Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation was established in 1998 as an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable corporation for the preservation, promotion, and education of railroad history in Northwest Ohio. NWORRP is unique among railroad groups in that we incorporate a diversity of interests - from model size, to quarter-scale, to full scale.
We believe each aspect communicates the importance railroads were to our national and local history, and combining all of these interests together allows a better understanding of the positive impact railroads have in our everyday lives. Our projects are made possible through the hard work of our volunteers and the generosity of donors. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law and are appreciated by our members.
We offer quarter-scale train rides, a gift shop, a museum, a Lionel layout, an HO layout and a N scale layout. Our full size rolling stock includes caboose, box car and small diesel switch engine on display, plus a relocated railroad depot.
This sign let me know I was at the correct location. I parked the car and waited for Mike Schroeder to arrive.
National Lime & Stone HL2 18 ton switcher 999 built by Plymouth in 1925. Mike soon arrived and we went inside the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation building.
The train runs above the main room here.
This train can be put together by groups as a bonding exercise.
A scale model of a steam engine.
A motor car with a trailer of railroad tools.
This diesel locomotive pulls the passenger cars when their 1/4 scale excursions are run.
Steam engine 901, the main engine used for their excursions, built by the Israelite House of David in Benton Harbor, Michigan prior to World War II and used to provide train rides at their Colony Park until that closed in 1971. It is one of the last locomoti ves built and operated at House of David. The train was purchased and moved to Findlay in 2000 and was fully restored and placed into service at the Northwest Ohio Railroad Preservation Museum, debuting in 2001.
The passenger cars. From here we went outside.
The water tower and shanty building.
The Lake Erie & Western Findlay station was built in 1885 and moved here.
Looking back towards the main building.
Norfolk and Western caboose 518676 built by International Car in 1970.
Baltimore and Ohio caboose C2157 built by the railroad in 1927.
A wooden box car of unknown origin.
The display train.
A shed of lumber.
The Spring Lake interurban station was dismantled for moving and will be rebuilt. Mike then took me inside to see their model railroad.
This model railroad features Lionel, HO and N scale layouts.
One of the engines in this picture came from the House of David in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I thanked Mike for an excellent visit and his time, then departed this museum.
The Drive to DefianceI drove back to Interstate 75 and went south two exits back to Ohio Highway 15, which I took west to almost Ottawa, but was stopped by a major accident that shut down the highwa so turned around and followed a school bus which led me into Ottawa and the next station.
The brick Cincinnati, Hamilton & Detroit station in Ottawa was built in 1900 and replaced a wooden structure. At the time two railroads crossed where the square tower is at the northeast corner. The Cincinnati Hamilton and Dayton line ran north-south while the Findlay, Fort Wayne and Western line ran east-west. The FFW&W line has been removed. The CH&D later became B&O, which ended passenger service here in 1971. It is now owned by CSX which uses the depot for storage.
The Cincinnati, Hamilton & Detroit freight house built in 1900.
I continued north to Defiance and passed this barn and upon entering the town, soon found what I was looking for.
Locomotives of the Maumee and Western Railroad.
Maumee and Western Railroad GP16 1603, ex. Pioneer Rail Equipment 1603, exx. CSX 1742, exxx. Seaboard System 4642, nee Seaboard Air Line 1915 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1955. The Michigan Southern Railroad (doing business as Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railroad, formerly Maumee & Western) operates between Woodburn, Indiana and Napoleon, Ohio and comprises 58 miles of track. The railroad originally extended to Toledo; portions have been converted to a rail trail. Pioneer Rail Equipment bought Maumee and Western in 2012.
Maumee and Western Railroad NW2 107, ex. Pioneer Rail Equipment 109, exx. Burlington Northern 454, exxx. Burlington Northern 5, exxxx. Great Northern 106, nee Great Northern 5306 built by Electro-Motive Division in 1939.
The Wabash station in Defiance built before 1888. I then drove out to AuGlaize Village.
| RETURN TO THE MAIN PAGE |
