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Lake Shore Line Stories
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Conrail Era 1976-1999
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Story by Dan Masters
Online July 15, 2004
I have a few memories of Conrail that I'd like to share. My grandparents owned the farm at the corner of Crissey Rd. and Old Airport Hwy. just west of Holland, and my mom's family used to gather there for cookouts and what not. Of course the farm is just a stones throw away from the busy Conrail mainline. I remember as a little kid always loving to watch the trains go by, and the Big Blue was the first for me. One time when I was three (I'm told anyway), my parents turned around to find me gone. Searching all over they couldn't find me and in the distance they heard the sound of a train horn! You can bet they were frantic! A few minutes later a family drives up in an old pickup with me in the back. They told my parents they found me wondering up by the tracks. Railfanning lesson Number 1 learned: stay off the tracks. I personally do not remember this occuring, but both of my parents insist it did.
The next story I'd like to relate about Conrail involves me and a certain cousin who shall remain nameless. It was the summer of 1987 and we liked to go down to the Conrail mainline in South Toledo to watch the action. One night we were standing on the old Nickel Plate bridge, which is just east of the Anthony Wayne Trail, and saw a westbound coal train approaching. It had 5 engines on the point and was still working up its power as the air was thick with exhaust and noise. My cousin dares me to stand over the engines when they pass underneath the bridge- I foolishly dare him back and we are both standing there as this coal train comes near. The first engine gets underneath us and we both bolt to get out of the way. The heat and smell were unreal! My cousin got more of the blast than I did, but we both reeked of diesel fuel the rest of the night. I think he might even have scorched his leg some. Railfanning lesson Number 2 learned: don't stand over the engines on an open trestle. We later discovered that there were several other bridges in the area gave a good line of sight without the burn risk. Or the machismo temptation.
My family moved a little ways further away in the summer of 1988 and I didn't watch the trains much- too busy with school, building model airplanes, and playing football with the guys. But I met a good friend in 7th grade who was a train nut. We got closer as we entered high school and he liked to go down to Air Line Yard and watch the late morning trains. So I happily went along. Right by Dale Street, there is a set of wooden steps that go down to the tracks and that was our hangout. The spot always seemed to have a strong scent of creosote and fresh cut grass- whenever I smell creosote I always think of our spot. From the steps, we could see the signals at MP 290 clearly to catch any eastbounds, but westbounds had a nasty habit of showing up quickly around the gentle curve. The only indication we would have is the singing rails, if we were quiet enough to hear them. I learned so much from Gary about trains- the different types of freight, other railroads (Gary was a huge NS fan), and became a confirmed Conrail fan. Sadly, we only watched the trains for about a summer and as high school went along, we drifted our own way. My parents had divorced in the meantime and those memories of watching the morning intermodals out of Chicago with Gary are one of the few that I still have a clear recollection. D8s were brand new, and I remember seeing quite a few of them on the point of many an intermodal, wide cabs too. It was around that time (1991 or so) that Conrail introduced its Quality paint scheme which I hated at the time- I thought the steel wheels were so cool! I don't mind the scheme as much anymore.
Cut ahead to 1994 and I am going to the University of Toledo as a freshman. I finally have my own car but my head is a far away from trains as could be. Between work, school, and my girlfriend, I barely paid them any heed except that I made it a point to always take Westwood Ave. up to the university so I could catch a train or two on the way to and from school. I remember one morning about 11 a.m. I was coming home and crossed over the tracks at Westwood and was rather dumbfounded to see three westbound trains sitting just east of the crossing. An eastbound was about to reach the gates (which came down as I crossed over the last set of tracks). I stuck around and watched them clear out over the next half hour. I hadn't seen anything like before or since.
My further memories are more appropriate for Norfolk Southern so I will continue them there.
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