Re: (erielack) Marion Div. post-4/1/76

[Smtimko_@_aol.com]

Rich
 
I was working in Youngstown DY office on 04-01-76.
 
I believe that the Marion Dispatcher came to Youngstown on 03-31-76 to take  
care of their work from Kent to Galion.  (They formerly handled Kent to  
Marion and I believe the Dayton Branch also.)
 
Once again, I'm thinking back 28 years......I believe that MECI, MECO,  COME, 
and CIME ran via Columbus-Galion-Akron-Kent and on to Meadville.   (They may 
have originally had other symbols, such as OM-8, etc.).  Other  trains with 
former EL crews operated Kent to  Akron-Warwick-Orrville-Mansfield-Crestline.  
Those trains were BRC-76,  BRC-78, IHB-7 and IHB-9.  There was a PB train 
operating for a short while  also.
 
The former EL Mahoning Division (Binama Building) office and the former PC  
Valley Division(Stambaugh Building) office were combined in the fall of 1979 (I 
 believe) and moved into the Ohio One Building and the Youngstown Division  
was formed.
 
I worked the Kent to Galion portion of the former EL a few times in  1976 and 
1977, and there were a few locals operating to service  industries.  Of 
course, Harding Yard at Ontario (Mansfield) was, and  is to this date, active with 
Fisher Body business.  Today the Fisher Body  business travels from Harding 
Yard to Mansfield on a yard crew move to make  connections out of NS Oak Street 
Yard. 
 
After the Youngstown office consolidation in 1979, I worked 2nd trick Asst  
Chief Disp  (Conway to Crestline) and later, due to force reductions,  worked 
1st trick Dispatcher Massillon to Bucyrus.  Later when Ft Wayne was  closed 
(1982) the job worked Massillton to Ft Wayne (Adams Tower).  The  former EL crews 
manned their own trains from Crestline to Ft Wayne (Huntington  crews) and 
from Crestline to Kent (Marion crews).
 
Hope this helps somewhat. 
 
Keith Robbins---you out there to make any corrections required and to add  to 
this?
 
smt

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