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Bellevue FactsBellevue, in north-central Ohio, is the site of Norfolk Southern's (former Nickel Plate) large, modern classification yard, NS's major yard in northern Ohio. The "Bellevue Tower - South End" area of the yard complex offers the best locations for railfanning and photography. There is a lot of track and train activity in this 1-square-mile area, and parking is readily available. Everything is accessible, but please practice good safety awareness. The map shows the track layout in the South End, but because of the complexity of this area, we have not attempted to show the signals - there's only so much we could pack into the map. (Also we have heard that there may be a signal project in Bellevue's future.) Bellevue is where NS' Lake Division's Cleveland, Fort Wayne, and Toledo Districts (all ex-NKP). and its Sandusky and Columbus Districts (ex-PRR), all come together so it is a very active spot for railfans. While we don't have an accurate count, we believe that some 70 trains enter or leave Bellevue every 24 hours. The Wheeling & Lake Erie also brings 4 to 6 trains a day into Bellevue from Yeomans, east of Bellevue, the end of WLE's own tracks, via the Brewster and Lake Shore Connections, and has trackage rights over NS to Toledo, Huron, and Flat Rock. PLEASE DO NOT go into Bellevue Yard - everything north of Harkness St. on the map. That will get you into trouble with NS police, and could cause problems for all other railfans. Otherwise there are no particular problems for railfans at Bellevue (except the lack of "facilities"; near the tracks; the nearest ones are in the Bellevue Community Center on Cherry Blvd).
A word of caution: You also should not stop on, or walk out onto, the Ohio Rt. 4 bridge over the east end of the yard. The busy bridge has no sidewalks, and the Ohio Highway Patrol takes a very dim view of pedestrians (railfans) out there. Unfortunately while the new Rt. 269 bridge has sidewalks, it also has a close-mesh wire fence, so shooting overhead shots from the bridge is not possible. A scanner is a must for railfanning at Bellevue because trains come from all directions, and all talk to the dispatchers, or to "Ranger Tower" or "Route 4" in the yard. The key frequencies which you need are:
With construction of the new Rt. 269 bridge, some good, previously inaccessible photo locations have opened up under it. Just watch where you walk; the ground is very uneven. Most major fast-food restaurants (with "facilities") are on Main St. both west and east of downtown. We don't have any experience with the pizza places near the tracks. Also, while you are at Bellevue, why not visit the Mad River & NKP Museum on Southwest St. next to the tracks to Klines Yard? It is open daily during the summer months; many weekends in the rest of the year. Railfanning at Bellevue can be time well spent. The action is fairly steady, and not everything is "basic black." You'll find colorful run-through and leased power (maybe even a CP or CN -- or two) on many trains. You never know what may show up! |
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