We somehow ended up in Bellevue during our uplanned wanderings. This is a place
I have wanted to check out for years and just haven't managed to get there
yet. Boy have I been a missing a lot of action!
The big surprise for the day was looking west along on the Wheeling & Lake
Erie and seeing a Wabash F7! It took me about 10 seconds to realize that I was
looking at the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum which has a wonderful
collection of rolling stock and artifacts from the bygone era. I'll be joining
their Society in the near future. For more information on the Mad River & NKP
Their Website is Here.
They have the largest collection of Nickel Plate Road equipment in one place
in the world.
On the way to Bellevue we went through Norwalk and Monroeville where we came
along two ex-LS&MS stations. While both stations are in decent shape, neither
one has any track left in place due to Conrail's "Great Scorched Earth Purge"
of the late 70's and early 80's. Between Monroeville and Bellevue we stumbled
across two W&LE trains in the hole waiting for crews.
I'll be heading back to the Mad River & NKP Museum in Bellevue very soon, as
they are preparing for the opening of the 2001 season I am sure they can put
my strong back and weak mind to good use!
All Photos Copyright 2001 Railfan.net
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The LS&MS/NYC Norwalk, Ohio station which is currently in use by two local businesses.
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The LS&MS/NYC Norwalk, Ohio station which is currently in use by two local businesses.
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The LS&MS/NYC Norwalk, Ohio station.
About 1/2 mile south of here the LS&MS turned north away from the parallel W&LE right of way. 774x412 JPEG 52kb File="img_0385.jpg" Size=53684 |
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The Monroeville, Ohio LS&MS station which has been adapted for non-rail use.
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The Monroeville, Ohio LS&MS station.
In the background can be seen the W&LE Jackson St. grade crossing. 797x448 JPEG 62kb File="img_0387.jpg" Size=64059 |
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The Monroeville, Ohio LS&MS station, looking west.
The LS&MS right of way is to the right of the station. 800x600 JPEG 106kb File="img_0388.jpg" Size=109091 |
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This Monroeville, Ohio board and batten building is adjacent to the LS&MS station.
I originally thought it may have been a freight house as it has been painted identically to the station in the previous photos and is approximately 150 yards to the west of it. 800x600 JPEG 123kb File="img_0389.jpg" Size=126281 |
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We're driving west toward Bellevue on Rt. 20 paralleling the W&LE and at the Rt. 4 grade crossing the 3046 was pretty hard to miss!
The 3046 is an orginal SD40X. It's a pre-production SD40 built on an SD35 frame, quite a rare bird. 797x442 JPEG 78kb File="img_0390.jpg" Size=80020 |
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This is a higher resolution cropped version of the previous shot showing the cab and nose details.
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Despite the dreary weather (rain) the D&RGW inspired paint scheme really stands out on the 3046!
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Fireman's side of the 3046 and its short train of loaded hoppers.
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Broadside view of the 3046. I'm sinking into a muddy cornfield while I shoot this one...
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Engineer's side view of the 3046 and train.
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Down Rt. 20 a bit further at Prarie Rd. we find W&LE's ex-MP "SD40" 3102 sitting long hood first on the siding waiting for a crew.
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The vacant 3102 waits for its crew at Prarie Rd.
I heard horns blowing for a grade crossing in the distance. I got all excited expecting a "meet" on the W&LE, but it turned out that we were closer to Bellevue than I thought and they were trains on the NS main! 600x475 JPEG 38kb File="img_0396.jpg" Size=39214 |
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It appears that the W&LE "stages" their eastbounds on the siding out of Bellevue and taxis their road crews to the units.
From what I can tell, the W&LE siding here is the ex-LS&MS parallel track through here. The original W&LE main is off to the right of the 3102. 744x616 JPEG 55kb File="img_0397.jpg" Size=56761 |
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We passed under the NS main just as a westbound was pulling out and decided to see if we could shoot it south of town.
I knew that NS' ex-W&LE split off toward Fremont in this area and when I looked that way there was a Wabash F7 staring me in the face! 800x600 JPEG 151kb File="img_0398.jpg" Size=155473 |
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All around NS' W&LE line there was retired equipment everywhere! It was the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum of course!
Note the brand new NS signals just past the grade crossing. NS has apparently invested a substantial amount in the ex-W&LE recently. 800x600 JPEG 104kb File="img_0399.jpg" Size=107018 |
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NKP RSD-12 329 reposes at the Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum in Bellevue, Ohio.
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NKP EMD GP30 900 looks terrific in its former Tiger Stripe scheme!
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Milwaukee Road Fairbanks-Morse H-12-44 740 leads CMStP&P 1946 "City" service coach 618 on the Museum grounds.
Does the Mad River & NKP have some great stuff or what? 798x478 JPEG 113kb File="img_0402.jpg" Size=116247 |
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If it weren't for the modern Ford sitting there you could almost believe the 329 and 900 were patiently awaiting their next call to duty for the NKP...
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The Mad River & NKP "Track Gang" are busy raising and reballasting one of the original museum tracks in preparation for the beginning of the 2001 season in May.
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Mad River "Critter" 76 and 1915 L&HR ore jennie 1812 wait for the summer crowds.
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Classic Erie RR concrete "phone box" from their main west of Marion, Ohio.
Many of these same wayside buildings are still sprinkled along the Erie's main from Jersey City to Chicago, albeit in somewhat worse condition than this one. 800x600 JPEG 91kb File="img_0406.jpg" Size=94099 |
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Another shot of Milwaukee Road H-12-44 740 without that pesky fence in the way.
The Mad River & NKP members who were working today graciously allowed me to wander among the equipment despite the fact that the Museum doesn't officially open until May. Coach 618 was built in the Milwaukee's own shops. 800x600 JPEG 151kb File="img_0408.jpg" Size=154685 |
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NKP Dynamometer car X50041 is lashed up to RSD-12 329.
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1923 NKP 50' outside braced wood-side gondola 70130.
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NKP ex-W&LE 1948 36' center-cupola caboose 700 built in the W&LE's Ironville Shops.
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NKP 1956 37' bay window caboose 423, also built in the W&LE's Ironville Shops.
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Mad River & NKP's beautiful 1882 W&LE Curtice, Ohio Depot, rechristened "Bellevue."
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Wabash F7 671 waiting patiently next to the depot.
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Nose view of F7 671 next to the Society's N&W 1924 steel caboose 518397.
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Looking west at the depot.
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You can see that there is a great diversity of equipment all over the museum's grounds!
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Fireman's side of Wabash F7 671.
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NKP 1925 40' steel box car 125228. An early steel box car it was built for the W&LE.
800x600 JPEG 156kb File="img_0419.jpg" Size=160388 |
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Looking across NS' W&LE line is more of the Society's equipment which is actually resting on LS&MS trackage!
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1947 Milwaukee Road reefer URTX 37351 behind 1943 Porter "Tea Kettle" #7.
800x600 JPEG 137kb File="img_0421.jpg" Size=141247 |
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The MR&NKP Track Gang toils away at their "line elevation" project.
Note the ex-CCC&StL milepost announcing the point 33 miles from Sandusky, Ohio. 800x600 JPEG 152kb File="img_0422.jpg" Size=156086 |
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The Society's France Stone Quarry Side Dump Car which was used in nearby quarries for around 40 years.
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View looking east toward the depot while the track gang takes a break.
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"MRMR" Critter 76 is an ex-DoD 1943 Plymouth 18 Tonner later owned by Alcoa.
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Moving to the other side of the NS W&LE line we look west toward the LS&MS freight house.
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NKP "HIGH SPEED FREIGHT SERVICE" Pig trailer in front of the restoration shop.
Note the dinky guard rail protecting NS' dwarf signal. 799x556 JPEG 103kb File="img_0427.jpg" Size=105733 |
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NKP coach and SBD/ATK diner currently under restoration.
799x446 JPEG 87kb File="img_0428.jpg" Size=89457 |
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B&O Alco S-4 switcher 9096.
795x486 JPEG 93kb File="img_0429.jpg" Size=96088 |
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NYC 1944 Steam Wedge Plow X665 in front of the NYC freight house.
The freight house is used for Society mettings and office space. 796x500 JPEG 58kb File="img_0430.jpg" Size=59600 |
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The side of the Restoration Building.
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N&W Instruction Car 401 built from an 86' High Cube box car.
797x469 JPEG 71kb File="img_0432.jpg" Size=72836 |
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Unidentified EMD NW2 switcher #2.
Anyone have the history on this unit? 800x600 JPEG 119kb File="img_0433.jpg" Size=122180 |
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N&W heavyweight MoW car.
Anyone have the history on this one? 800x600 JPEG 119kb File="img_0434.jpg" Size=122767 |
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Broadside of 1943 NYC wedge plow X665.
798x406 JPEG 62kb File="img_0435.jpg" Size=63724 |
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Close up of the beautifully restored NYC freight house sign.
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PRR Atlas Car 1920 Sandusky Coal Docks electric "donkey" #2.
This unit was used to push coal hoppers up the loading dock trestles. 800x620 JPEG 90kb File="img_0437.jpg" Size=93170 |
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1927 NKP Diner 104 which was converted into MoW kitchen car service by the N&W.
797x480 JPEG 73kb File="img_0438.jpg" Size=75413 |
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N&W 1923 Bay City Derrick 514900.
It was converted to diesel power in 1959 and retired by NS in 1993. 772x432 JPEG 61kb File="img_0439.jpg" Size=62892 |
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1934 B&0 wagon-top caboose C2424 retired by Chessie in 1983.
799x536 JPEG 85kb File="img_0440.jpg" Size=87142 |
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Another shot of the N&W derrick with crane tender SOU 930013.
798x408 JPEG 68kb File="img_0441.jpg" Size=70572 |
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Ok, what the heck is this one? At first glance it looks like a chop job on an Alco S-4.
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The sign says it all, Nickel Plate Rd.
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Empire Builder sleeper "Lewis & Clark Pass".
800x342 JPEG 54kb File="img_0444.jpg" Size=55913 |
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PC Business Car 7 which has seen better days...
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The museum has a great collection of passenger equipment awaiting restoration.
Now, imagine a restored 10 car consist tooling down the W&LE behind the Wabash F7! 797x494 JPEG 63kb File="img_0446.jpg" Size=64799 |
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Anyone have the details on 2628, the "Cedar River"?
799x350 JPEG 39kb File="img_0447.jpg" Size=40946 |
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1912 riveted tank car behind the restoration building.
Note what appears to be an interurban juice jack in the background. 800x600 JPEG 120kb File="img_0448.jpg" Size=123665 |
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As we turned on to Buckeye St. we heard the NS blowing for a crossing so I snagged this grab-shot of C40-8 8741.
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Dash 9-40C 9491 was trailing the 8741 on the reverse move through the Bellevue Yard Leads.
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The Bellevue Yard Roundhouse still stands!
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While it is next to impossible to get a shot of the front side of the roundhouse due to the NS Gestapo Patrols, I was very pleased to find this example of a very late steam roundhouse.
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I believe the Bellevue Roundhouse was the last large roundhouse constructed. I think the construction date was 1947.
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