Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

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mach69
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Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by mach69 »

Just last year, I had an internship and I was living in The View On Fifth, an apartment complex in Columbus. Right next to the apartments there is the Fred D. Pfening company who I noticed appears to have been a former CSX rail customer. Not only that, there's also another now-removed rail spur for another company just east of Holly Avenue. Do you guys know when they quit rail or when those lines were torn up?

midland sub
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by midland sub »

I was a student at OSU way back in early '90s and by then the track ended at Columbus Builders Supply. I don't recall there being anything left by that time other than the apparent right of ways by the shapes of the buildings. I want to say Columbus Builders Supply was occasionally getting a load of lumber into the late '90s. There was another customer on that track- right around where the track curves away from the main (behind the Burger King) was someone that received refrigerated boxcars. I believe they went out of business right around 2001 or '02. There used to be quite a few old spurs in the area, most seemed to have disappeared in the late '70s or early '80s after Staggers happened. There was track just north of Kinnear Rd that ran up to Kenny Rd that for some reason was left in place well after it wasn't needed.

I always thought the last neat active spur in the late '90s was over on the the other side of 315 in the Harrison West neighborhood. The Harrison West trail uses the old right of way. There was a large factory at the current Harrison Park apartments, that I believe at the end AC Hutmko was making mayonnaise. I believe the track up until the Conrail split, the track was in a former joint served area from back in the early 1900s that both CSX and Conrail worked the line. The plant closed shortly after the Conrail split and was torn down in 2004ish.

mach69
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by mach69 »

midland sub wrote:There was another customer on that track- right around where the track curves away from the main (behind the Burger King) was someone that received refrigerated boxcars. I believe they went out of business right around 2001 or '02.
Were they located between Holly Avenue and Norton Avenue? I want to say that was the case.
midland sub wrote:There used to be quite a few old spurs in the area, most seemed to have disappeared in the late '70s or early '80s after Staggers happened.
What was Staggers? Never heard of it.
midland sub wrote:There was track just north of Kinnear Rd that ran up to Kenny Rd that for some reason was left in place well after it wasn't needed.
Were they Livingston Seed? Probably covered hoppers.
midland sub wrote:I always thought the last neat active spur in the late '90s was over on the the other side of 315 in the Harrison West neighborhood. The Harrison West trail uses the old right of way. There was a large factory at the current Harrison Park apartments, that I believe at the end AC Hutmko was making mayonnaise. I believe the track up until the Conrail split, the track was in a former joint served area from back in the early 1900s that both CSX and Conrail worked the line. The plant closed shortly after the Conrail split and was torn down in 2004ish.
Ah, I see it. Quality Place and Ingleside Avenue.

There also appears to be one just south of Goodale Road. Wonder who that went, and when they quit.

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AARR
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by AARR »

Staggers Act of 1980. Google it for details. The short version it deregulated railroads and allowed them to make decisions (ex. abandoned lines) and negotiate their own contracts with limited government oversight.
mach69 wrote:
Wed Aug 26, 2020 11:29 pm
midland sub wrote:There used to be quite a few old spurs in the area, most seemed to have disappeared in the late '70s or early '80s after Staggers happened.
What was Staggers? Never heard of it.
PatC created a monster, 'cause nobody wants to see Don Simon no more they want AARR I'm chopped liver, well if you want AARR this is what I'll give ya, bad humor mixed with irrelevant info that'll make you roll your eyes quicker than a ~Z~ banhammer...

arty flowers
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by arty flowers »

Where the grandview yard area is now used to be a big bear distribution warehouse for the defunct grocery chain which was rail served.

strugglin
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by strugglin »

Hey guys, this is my current neighborhood for the last 15 years now, I live off 5th Ave!

Yes, the only spur off the C&O in Grandview is the curved track between 3rd & 5th Ave which runs between Burger King on 5th Ave and Giant Eagle Market District and serves Columbus Builders Supply, and contrary to popular belief, they are an ACTIVE customer. I can't seem to find the pic, I thought I took a picture, they received 2 centerbeam lumber cars at some point in 2019 I believe? I remember going to Giant Eagle and was shocked to see the 2 cars there, then a few days later, they were gone and I was disappointed I didn't catch either of the moves.

ohiopower
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by ohiopower »

You can also see on Google Maps where the spur continued after Columbus Builder Supply and curved between Norton/Holly and Holly/Oxley. As midland mentioned, these were a lot more visible in the early 90s as they had been recently removed.

mach69
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by mach69 »

ohiopower wrote:
Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:49 am
These were a lot more visible in the early 90s as they had been recently removed.
Do you have any specifics? I'm guessing early 2000's.

ohiopower
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Re: Two abandoned Columbus rail spurs

Unread post by ohiopower »

My recollection is that the northernmost spur crossing Edgehill had been removed. Also, the spur that continued south and crossed Third Avenue was there but ended right at Third and no longer crossed it. At some point they pulled the rails, I would bet before 2000.

The topo map below (1982) shows the spurs. They continue to be listed through the 1990s on the topo maps but other than the cold storage warehouse and the lumber yard, I think they were gone.

The spur north of Kinnear that crossed Kenny Rd. was still there into the 90s, and it was terrible (rough). Eventually the old C&O RR Xing wooden post came down (wish I had a photo of that). The spur curved south and crossed Kinnear at one point to reach a business.
5thAveRail.JPG

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