Eastern Railroad Discussion > Question about Miami Cut Branch--Toledo, OH

Anyone from the Toledo "posse" or otherwise in the know:

Got to wondering about CR's ex-Miami Cut Branch in Toledo, and would like to know if any trains still use it to or from CP-Maumee at the foot of the swing bridge. Also, do any regular trains use the corresponding Oakdale Connection/Stanley Secondary? My initial guess would be to say no because both segments now have a separate owner from the Chicago Line (I think, anyway), so obviously no NS trains would travel down to Stanley either way from what I believe. Is this assumption correct, and again, do any freights still wander down these formerly-busy pathways?

From what I recall back in tha day, CR would easily send 15 or more trains a day to and from Stanley via these 2 routes, mostly to Detroit by way of CP-289, but can't seem to remember seeing anything written on the actual disposition of or traffic on these lines since the big breakup.

While we're at it, can you tell me if any traffic moves over the old TT west of "K" tower in northern Toledo?

Thanks for any replies,
Joel Gilmore (ex-Michigander and Toledo railfan)
Alburtis, PA

The Miami Cut and Oakdale Connecting Track are used by minimal traffic these days -- primarily NS stone trains coming up from the quarries near Woodville and the occasional engine needing to be wyed. The Stanley Secondary is now pretty much a parking lot for Michigan-bound coal trains; sometimes a 353 train being interchanged to the CN is backed off onto that track from CP-286, too. All of this track now belongs to NS, which retained "Yard E" after CSX got the rest of Stanley, so ownership is the same as that of the Chicago Line, but except for the Woodville run there's really nowhere to go. Once in a blue moon the CN will detour a Stanley-bound train via downtown instead of around the Toledo Terminal.

The only trains using the "Back Side" west of "K" are the CSX local to switch the OmniSource scrapyard and the Ann Arbor local to drill the customers at Temperance Yard.

I believe that some of the NS coal trains that were referred to by TP come from the East via the Miami Cut Branch, circling around to the Stanley Secondary for storage. Either way there isn't much happening these days.

In Conrail days, sometimes the chosen route was based on train tonnage, that is either straight up the hill from the bridge if the crew thought they could make it, or via the "C&O" if they sounded doubtful.

It seems to me that the Stanley Secondary would be used for re-routed Amtrak trains between Fostoria and Walbridge once every few years. Is this correct and was a diamond in the area removed...no longer allowing this to happen? Thanks.

OSUmatt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It seems to me that the Stanley Secondary would be
> used for re-routed Amtrak trains between Fostoria
> and Walbridge once every few years. Is this
> correct and was a diamond in the area removed...no
> longer allowing this to happen? Thanks.


CSX removed the diamond at Walbridge several years ago, so through moves on the former C&O are no longer possible. The last Amtrak detours I heard about used the Miami Cut down to Stanley Tower, jogged over to WR on the Toledo Terminal, and then took the C&O to Fostoria. Another way, if it's not blocked with parked equipment, is to go through Outer Yard to WR Tower.

I won't dispute the report about coal trains running around the horn via Stanley and Walbridge to park on the Stanley Secondary, though I can't say I've seen that or heard it happening myself. What I've seen is trains pulling west of CP-286 and then backing down the Stanley Secondary, far enough to cut Wales Road if necessary. (And yes, I can see why somebody might be confused by the naming of the Stanley Secondary, which doesn't go to Stanley.)

As a side note about WR interlocking, I observed the other day that new dwarf signals have sprouted all over the place at the north end of Walbridge Yard, near Union Street. The automation project at WR isn't done yet, but it's advancing.

Coal trains are stored on a regular basis on what is left of the former Pennsy Outer Yard. This is located of off the Miami Cut at CP Oak. TP is correct that occasionally train 353 which becomes CN train 384 is sometimes parked on the Stanley Secondary. I have picked it up there several times. Sunday when I went by WR Tower leaving Stanley Yard, there was an empty multi-level train stored on the Stanley Secondary.

It looks more and more each time I go to Walbridge or Stanley that WR Towers days are numbered. There are orange cones in place to cover bases for signals at Union Ave. in Walbridge. Get your pictures while you can.

Saxman