Eastern Railroad Discussion > Ohi-Rail #47 and other ex-D&TSL locomotives.

I am wondering if anyone knows what happened to Ohi-Rail's #47. Ohi-Rail has recently been sold to the G&W, but this unit was apparently off the property before the sale. #47 has a unique history, retaining its as built # and a very similar paint scheme. The unit was built new for the Detroit and Toledo Shore Line in the 1950's and remained on the railroad until its merger into the Grand Trunk in 1980. It was sold to the Pigeon River Railroad out os South Milford, Indiana but retained the D&TSL paint scheme. the PGRY would later be merged into the Indiana Northeastern when the owners of the PGRY purcahsed the Hillsdale Country Railroad. The unit would remain with the INER until it was sold to Indiana Boxcar, but it nevers seems to have left Hillsdale, Mi under that ownership. It was then sold, and has been seen operating on Ohio-Rail as late as 2017. This unit, throughout its history, has never strayed very far from the place it started its career. 

Also, what has happened to the remaining D&TSL locomotives over time? They used to roster GP7's #41-50, SW7's 116-118 and SW9's 119-121.

The only know I knew was still operational was #50, which last I heard was on the Bay Colony Railroad. It had been renumbered several times and was listed as a GP8 #1701 the last information I can find. 
GT did repaint at least #42 into GT paint as #6042, but I have no idea what happened to it after that. 

 

Has the sale of Ohi-Rail to GWI been approved by the STB and completed? I thought it was still in the STB review phase - but I might be behind in reading the ICC filings.

The #47 was sold to a short line in Byesville, Ohio. 
G&W took over rail operations on the Ohi-Rail this past  March.

Rumor has it that G&W let the existing OhiRail employees go. Sad.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/20 08:14 by 41bridge.

chapmaja Wrote:
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> The only know I knew was still operational was
> #50, which last I heard was on the Bay Colony
> Railroad. It had been renumbered several times and
> was listed as a GP8 #1701 the last information

Its still on Bay Colony's Millis Line.  The BCLR is a shadow of what it once was, and daily service ended on the Mills Line ~10 years ago when the major customer closed.  There is one intermittent customer, a cement company, that gets cars every now and then, and 1701 is used to switch those cars when they turn up.  Most of the time, it just sits in Medfield, with the cab windows covered by removable steel panels.

G&W typically retains in place employees, would be surprised if the firing rumor was true.

Out 

Any idea which line? The only thing I can find for Byesville is the Byesville Scenic Railroad which does not appear to have operated since 2013 or so. 

Looking at Google Maps the Columbus and Ohio Central railroad appears to go as far as possible the Kerry Group property, which has a siding in Byesville. They also serve the Colgate Palmolive facility west of town. Going into town, there is a drastic change in appearance of the tracks just north of Main St. South of Main St, there is a siding with some passenger equipment and a locomotive. The Google maps image shows 386, a GE  80 ton centercab, while street view shows 211, a locomotive I don't know the history or model of (endcab switcher). 

This railroad supposedly hasn't run any passenger excursions since 2013 or so. Additionally, the G&W webpage does not list any connections in Byesville with another railroad. The tracks south of Byesville don't appear to have any customers nor do they appear to be capable of handling much in the wway of traffic, at least from the Google views. 


MontourMan Wrote:
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> The #47 was sold to a short line in Byesville,
> Ohio. 
> G&W took over rail operations on the Ohi-Rail this
> past  March.

I contacted someone via the "Mayor of Byesville" facebook page. Turns out that #47, plus a red engine are located about 3 miles south of Byesville (likely one of the two the Byesville Scenic was using). The only place I can see it being are by the company in Derwent (or soemthing like that) which has been a very very very infrequent rail shipper. 

One interesting thing I did find out is that the former Ohio Central owner (Jacobson), somehow had a connection with the ownership of the line (local governmenal agency similar to a Port Authority). He supposedly was involved in the Bayesville Scenic's lease being pulled (and later reinstated), back in 2008 or so. I wonder if his organization has something to do with the locomotives on the line south of Byesville.