When the state of Ohio is brought up in conversation of railroad
enthusiasts, the immediate connection made is that of Ohio's railroad
hotspots. Little towns across the state happen to be the spots where
multiple busy mainlines converge, and names like Fostoria, Marion, and
Deshler are revered for their high train counts. CSX and Norfolk
Southern are the Class I railroad heavy hitters here, with their lines
connecting the cities and states north and south, and east and west.
However, what often goes unmentioned is that crisscrossing the state
and intersecting these buzzing railroad highways are smaller railroads,
usually categorized as Class II or Class III and given the term
"shortline." In comparison to the train counts of the Class I mainlines,
these shortlines usually host one or two trains a day on a given
section of railroad. Often, getting photos of them requires a day's
effort or more, sometimes meaning a railfan must be around the
railroad's yard at dawn waiting! In
Business off the Beaten Path, we explore many of these shortlines
across the state and visit scenic bridges, tunnels, and other
interesting spots not often seen, with some locomotives dating back to
the 1950s still going strong.
Includes:
The Ann Arbor Railroad
The Ashland Railway
The Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad 