Railfanning Fostoria, Ohio

[Cody J]

I will be making a railfanning trip to Fostoria this Saturday and was wondering if anybody knew of the line that ran through there so I could get the frequencies? Or any other info you might have about Fostoria?

Thanks,
Cody

[ABC]

It is known as train city USA and Amtrak used to run through there.
CSX has a yard there and I Norfolk & Western does too.
Fostoria is one of the greatest places to watch trains. The flow of trains seems to be never-ending except for the usual slow period around lunch from about 12:30pm and 2:00pm but that provides a break to get food and rest at the hotel for a while.
Trains roll through about every 5-10 mins. Listening to the scanner one will find there are usually traffic jams outside of town. Fostoria sees between 90 and 120 trains in 24 hrs. Since the Conrail merger with CSX and NS traffic has increased in the past few years some days there may be 100-150 trains.
There are many locations in and around Fostoria to view the action, the simplest and safer location is the Amtrak Station and parking lot. It is adjacent to the CSX ex B&O Line and NS Fort Wayne Line junction. Signals are easily viewable for the CSX Line. The newest location will be the new railfan park a block east of the station. The park should be completed by 2010 with the area being open for railfans sooner.
Talk with the local railfans that live in the town they will help sort out the confusion... even experienced railfails will benefit greatly, it can be overwhelming.

[Cody J]

I just did a quick search on the Amtrak website and looked for the stations in Ohio and did not see a station in Fostoria. Do you know where I can find the station (address) and also the address for the park?

thanks

[ABC]

I will be making a railfanning trip to Fostoria this Saturday and was wondering if anybody knew of the line that ran through there so I could get the frequencies? Or any other info you might have about Fostoria?

The Amtrak Station is at
500 South Main St. - Fostoria, OH 44830


Train Viewing Park

[Cody J]

Thanks for the info, ABC. Google Maps shows that the area where the railfan park is supposed to be is currently a junk yard, of course Google Maps may be out of date. Do you have any info on what Amtrak trains stop at the station and when? And why Fostoria is not on the webiste?

[ripvanwnkl]

Scanning:  http://www.greatlakeslive.com/fostoria.html - CSX and NS
Railfanning and railpark info:  http://www.fostoriairontriangle.com

My grandson and I have railfanned in Fostoria many times during the last five years.  Our favorite site(s) are on the northeast side of Columbus Ave just south of the CSX (old C&O) and NS (old NKP) double diamond and across the street from the planned railpark.   Last summer, a portapotty was in place at the railpark site.  Amtrak no longer stops in Fostoria, but can't beat the freight traffic!   

Have a great time! 

[ABC]

Amtrak used to run through there.

-from my first reply
Fostoria was served by the Three Rivers Amtrak Service which ran between Chicago and New York City until train service there ended in March 2005 which was on CSX's B&O line.
So to answer you question that would be 0 trains and never.
I'm not sure if the viewing park is there yet, but I do know it was formerly a scrapyard.
It is only a 20 minute drive from my current location in Findlay, Ohio.

[Cody J]

Thanks for all the help

[Cody J]

Do you guys by chance know of the lines running through Fostoria and the radio frequencies to use?

[ripvanwnkl]

Please see response #5.  Radio frequencies are on scanner link.  Also, good map at http://www.trainorderpix.com/FostoriaMap.htm

[Cody J]

Who ever said that there was a railfan park in Fostoria is totally and completely wrong!
My brother and I arrived in Fostoria yesterday morning and were driving around and got to the area where the railfan park was supposed to be and it was a wasteland. There was a fence around it saying Keep Out and No Trespassing.







We ended up parking in the parking lot across from the Ex- Amtrak Station between the NS Fostoria Dist and the CSX Fostoria Sub even though we weren't near the CSX Columbus Sub, there were only 4 trains on the Columbus Sub. Saw 24 trains total

[ripvanwnkl]

Trainsrock,

Thanks for the photos.  How long did it take you to see 24 trains? 
Sorry you were disappointed by Fostoria.  I don't think anybody said the railpark existed yet in replies to your message,  so I'm not quite sure why you expected one and are upset you didn't find one. 
What you found may indicate that old building demolition has been completed and grounds preparation for the park are apparently being done after many years of planning.  Hopefully that's the case.  BTW, that empty "wasteland" you saw used to be an overgrown junkyard with large derelict buildings.       

[Cody J]

We were there for about 2 1/2 hours in the morning then left for lunch and were there for about 4 hours in the afternoon. I was not at all dissapointed in Fostoria, I was dissapointed that there was no railfan park and you, ripvanwinkl, said that there was a portapotty in place at the railfan park

[ripvanwnkl]

I guess they removed the portapotty for construction.  It was right next to an old building which is apparently now gone.  My grandson and I haven't been up there since last summer.  Hopefully they'll have something for railfans by the end of this year.  It all depends on whether they have enough funding available to proceed with building.  My wife, grandson, and I contribute toward that funding with our annual membership dues in the Fostoria Rail Preservation Society (FRPS)

[Cody J]

Oh okay, well for anybody who is new to Fostoria and is planning on going, I recommend the parking lot across the tracks from the Amtrak Station, you can't photograph the CSX Columbus Sub but in 7 1/2 hours there I only saw 4 trains there as most of the action is on the NS Fostoria District and the CSX Fostoria Sub