NS power on the Ohio Central's Panhandle

Blackhat · January 16, 2012, 08:29:32 AM

An eastbound coal train breezes through Port Washington, Ohio just before sunrise on a chilly Monday morning. NS SD70ACe #1060 & #1010 trail OC SD40-2 #3340 & SD40-3 #3328. (16 Jan 2012)

Jake

Matt L · January 16, 2012, 08:28:44 PM

NS black mixed with GWI orange? Very interesting! Are they doing some sort of run-through operation or power pooling?

Blackhat · January 16, 2012, 11:48:37 PM

A run-through. I'm told NS saves about 8 hours using the Panhandle Line. They've been doing it for a number of years. I've attached a shot from a year ago that represents a typical look. As for pool power, over the years I've seen the usual assortment of foreign power one sees on the NS. (Kinda feels like the early Conrail days where you never knew what to expect on a lashup.)

Jake

Matt L · January 17, 2012, 08:18:22 PM

Oh yeah, I forget about some of the OC power still being in the old paint scheme. The "lash-up" certainly does remind me of early CR. Thanx for the information and pics!

steveiez · January 18, 2012, 08:59:12 PM

The Panhandle was some kind of route in the Pennsy days! I rode the trains to St Louis several times.

Blackhat · January 22, 2012, 08:53:14 AM

The Panhandle is still an interesting line, even if the only passenger trains that ply its rails are the Polar Express runs out of the Dennison Depot. The Ohio Central's previous owner even ran steam-powered excursions from time-to-time, but that all ended with the GWI ownership. Now the only steam power on the line is the old C&O #2700 in Dennison.

Jake

Matt L · January 22, 2012, 08:34:39 PM

A fellow railfan gave me a book about the OC that was published during the era when Jerry Jacobson owned the OC. It was an interesting read with alot of nice photos. I don't know of any other Class II or III RR that had the varied mix of power that the OC had- steam, Alco diesels, EMD and even some GE engines.