Re: (erielack) Marion and environs

["Michael or Rebecca Schwiebert" <Michael.Schwiebert_@_gte.net>]

If I recall correctly, a portion of this line remained intact to Alger to
serve a grain elevator until the late 1980's. It looks like it was accessed
off of the T&OC at Kenton for whatever business the elevator was able to
generate.

Michael Schwiebert



- ----- Original Message -----
From: "R.M."Rich" Tubbs" <rtubbs_@_acc-net.com>
To: "Michael Connor" <mjconnor_rr_@_hotmail.com>; <paultup@lucent.com>
Cc: <Mdye_@_inairaviation.com>; <erielack@lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 6:24 PM
Subject: Re: (erielack) Marion and environs


> Thanks,  Mike for helping clear this up. You are correct about the line
from Marion to Lima. My mistake. Although acquired by Conrail, it was never
used for any but the mentioned train movements. Ownership of that now
trackless real estate has ended up with CSX. A local park conservancy group
has been negotiating with CSX for about 2 years now trying to acquire this
property for conversion to a hiking/bike trail. The city of Marion has
already acquired property at the west end of the old Marion yards which
would serve as a parking area and the gateway to the proposed Phoebe Snow
Trail. (I personally would rather have seen it named The Erie Limited Trail
but......oh well). Mike, can you comment on the motivation of Conrail's
acquistion of this property? Was it to block a possible connection by the
N&W or Chessie from Lima to Marion? Since we interchanged with both
railroads at both locations, this could have worked if that was the intent.
Comments?  Thanks again for the corre!
>  ction and additional information.
>
>                                        Rich Tubbs
>                                        Marion, OH
>                          ELHS Subscriber #1226 (a GP7)
>                             Former EL Tower Operator
>   http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~tubbs/ErieLackawanna/
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Michael Connor" <mjconnor_rr_@_hotmail.com>
> To: <rtubbs_@_acc-net.com>; <paultup@lucent.com>
> Cc: <Mdye_@_inairaviation.com>; <erielack@lists.railfan.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 8:56 PM
> Subject: RE: (erielack) Marion and environs
>
>
> > Rich - The disposition of the Marion Division is a bit more complex than
you
> > indicate.  Conrail acquired from the EL Estate the line from Marion to
just
> > west of Lima, a segment of line at Decatur, and some of the Chicago
Terminal
> > property (51st Street IIRC). Most of these were later abandoned under
the
> > various NERSA "easy abandonment" procedures but there acquisition by CR
did
> > serve to make the attempt to create a profitable railroad out of the
Marion
> > Division a doomed effort as key traffic points had been cherry-picked
away.
> > The latest change in the disposition of the Marion Division is the
segment
> > at Decatur IN which is now operated by the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern
> > which acquired it from CSXT, IIRC.
> >       CR also operated as an LDL, IIRC,  some more portions of the EL
but
> > they ultimately became the SPEG and the Erie Western.  The Marion
Division
> > was (and today even more so)an ideal fit with the C&O and even,
arguably,
> > the N&W but  industry leaders then operated on the theory that today's
> > traffic level was the most we will ever carry so new capacity is not
needed.
> >  Today we all pay the price for their shortsightedness and that of the
ICC
> > as a co-conspirator.  M J Connor
>

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