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Many years ago I think it was pretty clear that Fostoria was busier than Deshler, but since NWO started handling a lot of UP/BNSF trains direct, and running intermodal trains south down the B&O at Deshler, which is busier? I know there is the Deshler webcam train log, but is there one for Fostoria?

The past few times I’ve been to Fostoria it just seems slower than Deshler now, especially with the C&O being quiet.

If we are just talking about CSXT, it's pretty darn close. I currently am showing 42 Daily Q-Trains through Fostoria on both the B&O/C&O combined. As for Deshler, I am currently showing 43 Daily Q-Trains through town in all directions. I am unsure of what runs north of Deshler right now though on a regular basis. There are trains Q506, Q507, Q508, Q509, Q510 and Q511 but I do not know if all of these run via Fostoria to the east, or if they use the trackage north of Deshler to get to/from Walbridge. If they all run via Fostoria, then yes, Fostoria has a slight edge. If they do not, then Deshler has the top spot.

How busy is the NS through Fostoria these days?

As for the NS in Fostoria, I have never seen freight traffic as light as it currently is. I assume it has to do with routing freight traffic away from Bellevue aside from PSR. You currently have two pairs of double-stacks 217/218 running Charlotte-Chicago and 233/234 running Norfolk-Chicago, plus two pairs of manifest freights per 24 hours. So just 8 scheduled trains per day through town as far as I am aware. It all depends on how many coal, coke, grain or oil trains NS decides to run on any given day as to how busy it could become.

ChessieForever wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 18, 2021 1:53 pm

As for the NS in Fostoria, I have never seen freight traffic as light as it currently is. I assume it has to do with routing freight traffic away from Bellevue aside from PSR. You currently have two pairs of double-stacks 217/218 running Charlotte-Chicago and 233/234 running Norfolk-Chicago, plus two pairs of manifest freights per 24 hours. So just 8 scheduled trains per day through town as far as I am aware. It all depends on how many coal, coke, grain or oil trains NS decides to run on any given day as to how busy it could become.

So about 50 total give or take...

ChessieForever wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 18, 2021 1:53 pm

As for the NS in Fostoria, I have never seen freight traffic as light as it currently is. I assume it has to do with routing freight traffic away from Bellevue aside from PSR. You currently have two pairs of double-stacks 217/218 running Charlotte-Chicago and 233/234 running Norfolk-Chicago, plus two pairs of manifest freights per 24 hours. So just 8 scheduled trains per day through town as far as I am aware. It all depends on how many coal, coke, grain or oil trains NS decides to run on any given day as to how busy it could become.

When I was there last weekend I saw a unique NS train. It was an eastbound with probably about 50 loaded steel coil cars, then domestic stacks and TOFC. Any idea if those steel cars ride that intermodal train normally?

Last weekend from 9am-1pm I saw four NS trains. They still also run the local(s) out of Fostoria so that gives you an extra 2-4 trains per day on the NS.

When I was there last weekend I saw a unique NS train. It was an eastbound with probably about 50 loaded steel coil cars, then domestic stacks and TOFC. Any idea if those steel cars ride that intermodal train normally?

In the era of NS PSR, NS infinite wisdom is to stick steel coils on 218 and drop them off in Fostoria.

Virtual Railfan has new streaming cameras up at Fostoria in addition to the ones that Railstream already had up. Also includes links to the scanner and a train log.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MghK_OVZyk&t=0s

Deshler levels out at 40 to 50 a day
Fostoria levels out at 60 to 70 a day
As per the
Deshler Log https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... =961813343
and
Fostoria Log https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... =488454559

They got rid of the fostoria log fyi

In my opinion both are okay. The reason is because of the locations. For one thing, Deshler is very busy and a great hotspot but doesn’t really have a lot of places to eat around the area. Fostoria is excellent but you have to run back and forth between NS and CSX and granted I’m glad it’s a horn zone but 80% of the time you can’t tell what line a train is coming from since every railroad invests in Gevos with the same horns lol. The main reason I’m not a fan of Fostoria anymore is the fact that there’s some warehouse being constructed in the middle of the park. Granted there was a lot of space there and something could’ve been built to fill it in but why in the middle of a railfan park? If it does benefit the park as a model railroad club or a new train watching shelter then alright! If someone does know what’s it for please do reply and say so bc it’s very odd and has been on my mind for a while lol

"The main reason I’m not a fan of Fostoria anymore is the fact that there’s some warehouse being constructed in the middle of the park. Granted there was a lot of space there and something could’ve been built to fill it in but why in the middle of a railfan park? If it does benefit the park as a model railroad club or a new train watching shelter then alright! If someone does know what’s it for please do reply and say so bc it’s very odd and has been on my mind for a while lol"

The railfan park did not own the land where the warehouse was built. The city of Fostoria did. They sold it to a business named Sandy Creek Mining Company https://sandycreekmining.com/ That business has been in Fostoria for many years. If you have entered the railfan park via the road from the south, then you have passed Sandy Creek Mining Company's former location on your right. A couple of railfan cameras are located on the roof of that building. The new warehouse represents a big upgrade vs. their previous location.

Fostoria is definitely the busier of the two. I think they get 60-70 trains in about 24 hours. Deshler sees 50-60 trains a day. I remember when I was down in deshler for the fireworks it topped 60 trains that day. It just depends when you go like everywhere else these days. I like Deshler because of the small town atmosphere it has.

CSXBOY wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 04, 2023 4:05 pm

Fostoria is definitely the busier of the two. I think they get 60-70 trains in about 24 hours. Deshler sees 50-60 trains a day. I remember when I was down in deshler for the fireworks it topped 60 trains that day. It just depends when you go like everywhere else these days. I like Deshler because of the small town atmosphere it has.

Some of those trains overlaps. You would see multiple trains running from Deshler to Fosteria and Fosteria to Deshler again

bnsfben wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 13, 2021 7:38 am

Many years ago I think it was pretty clear that Fostoria was busier than Deshler, but since NWO started handling a lot of UP/BNSF trains direct, and running intermodal trains south down the B&O at Deshler, which is busier? I know there is the Deshler webcam train log, but is there one for Fostoria?

The past few times I’ve been to Fostoria it just seems slower than Deshler now, especially with the C&O being quiet.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... 1756942652
78 on 10/27/23