Eastern Railroad Discussion > Busy Morning in Lima, Ohio

A last minute change in plans had me in Lima, Ohio this morning. Fortunately, the railroad situation was keeping things somewhat interesting for a while. Here are a few photos.

Photo 1: Q500 crosses over at NS Tower.

Photo 2: Q231 comes south at Erie Jct.

Photo 3: W-080, A Herzog ballast train heads north over the Auglaize River and the newly installed bike path.

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Photo 4: Y101 and Y102 wait at NS Tower'

Photo 5: The reason for the wait, a CF&E transfer move from Cole Street yard to the I&O's Ford Park Yard proceeds eastward across the CSX.

Photo 6: Y101 continues south to South Lima Yard.

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The Herzog train proceed north and dumped ballast between North Lima and CG Tower. If you've never watched them dump ballast, it's pretty neat. An operator sits up in the cab of the second locomotive, using remotes, he is able to open and close the doors on the cars. Here is a sequence of photos showing the operation.

CG Tower

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If the GPS is working the Herzog train does a good job. Just can not be used around airports or military bases.

It was quite neat to see...and they were able to dump 50 cars in an hour or so and moved 12 miles or so...cool stuff.

CG

farmer Wrote:
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> If the GPS is working the Herzog train does a good
> job. Just can not be used around airports or
> military bases.

farmer Wrote:
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> If the GPS is working the Herzog train does a good
> job. Just can not be used around airports or
> military bases.

The GPS was working but the doors were not. I heard that there were several broken windshields in Connersville, IN last year while a Herzog train was dumping ballast.

Oops!

"KH"

farmer Wrote:
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> If the GPS is working the Herzog train does a good
> job. Just can not be used around airports or
> military bases.

I thought the car doors opened automatically, and the operator just monitors the train. We dumped a train in the middle of the night last year. Operator got on, and they installed something on the rear car. We dumped at 18 mph and the train lasted about 10 or 12 miles before running out. Pretty cool if you ask me. Only one car didn't work correctly, but it was a continuous line of ballast for the entire time we dumped. GPS even knew where the crossings and switches were, and would stop dumping ballast accordingly. That was the amazing part!

Practice Safe CSX

I will admit, that was very cool...every turnout, grade crossing or other obstical, the doors would close and the train would proceed on, then re-open. Darn cool! I hope it returns to finish up the rest of the Toledo Division. I assume a track gang is forthcoming.

CG Tower

CSX_CO Wrote:
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> farmer Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If the GPS is working the Herzog train does a
> good
> > job. Just can not be used around airports or
> > military bases.
>
> I thought the car doors opened automatically, and
> the operator just monitors the train. We dumped a
> train in the middle of the night last year.
> Operator got on, and they installed something on
> the rear car. We dumped at 18 mph and the train
> lasted about 10 or 12 miles before running out.
> Pretty cool if you ask me. Only one car didn't
> work correctly, but it was a continuous line of
> ballast for the entire time we dumped. GPS even
> knew where the crossings and switches were, and
> would stop dumping ballast accordingly. That was
> the amazing part!
>
> Practice Safe CSX

CGTower Wrote:
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> I will admit, that was very cool...every turnout,
> grade crossing or other obstical, the doors would
> close and the train would proceed on, then
> re-open. Darn cool! I hope it returns to finish up
> the rest of the Toledo Division. I assume a track
> gang is forthcoming.

Last week they were dumping ties down by Piqua so perhaps they are working their way north.

New rail and ties down by Piqua and a cat surfacing team north of Lima.