Eastern Railroad Discussion > Medina, Ohio Wheeling & Lake Erie questions

I am currently in Medina, OHio for an appointment at 11 AM. I have the Railroad grade crossing locator app on my cell and it says that the rail line here is the Wheeling & Lake Erie. I have been wanting to get some pics of the Wheeling as of late, however What times do they usually run? What is the frequency, and the best place in Medina to actually catch them? Do any other trains besides the Wheeling run on these tracks?

Thanks for any assistance.

Michael Fair
Royal Oak, MI

Mike:

From the Medina Town Square, go west on Smith Road. Go underneath the railroad overpass. You will come to a stoplight with State Rd. From this intersection there are two choices:
1) turn right and go north about one block to the grade crossing. You will find the WLE trailer on the west side of the grade crossing. The locomotive sits here overnight. Normally an SD-40. The local frieghts work hours begin at 6 a.m.

2) From the stop light continue west on Smith Road to the double grade crossing. Stone and materials for the shingle factory are switched here, normally in the mornings. You can continue west on Smith Road to a second grade crossing, after the Lake road stoplight. This is the main track westbound towards Spencer.

3) a westbound freight goes west about 4 a.m.

4) an eastbound freight goes east in the afternoon

5) stone is also switched on W. Liberty Street (north of Smith Rd two blocks), but usually not at this time of year.

6) the former B&O main track is now owned by the city and is not used at all at this time

Is the B&O track not serving customers on the north end (on lake road)?   There used to be tank cars for one of the industries.   The other end is just seasonal stone on state road for Osborne.
MEKoch Wrote:
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> Mike:
>
> From the Medina Town Square, go west on Smith
> Road. Go underneath the railroad overpass. You
> will come to a stoplight with State Rd. From this
> intersection there are two choices:
> 1) turn right and go north about one block to the
> grade crossing. You will find the WLE trailer on
> the west side of the grade crossing. The
> locomotive sits here overnight. Normally an
> SD-40. The local frieghts work hours begin at 6
> a.m.
>
> 2) From the stop light continue west on Smith Road
> to the double grade crossing. Stone and materials
> for the shingle factory are switched here,
> normally in the mornings. You can continue west
> on Smith Road to a second grade crossing, after
> the Lake road stoplight. This is the main track
> westbound towards Spencer.
>
> 3) a westbound freight goes west about 4 a.m.
>
> 4) an eastbound freight goes east in the
> afternoon
>
> 5) stone is also switched on W. Liberty Street
> (north of Smith Rd two blocks), but usually not at
> this time of year.
>
> 6) the former B&O main track is now owned by the
> city and is not used at all at this time

If you've checked out the W&LE, & have time, there's Depot Antiques on 602 W. Liberty St., not too far from the railroad yard (you can see it from the depot)
which has the usual curios plus Lionel and other Model Railroad scale items for sale.

Last time I was there a number of 1970s'-era signs, pictures, collectibles were on sale, which was interesting to me since that's when
I came of age...

Clarification: I learned that the city of Medina or its development corp. purchased the former B&O tracks on the south end of town from the station to approximately one mile south, so that future potential industries on Lake Road could have rail service. The track is very rusty and unused.

Whether they own the north part of the former B&O track, where Osborne brings in their stone loads from western OH, I do not know.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/18 10:23 by MEKoch.

The W& LE in Media is, I presume, the former AC&Y.

renf Wrote:
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> The W&LE in Medina is, I presume, the former AC&Y.

You presume correctly.