Eastern Railroad Discussion > Sunday Out & About in Lake Erie Land

Sunday April 26, 2026
North Central Ohio
Temps in the high 40's / low 50's, hazy

A few images from today's adventure ....

1. - 3. Out west of Vermilion at Joppa Road Train 16N (Clearing Yard, BRC Chicago to Conway, PA) comes east around the big curve at MP 226. Power is NS 4051 and 8026.
We've had quite a bit of rain lately. Note the bird of prey that has photo-bombed the scene in Image #1. We saw about six eagles, but I think this guy was just an old buzzard, maybe a retired trainmaster.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/26 16:09 by train1275.

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4. Lots of frac sand moving east and also these Cyro-Trans reefers.

5. & 6.  As 16N clears, a westbound comes at us with NS 4908 and 7615 on Train 37M. 37M??, I guess this is the new 17N. It runs from Conway to Clearing Yard on the BRC, so these trains are counterparts, hence the same general consist. First time I have seen this symbol.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/26 16:38 by train1275.

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7. & 8. Frac sand mtys move west, lots of them, and Cryo-Trans too.

9. Taking an interlude and quick lunch, we find an Egret also grabbing some lunch out Huron way.

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10. It's spring in Northern Ohio and plenty of Robins are out and about today also.

11. A Blue Jay lounges in a tree prior to courting a mate.

12. This Swan looks as though he's had his head stuck in the crankcase of a diesel locomotive primemover. Personally, I think they are ugly.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/26 17:33 by train1275.

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13. A Canada Goose comes in for a high speed landing, and we are out of here as there are more trains coming.

14. 28B is passing MP 236 and a Cracker Barrel billboard just east of Sandusky as viewed from Camp Road (Slate Cut). His power is NS 4855 and 7695. 

15. Now he's passing the old house on Cleveland Road and slowing down as he approaches Huron. There is a Sperry out there and he's going to have to pause up ahead at CP 232. Already 28B is about 3 hours off his normal time.

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16. 28B is the HOT UPS train between Chicago and Buffalo. Usually nothing gets in his way, he's short and fast, and once he goes by he's gone. But today we get a second look at him since he's had a pause for the Sperry and catch him at Williams Street in Huron. As he accelerates eastbound we get a friendly wave from the Conductor.

17. & 18. An eastbound manifest, Train 18A (Chicago Ashland Avenue to Conway, PA) is right behind him, he's heavy and shaking the ground. Power is NS 4746, 9976 and 4015 up front, and NS 9974 and 7567 are rear DPU's. Lot's of western connection cars in this train, most of which I think comes off Union Pacific. This is another new symbol here, it's hard to keep track, even when trying to keep a score card. The scenery in these parts is really greening up.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/26 16:49 by train1275.

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19. The DPU's pass carrying the markers, and that ends our day out and about.

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That opening series turned out rather nicely considering how flat the light was, nice work.
—Mac

Good stuff as always!

Dan

Posted from iPhone

My Chicago place overlooks the west end of Ashland Yard, where it curves away from the CSX Blue Island sub along Westner Avenue.

What I have observed there for the past couple years is that all of the NS manifest trains that interchange through Ashland Yard are to/from UP. They don't usually stop at Ashland Yard either, so I'm not sure where the crew change happens, and they almost always come through with NS power, so I assume that locomotive swaps happen at Proviso.

BNSF sends plenty of IM interchange through Ashland Yard, as well as as the occasional vehicle or ethanol unit train. And those trains usually do stop at Ashland with BNSF locomotives that I presume are usually swapped to NS there. But BNSF must send their NS manifest interchange a different way (ex-Q from Galesburg or Northtown via the BRC or direct to NS at Canal Street or maybe via IHB connecting at McCook to the ex-ATSF.

It's similar for the CSX side, no BNSF manifest to/from CSX either, but plenty of IM and bulk trains. But UP mainfest interchange (as well as IM and bulk) can be observed.

As if to prove my point, I was out and about today, and on my way as I drove along the ex-ATSF as I approached Nerska where the BRC has a diamonds crossing with the BNSF I saw a BNSF mainfest heading north out of BRC/Clearing Yard toward Cicero. After getting some lunch and then heading west toward La Grange to do some grocery shopping I saw a headlight coming west down the ex-Q "racetrack" and caught that same freight Galesburg-bound on the middle Track 2.

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Interesting information, thanks !
Good video too.