| Volume 40 Issue 3 | November 2000 |
| Volume 40 Issue 3 | November 2000 |
According to the Norfolk Southern Weekly Bulletin, the ex-Conrail Cincy-Columbus main is now on the NS top 10 list for double tracking, ASAP. There is no set timetable, but the single track section between Moraine and west of Springfield has grown to become a major choke-point headache in this region.
This is caused by the high volume of traffic since the Conrail split plus the Indiana and Ohio traffic that joins at Springfield going to and from Cincy. This line was highly coveted by NS since unlike us (CSX) they had no direct line of their own between Cincy and Columbus. Since Conrail gave NS trackage rights before the split, there was no way CSX could leverage that line from NS, so we ceded it to NS.
Upon completion of the split, NS promptly doubled the number of trains using this line. This was complicated by the number of I&O trains run for CSX also doubling at that time. Hence, Dayton and Springfield have become major headaches for NS, but one of the easier fixes in the system as it will only take around 10 to 12 miles of track to be laid to solve the problem, a relatively easy fix by today's standards.
An NS official I queried in Cincy said that NS traffic should double again whenever the new track is installed. I&O traffic is not expected to increase appreciably.
There is still no news as to when CSX will be doubling any track in the region. The two lines I've been watching are the Dayton to Toledo line, and the old Big Four between Mt. Victory and Cleveland. At one time these were to be priority projects. My contact at CSX said there are really no major problems between Dayton and Toledo. While the line is often operating at capacity, there are enough sidings to handle the traffic without major waits and crews running out of time.
The Big Four is having some problems occasionally, with 2 or 3 eastbounds having to wait at Mt. Victory and Ridgeway, but the track speed is so good that the waits are short and the "passing running tracks" at Marion and Crestline are adequate enough to handle any problems with heavy volume. Don't look for major track building projects at CSX in this part of the country anytime soon.
I recently saw a northeast bound CSX train pass through Akron, Ohio and on the very rear of the train was a small, two axle, center cab, yard engine. I think it was painted Middleton and Northern, numbered 404 (my memory is hazy). It looked like a brand new unit. My questions are:
© 2000 Division 3, MCR, NMRA