Hello all,
Since I have gotten Trainz back working in June, I have been able to start my dream model: building B&O's Toledo Division. This thread will include photos and updates on progress. Starting with a bit of history, the B&O Toledo Division was Baltimore and Ohio's main north-south mainline from Cincinnati to Toledo, Ohio. Starting out as the Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton Railroad between Cincinnati & Dayton, OH, the CH&D gradually acquired more trackage before reaching Toledo in 1863. The Baltimore and Ohio acquired the CH&D in 1905, adding its trackage to the B&O's vast system in the east. The Toledo Division quickly became a vital north-south link in the B&O's system and continued to be a vital part of the B&O in the 50s and 60s, and into the 70s and 80s under Chessie System. In 1986, Chessie System was officially merged under the CSX banner. The line continues to prosper as CSX's Toledo Subdivision, sending automobiles, hot autoparts, and steel southward toward Cincinnati. Iron ore was also important to the line, coming from the Lake Erie docks in Toledo and heading south for steel mills in the Cincinnati and Middletown areas. It was also famous for its daily passenger train, "The Cincinnatian", between Detroit and Toledo. An important junction on the line was Deshler, Ohio. There, the B&O Toledo Division crossed the B&O Chicago Division at grade. The diamonds between the two B&O lines earned Deshler the nickname "The Crossroads of the B&O". Connections were built in 3 of the 4 quadrents of the junction, allowing traffic to turn west toward Chicago, IL and east to Akron, OH.
The section I'm modeling is between Lima and Toledo OH (known to the B&O as the Third Subdivision) in the late 1970s-early 1980s timeframe, when the line was at its peak and had plenty of character. One of the most identifiable characteristics of this B&O line was the widespread use of Color Position Light signals. The line was CTC'd and received CPLs in the early 1930s, controlled from DR Tower in Deshler, Ohio, and is widely accepted as one of the earliest CTC installations over an entire mainline in the United States. Along with the CPL masts, bracket posts, cantilevers, and bridges were common place. Even though Centralized Traffic Control had been installed, interlocking towers still remained where other railroads crossed at grade. In the late 70s, towers remained at Deshler (DR Tower @ B&O Chicago Division crossing), Leipsic Junction (RO Tower @ diamonds w/ N&Ws ex-NKP Cleveland-Chicago main), Columbus Grove (CG Tower @ diamond w/ Akron Canton & Youngstown), Lima (NS Tower @ Conrail's ex- PRR Fort Wayne Line diamonds), and Erie Junction (BY Tower @ diamonds with Conrail's ex-EL Refinery spur).
Along the colors of the B&O, C&O, Western Maryland, and Chessie, the Toledo Division saw Detroit Toledo & Ironton trackage rights trains between DT&I Junction (north of Lima) to XN (south of Leipsic), and N&W trackage rights trains between NS Tower and Erie Junction in Lima. Both the B&O and DT&I also ran run-through trains from the Southern Rwy in Cincinnati with Southern power. All these trains added even more variety to the line during the 70s and 80s. The route is currently undecorated and still under construction, and I'm not sure if I'll put it on the DLS or just use it for my own enjoyment.
EDIT: Screenshot problem fixed, will be posting more photos more often now that I'm not searching for an answer
Since I have gotten Trainz back working in June, I have been able to start my dream model: building B&O's Toledo Division. This thread will include photos and updates on progress. Starting with a bit of history, the B&O Toledo Division was Baltimore and Ohio's main north-south mainline from Cincinnati to Toledo, Ohio. Starting out as the Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Dayton Railroad between Cincinnati & Dayton, OH, the CH&D gradually acquired more trackage before reaching Toledo in 1863. The Baltimore and Ohio acquired the CH&D in 1905, adding its trackage to the B&O's vast system in the east. The Toledo Division quickly became a vital north-south link in the B&O's system and continued to be a vital part of the B&O in the 50s and 60s, and into the 70s and 80s under Chessie System. In 1986, Chessie System was officially merged under the CSX banner. The line continues to prosper as CSX's Toledo Subdivision, sending automobiles, hot autoparts, and steel southward toward Cincinnati. Iron ore was also important to the line, coming from the Lake Erie docks in Toledo and heading south for steel mills in the Cincinnati and Middletown areas. It was also famous for its daily passenger train, "The Cincinnatian", between Detroit and Toledo. An important junction on the line was Deshler, Ohio. There, the B&O Toledo Division crossed the B&O Chicago Division at grade. The diamonds between the two B&O lines earned Deshler the nickname "The Crossroads of the B&O". Connections were built in 3 of the 4 quadrents of the junction, allowing traffic to turn west toward Chicago, IL and east to Akron, OH.
The section I'm modeling is between Lima and Toledo OH (known to the B&O as the Third Subdivision) in the late 1970s-early 1980s timeframe, when the line was at its peak and had plenty of character. One of the most identifiable characteristics of this B&O line was the widespread use of Color Position Light signals. The line was CTC'd and received CPLs in the early 1930s, controlled from DR Tower in Deshler, Ohio, and is widely accepted as one of the earliest CTC installations over an entire mainline in the United States. Along with the CPL masts, bracket posts, cantilevers, and bridges were common place. Even though Centralized Traffic Control had been installed, interlocking towers still remained where other railroads crossed at grade. In the late 70s, towers remained at Deshler (DR Tower @ B&O Chicago Division crossing), Leipsic Junction (RO Tower @ diamonds w/ N&Ws ex-NKP Cleveland-Chicago main), Columbus Grove (CG Tower @ diamond w/ Akron Canton & Youngstown), Lima (NS Tower @ Conrail's ex- PRR Fort Wayne Line diamonds), and Erie Junction (BY Tower @ diamonds with Conrail's ex-EL Refinery spur).
Along the colors of the B&O, C&O, Western Maryland, and Chessie, the Toledo Division saw Detroit Toledo & Ironton trackage rights trains between DT&I Junction (north of Lima) to XN (south of Leipsic), and N&W trackage rights trains between NS Tower and Erie Junction in Lima. Both the B&O and DT&I also ran run-through trains from the Southern Rwy in Cincinnati with Southern power. All these trains added even more variety to the line during the 70s and 80s. The route is currently undecorated and still under construction, and I'm not sure if I'll put it on the DLS or just use it for my own enjoyment.
EDIT: Screenshot problem fixed, will be posting more photos more often now that I'm not searching for an answer
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