Ohio Central System Photos

Photo from around the system:

• SD18 no. 6642 is the lead unit of a vintage lash-up, which includes M420W no. 3567.  They are pulling a westbound freight through Newark to Columbus.

Photos of the "Panhandle Special" (9/22/01):

• We'll start off the chase at Blacks Road (just east of Pataskala) with OC F7A no. 1001 in the lead of the westbound train to Dennison.  At Dennison, the 6325 will be cut in for the return trip to Columbus.  Chris Burchett shot quite a bit of video, along with still shots, while good friend and chase partner Peter Maurath took some stills as well.  As you can see, it was quite a dreary day to begin with.

• In this shot we find the train departing the Coshocton station and Ohio Central headquarters.  The train stopped for a good ten minutes, loading the first class lunch boxes.  This is street-running Ohio Central style!

• At Trinway, we caught the "Panhandle Special" moving over the former Pennsy Panhandle route.

• The 1001 pulls the westbound train into its terminus at Dennison.  The steam in the background is from the 6325 on the siding, facing east.

• A shot of trailing unit F7A no. 1000.

• As the rear of the westbound train slowly passes, we're able to get a distant view of the 6325 creeping up to the switch.  She'll then be on the main and will shortly back up to the train after all the passengers disembark.  In due time, this exact spot where Chris's van was parked would be swarming with people, as the big Northern stopped right in front of Chris and his van while the crew waited for the passengers to get off.

• A view of the U-3-b as she has just tied onto the train.  It'll be over two hours before the highball is given.

• A bit closer to the 6325, headlight on.  Still over an hour before departure.  As the we waited in Dennison, you'll notice that the sky really cleared up, providing for some excellent photo opportunities.

• These roster shots were taken in this order:  Front, fireman's side; complete side view; and rear, fireman's side.

• Here's a right-front close-up of the 4-8-4, as well as a roster shot of auxiliary water tender OHCR 174.

• We are finally on the move and have caught the 6325 just about to pass under the closed road bridge just east of the Ohio Central Morgan Run shop.  Between Dennison and here, I got quite a bit of video footage, as well as the pace itself.

• In this shot, she has just passed under the bridge and I also managed to get this side shot as she steamed away.

• The 6325, with consist in tow, speeds through Tyndall, with the 1000 and 1001 both following close behind.  After the photo run-by at Trinway (which we didn't stop at, knowing the crowd that would be gathered there), the F7's would be tied onto the end of the train for the rest of the trip to Columbus.

• The Northern glides speedily past, entering Newark.

• With a large crowd gathered at this crossing in Newark, the 6325's crew gives a few extra blasts on the whistle while approaching the crossing.

Photos of the first Ohio Southern coal train (12/11/00):

• OHCR GP38 no. 2175, GP40 no. 3262, and TDIX GP30M no. 4218 are on the head end of the first loaded GLT coal train from Glouster to Conesville, Ohio on Tuesday, December 11, 2000.  The train is on the NS West Virginia Secondary in New Lexington, and is just about to contact with the rebuilt Ohio Southern Railroad.

• OHCR GP40 no. 3216 is now leading the GLT up the Ohio Southern, past Oxford Mine, which will be loading trains by July 27, 2001.  Before the wye in New Lex was recently installed, the train had to operate as a "push-pull" operation.  The GLT would pull up past the connector switch, then the unit (or units) on the rear would become the lead units.  Now the wye makes the connection from Norfolk Southern to the Ohio Southern much easier and simpler.

• The 3216 moves the GLT slowly across the State Route 37 crossing, just north of Tunnel Hill.  The speed was recently increased to 25 miles per hour.

• Here we find the 3216 with the GLT moving through Crooksville, just about to cross a brand new concrete bridge.

• The GLT is seen arriving in Zanesville.  The train will pull up past the switch, then proceed on CSXT to the connection with the Ohio Central on the northern part of Zanesville.  Once that is accomplished, the GLT will be heading for the old Pennsy Panhandle.

• The 3216 is now passing over the switch.  Once the 2175 clears, the switch will be thrown and the train will proceed on to the OHCR connection.

• The 3262 and the rear-end of the 2175 are slowly backing up through Zanesville.  The train will stop in a moment, the switch will be thrown, and they'll be off for the OHCR connection a short distance away.

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