Willard, in north-central Ohio, is home to CSX's former B&O yard which classifies and services trains operating over the ex-B&O main
line between Chicago and Baltimore, as well as those which run between Chicago and Buffalo
(Frontier) or Albany (Selkirk) via the ex-CR, exx-NYC "Big Four" tracks through
Greenwich and Cleveland.
CSX runs about 100 trains a day in and out of Willard. And
both the Wheeling & Lake Erie (1 or 2 a day) and the Ashland Railway (1 a
day) come in
over trackage rights to interchange with CSX.
Train watching and photography at Willard is a bit difficult
because of the yard's location through and northwest of the city.
Please do not try to go into the yard itself -- it is busy, dangerous (remote-control
units in use), and heavily patrolled by CSX Special Agents.
There are two spots just east of downtown -- Second and Third
Streets -- and the American Legion parking lot on Ohio Rt. 99 where you can get good shots of
trains entering or leaving the east end of the yard. We suggest staying off the Ohio Rt.
99 bridge itself; it's a very busy highway and there are no sidewalks.
At the west end, you can park along County Rt. 12 (Town Line Rd.),
on the north side of the yard, at the site of the former J Tower, just below the County Rt. 30
(Section Line Rd.) overpass, although the sun usually is against you. There is no good place to park on
the south side without being on private property.
Also, Daniels
Rd., about a half-mile west of the County Rt. 30 overpass, gives some good shots
of trains coming from or going to the west. Daniels Rd. is closed at the tracks,
and parking on the south side can present some challenges in getting back out if
there are more than two cars in the roadway. There is plenty of space on the
north side, entered from County Rt. 102 (Egypt Rd.).
There are several places to eat (and to use "the facilities"), as well as
motels, along U.S. 224 just south of downtown Willard.
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CSX S353 is arriving at Willard 2nd St with CSX 287 (AC4400CW) leading and a waybill RSSX 754, refurbished at LTEX, 7/20/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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RSSX 754 (GP7), refurbished at LTEX, is going for lease to Cargill at Eddyville, IA, here in Willard Yard 7/20/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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A 1,000-legged worm invaded Willard Yard on 7/20/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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BNSF 6491 (SD45-2) Blue Bonnet was the middle unit on CSX Q381 at Willard 7/19/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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BNSF Pumpkin 1025, Blue Bonnet 6491, and another Pumpkin (C44-9W/SD45-2/C44-9W) were on CSX Q381 in Wllard Yard 7/19/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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This unpatched B&O/Chessie hopper was going west through Willard Yard 7/18/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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Here is a covered hopper which you don't see too often -- Consolidated Grain and Barge Co -- at Willard 7/19/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CUVA 2014 (SW8), coupled to CSX 1170 (MP15AC) in Willard Yard, is headed for LTEX in McDonald, OH, soon 7/17/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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This unknown switcher, 613, left Willard Yard on CSX Q384 7/15/08 headed for LTEX in McDonald, OH (Tom Boylan) |
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"One spot" CSX 1 (AC4400CW) Spirit of West Virginia leads CSX westbound N997 into Willard Yard 7/6/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CSX N997 has recrewed in Willard and CSX 1 (AC4400CW) Spirit of West Virginia leads it west at Daniels Rd. 7/6/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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Geneva Steel 43 rode into Willard Yard in tow on CSX Q371 7/5/08 and was scheduled to go east to LTEX on a New Castle Sub train (Tom Boylan) |
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The setting sun paints ASRY 2023 and 2027 (2 GP38) in a golden glow as the train heads for Plymouth and Willard 6/30/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CSX Q381 with BNSF 4143 and CSX 8319 (C44-9W/SD40-2) coming into Willard had 7 BNSF ES44DC deliveries in tiow 6/30/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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The two RailAmerica ex-CORP "cow-&-calf" sets which came into Willard on CSX Q390 pass over the eastbound hump in the yard 7/2/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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Whew! CSX Q117 headed for Willard 6/30/08 had 10 (!) units, possibly the longest power string we have ever shown on this site (Tom Boylan) |
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CSX Q390 with 2 UP units heads east into Willard Yard past westbound CSX Q381 with 7 BNSF's, 5 of them ES44DC's out of GE Erie 6/29/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CP 6063 (SD40-2) at Willard was to be the 2nd unit on CSX Q378 due out late on 6/28/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CSX work train W043, with 2229 and 6403 (Road Slug/GP40-2) is spraying weeds at 2nd St., Willard 6/28/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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BNSF 4441, 4008, and CEFX 1025 (2 C44-9W/AC4000CW) and delivery BNSF 7408 (ES44DC) on CSX Q351 are at Willard 3rd St 6/27/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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Check-up time. A Sperry rail car is working west on Track 1 at the east end of Willard Yard 6/20/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CSX has modified a set of ballast hoppers with solar panels on the ends to power the dump control system, seen here in Willard Yard 6/20/08 (Tom Boyl |
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WLE 5413 (exDRGW SD40T-2), 6315 (ex-WC SD40-2), 6381 (ex-EMDX SD40-2), 6314 (ex-EMDX SD40-2) at Boughtonville on WLE/CSX Z578 6/1/08 (Michael Rujak) |
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BNSF 4391 (C44-9W) and a Warbonnet bring CSX Q390 east intoi Willard at Daniels Rd., 5/24/08 (Michael Rujak) |
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BNSF 9170 and a sister (2 SD70ACe) lead CSX E941 empty Powder River coal train at Boughtonville 5/24/08 (Michael Rujak) |
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BNSF 9799 and a siser (2 SD70MAC) lead CSX N859 westbound into the setting sun at Willard 6/1/08 (Michael Rujak) |
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UP 6636 and an ex-SP unit (2 C44AC) are in charge of eastbound CSX K682 unit ethanol traun at Boughtoinville 6/1/08 (Michael Rujak) |
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One of 6 Chippewa Valley passenger cars which arrived in Willard Yard 6/3/08 on rear of D763. Where are they going? (Tom Boylan) |
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Side 1. CSX W055 rail train at Willard 5/30/08 had this caboose painted by Dwight Jones for the 175th B&O Anniversary (Tom Boylan) |
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Side 2. CSX W055 rail train at Willard 5/30/08 had this caboose painted by Dwight Jones for the 175th B&O Anniversary (Tom Boylan) |
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LTEX 1417 (ex- NS GP15-1) in fresh red paint came into Willard on CSX Q353 5/24/08 and now is at Smart Papers in Hamilton, OH . (Tom Boylan) |
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LTEX 7564 (GP10X), ex- Portage Limestone engine, rests in the Willard waiting on its waybill papers after arriving on Q 353 5/24/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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BNSF 3409 (SW1500) showed up in Willard 5/13/08 as one of three waybills on CSX Q353 (Tom Boylan) |
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BNSF 1489 (GP15-1) was a waybill which arrived in Willard Yard 5/13/08 on CSX Q353 (Tom Boylan) |
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LOCX 1228 (SW1500 ?), in the marks of Mobile Locomotive Services, was a waybill which CSX Q353 brought into Willard 5/13/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CSXT 5438 (ES44DC) and a pair of BNSF units bring CSX Q381 into Willard Yard, passing under the 3rd St. signals, 5/4/08 (Michael Rujak) |
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CEFX 1011 (AC4400CW) was the 2nd unit on CSX Q383 in Willard Yard blockwap 5/7/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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CSX Q381 is departing Willard 5/5/08 with BNSF 8276 (SD75I) leading BNSF 6798 (SD40-2) (Tom Boylan) |
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The Richard E. Markle is one of two Western Maryland passenger cars passing through Willard Yard headed east 5/6/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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The Howard O. Hovatter is one of two Western Maryland passenger cars passing through Willard Yard headed east 5/6/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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Inbound eastbound coal with CSX 320 (AC4400CW) meets the westbound yard engine 2642 (GP38-2) at Willard 5/5/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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MetroNorth 4906 (GP40FH-2) is headed back to the "Big Apple" after a rebuild in the consist of CSX Q390 at Willard 5/4/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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The "artist" has struck again, this time on a container passing through Willard 3/12/08 (Tom Boylan) |
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