Eastern Railroad Discussion > DT&I's "Malinta cutoff"

The DT&I's "Malinta cutoff" that runs from Malinta up to Tecumseh Michigan through Napoleon Ohio will lose a little bit of it's history the week of 5-13-13. The plate girder bridge over Filmore Street in Napoleon will be removed starting on the 13th. This is the branch that at one time served the Campbell soup plant and other industry in Napoleon. Not sure when the last time the DT&I used this branch, more then likely back in the early 70's. Clarence issues is the reason for it's demise.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/13 12:32 by EL-SD45-3632.

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From Malinta to Napoleon, Wauseon etc. was the original DT&I main. The "Malinta Cut-Off" (it was also called the "new line") was built in the late 1920's to replace the round about routing that the original line had. As for this bridge in particular, it spans (for now) what was at one time US24 into Napoleon, and before that was the Miami & Erie Canal. The DT&I did a fair bit of business on the Tecumeseh branch in the 1970's but started cutting it back in segments prior to the GTW merger. GTW abandoned the portion from Napoleon to Malinta in the 1986/87 timeframe. I did notice on my last visit through that part of Napoleon that the remanants of the former coal unloading facility that was used until the mid 1970's for coal for the Napoleon power plant was removed, so I figured the overpass was on short time.

We have clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?

Another abandoned railroad overpass bites the dust - another rail line passes forever into history.

Dang, Clarence that big he'll kick all of our a..es. :) Ben

Wow! It's amazing that it lasted this long.

Jim

Will be sad to see go. In just the short time I've lived here, have enjoyed exploring around that little branch of line (sort of hoped that somehow the new ND&W could convince Campbell's to try and find a way to resurrect the line and instead switch it onto the old Wabash, but even I'd see that as pretty unrealistic financially...).

Just curious, is the former coal facility mentioned in another comment the large spot next to this underpass, where some old wooden truss remnants can still be seen? I've been curious about that for a while now...

That would be it. I took advantage of the opportunity to photograph it shortly after all the trees/undergrowth were removed a few years back, figuring that was the first step to a quick removal.


robbie Wrote:
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> Will be sad to see go. In just the short time I've
> lived here, have enjoyed exploring around that
> little branch of line (sort of hoped that somehow
> the new ND&W could convince Campbell's to try and
> find a way to resurrect the line and instead
> switch it onto the old Wabash, but even I'd see
> that as pretty unrealistic financially...).
>
> Just curious, is the former coal facility
> mentioned in another comment the large spot next
> to this underpass, where some old wooden truss
> remnants can still be seen? I've been curious
> about that for a while now...

I wonder if this wasn't the old ROW the Detroit & Lima Northern Railway aquired? If you use the http://henry.tgisites.com/Henry_Viewer/Viewer.html site, you can see (use the zoom) the MC&LM ROW, as it approaches Campbell's and the Maumee River from the SE, from McClure. Wonder if back in the late 1800's the MC&LM sold the ROW to the D&LN. I need to do more research...

Bill



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/13 06:57 by Deshlerrailfan.

MSchwiebert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From Malinta to Napoleon, Wauseon etc. was the
> original DT&I main. The "Malinta Cut-Off" (it
> was also called the "new line") was built in the
> late 1920's to replace the round about routing
> that the original line had. As for this bridge in
> particular, it spans (for now) what was at one
> time US24 into Napoleon, and before that was the
> Miami & Erie Canal. The DT&I did a fair bit of
> business on the Tecumeseh branch in the 1970's but
> started cutting it back in segments prior to the
> GTW merger. GTW abandoned the portion from
> Napoleon to Malinta in the 1986/87 timeframe. I
> did notice on my last visit through that part of
> Napoleon that the remanants of the former coal
> unloading facility that was used until the mid
> 1970's for coal for the Napoleon power plant was
> removed, so I figured the overpass was on short
> time.


HAMLER HENRY! (Sorry Keith)

Bill: I prefer "Patrick Hamler" myself :-)

Deshlerrailfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MSchwiebert Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > From Malinta to Napoleon, Wauseon etc. was the
> > original DT&I main. The "Malinta Cut-Off" (it
> > was also called the "new line") was built in
> the
> > late 1920's to replace the round about routing
> > that the original line had. As for this bridge
> in
> > particular, it spans (for now) what was at one
> > time US24 into Napoleon, and before that was
> the
> > Miami & Erie Canal. The DT&I did a fair bit of
> > business on the Tecumeseh branch in the 1970's
> but
> > started cutting it back in segments prior to
> the
> > GTW merger. GTW abandoned the portion from
> > Napoleon to Malinta in the 1986/87 timeframe.
> I
> > did notice on my last visit through that part
> of
> > Napoleon that the remanants of the former coal
> > unloading facility that was used until the mid
> > 1970's for coal for the Napoleon power plant
> was
> > removed, so I figured the overpass was on short
> > time.
>
>
> HAMLER HENRY! (Sorry Keith)

MSchwiebert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Bill: I prefer "Patrick Hamler" myself :-)
>
> Deshlerrailfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > MSchwiebert Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > From Malinta to Napoleon, Wauseon etc. was
> the
> > > original DT&I main. The "Malinta Cut-Off"
> (it
> > > was also called the "new line") was built in
> > the
> > > late 1920's to replace the round about
> routing
> > > that the original line had. As for this
> bridge
> > in
> > > particular, it spans (for now) what was at
> one
> > > time US24 into Napoleon, and before that was
> > the
> > > Miami & Erie Canal. The DT&I did a fair bit
> of
> > > business on the Tecumeseh branch in the
> 1970's
> > but
> > > started cutting it back in segments prior to
> > the
> > > GTW merger. GTW abandoned the portion from
> > > Napoleon to Malinta in the 1986/87 timeframe.
>
> > I
> > > did notice on my last visit through that part
> > of
> > > Napoleon that the remanants of the former
> coal
> > > unloading facility that was used until the
> mid
> > > 1970's for coal for the Napoleon power plant
> > was
> > > removed, so I figured the overpass was on
> short
> > > time.
> >
> >
> > HAMLER HENRY! (Sorry Keith)


Sorry Mike,

I have an equation for you. I went to PHS and you went to PHHS, it should be obvious.

HH=EL-SD45-3632

DOH!