N&W's Defiance-Napoleon, OH local—ca. 1988

Into the late 1980s, N&W/NS operated a local freight from Defiance, OH to Napoleon, Ohio over former-Wabash trackage. The local switched industries in Defiance before leaving town. Traffic on the local included covered hoppers for local elevators, and reefers of tomato paste for the cold storage warehouses in Napoleon (ultimately destined for the Campbell Soup Company plant there).

In 1989 operation of this line was passed to Indiana Hi-Rail Corporation, and since then there have been several operators.

Railfan Doug Leffler from Jackson, Michigan filmed the local on a winter day. His video shows the local's crew going on duty, switching in Defiance, moving through small towns east of Defiance, and running around the train and crossing the DT&I diamond in Napoleon as the train backs out to the cold storage warehouses.

This capture is from his (VHS) video, and is used with permission.

Check out my blog: http://tecumsehjunction.com