The Diamond Gazette
September 2003, Vol. No. 1, Issue
No. 4
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Public Relations Department
- For immediate release -
September 26, 2003
Terminal Safety Recognized: Located in the southern portion of Columbus, Ohio, is the impressive Hocking Valley Railway Co. Parsons Terminal. This yard complex, one of the yards originally constructed by the HVR, is home to an intermodal yard, locomotive servicing facility, BulkTransfer terminal, eighteen-track classification yard, numerous support tracks, state-of-the-art computer and networking system, and the HVR's best safety report. The Parsons Terminal complex has yielded the best year-long safety report and can not be matched anywhere else in the system. The Hammond Terminal came in a close second, but Parsons managed to boast the best overall report. Between September 1st, 2002, and September 1st, 2003, there were only eight reportable injuries recorded, adding to the ten reportable injuries the year before. Parsons Terminal employees were awarded a plaque and flag during a ceremony held on September 20th at the main office building inside the terminal.
Excursions Winding Down: The HVR's steam and diesel excursions are slowly winding down for the 2003 season. October still has seven trains yet to operate before the season closes. The most notable event will be during October 25th and 26th, as HVR 2-6-6-2 No. 226 and E8A No. 802 will depart Columbus, Ohio, for a triangle trip to Hammond, Indiana, and Toledo, Ohio, before returning to Columbus. The season-finale trip will go off in typical Hocking style as the trip departs Columbus on the 25th at precisely 8:00 A.M., destined for the western terminus of Hammond. At Hammond, E8A's Nos. 800 and 801 will couple to the train for the trip to Toledo. Meanwhile, the 226 will be turned, serviced and coupled to a freight train bound for Toledo, following the excursion by two or three hours. Passengers will spend the night in Toledo before returning to Columbus the next day. Sunday's departure will be at 2:00 P.M., allowing for a relaxing tour of the sights and shopping of Toledo. The steam locomotive will power the remaining portion of the excursion back to Columbus, finishing the 2003 season. Space is limited, so reserve a seat now!
Trackage Rights Pursued: The Hocking Valley Railway Co. is currently in negotiations with officials from Penn Central Transportation regarding trackage rights from Sharon, Pennsylvania, to Croxton, New Jersey. The agreement, if signed, would allow a back-up route to the current routing of trains via the Genesee & Allegheny Southern. Not only that, but the routing of trains over the former Erie-Lackawanna mainline would allow a much faster and more direct connection with the East Coast; an arrangement that even has the western railroads looking twice at current routings. "It [the agreement] would definitely have many advantages for us, as well as Penn Central," noted Fred Dalkon, senior analyst for HVR's Traffic Management Department. "The route we are looking at is very under-utilized by Penn Central at the current time. By using their line, we find that very little delays would occur to our traffic and PC would ultimately gain as well." No date has yet to be specified as to when the agreements could be finalized.
Signal Upgrade Announced: Soon the Erie Division will receive numerous signal upgrades, says Ken Freidmann, superintendent of HVR's C&S Department. Many of the signals between Hammond and Youngstown date back to the days when the Erie-Lackawanna operated over the trackage. Some changes have occurred within the Marion interlocking plant, but for the most part, the mainline signals haven't changed. That's about to change according to Friedmann. "Since the late 1990s, we have been working tirelessly on these Erie [Division] signals, trying to get something to hold long enough so we don't have to revisit the site within two years. The problem is that many parts required by the these signals are becoming less common, and as a result, more expensive. The best way to combat this and get things back in order is to simply replace most, if not all, of the signals along the main." No official cost has been cited, however estimates gathered for such a project are well over $15 million.
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