south of Wooster was abandoned long before 1969 as indicated by the June 1956 Official Guide which it is identified as "Wooster Branch Lodi - Wooster".

[mmi16]

Spin;

The portion of the branch south of Wooster was abandoned long before 1969 as indicated by the June 1956 Official Guide which it is identified as "Wooster Branch Lodi - Wooster".

1944 Employee Timetable only lists the tracks between Lodi and Wooster. No other trackage was listed beyond Wooster.

[shlustig]

Checked some older Official Guides yesterday at the NYCVSHS Archive and found the Millersburg Branch was listed in 1929 and gone by 1/1943.

Hopefully, someone can help to pin the discontinuance date closer.

[shlustig]

Thanks to Steve Titchenal who has a tremendous collection of track charts and val maps, we found a date of 6/15/29 for abandonment south of the PRR at Wooster.

[mmi16]

"On July 4, 1969, a record breaking storm known as the “Ohio Fireworks Derecho” blew through Wayne County. The storm claimed 42 lives and devastated communities all throughout Northeast Ohio. Rising floodwaters washed out most of the former CA&C Fredericksburg-Orrville line and severely damaged the B&O's Millersburg branch. "

https://wiki.wcpl.info/w/Railroads_in_W ... unty,_Ohio

That particular storm also damaged a number of stream crossings on the B&O's New Castle to Willard line, most serious was the damage to a bridge on the #1 (or North) track at Boughtonville, OH. Upon my return from my honeymoon, I got to work the Temporary Train Orders Station that was established at Boughtonville to facilitate the reconstruction of the failed bridge. The TTOS facilitated a 'shoo fly' that Westbound trains used to operate over the stream on the #2 (or South) track and return to #1 track on the far side of the bridge.