Welcome back to the HO Scale Modern DT&I!
Episode 9 finds us in Ironton, Ohio along the DT&I’s street running down to their yard along the Ohio River.
Originally, the DT&I crossed the Norfolk and Western on a diamond just southeast of the depot. However, with traffic increasing throughout the 80s and 90s, the two railroads came together to redesign the entire interlocking to minimize disruption to both rail and road traffic. The diamonds were removed, and a new connecting switch put in. A set of crossovers about a mile down the line allow DT&I trains to enter their yard. NS runs a few trains directly into and out of the DT&I’s Ironton yard, but most traffic is picked up and set out by a daily NS Portsmouth to Ironton turn.
At the north end of the street running, a new holdout signal was installed, which is basically a repeater of the home signal in town. This allows DT&I trains to wait for a clear signal without blocking the street running portion. Speeds through the street are a brisk 15mph, and trains can speed up to 25mph once clear.
We start early with the Oak Hill turn returning to the yard after working the industries on the line overnight. I’ve called out some of the customer commodities in the video captions.
Next, we catch a loaded coal train bound for the Coke plant near the DTI yard. NS, Chessie, and the DT&I all access the mill, with the DT&I occasionally moving cuts north for Chessie.
Later in the morning, we catch B40-8W 813 leading a Triple Crown train. This roadrailer is operated between the DT&I at Ft. Wayne, Indiana and Norfolk Southern at Alexandria, Virginia. The handoff is made here at Lima, and is one of the few trains NS originates from the DTI yard.
The DT&I began operation of Triple Crown trains in 2014 when NS and Conrail wanted to downsize the service. Due to customer demand, several agreements were made with regionals and shortlines to offload some of the business. The DT&I bought partnering shares into the brand, as evidenced by the logo showing up on some trailers. It operates many of the former NS and Conrail trains across the system footprint.
Next is a train we didn’t expect…a deadhead move of the business train. 1776 does the honors with the Bluebird as the train consist. The DT&I has a subsidiary company that operates several scenic and tourist lines. Check out our system map for those. As a result, the railroad maintains several matched trainsets for both these routes and use as the business and excursion trains. The Bluebird is a handsome example!
Early in the afternoon, the hottest train on this end of the line appears. Flat Rock to Norfolk automotive related traffic flows 6 days a week through Ironton between NS and the DTI. NS will have power waiting in the yard to continue the journey east.
Today’s traffic warrants a second section of the train, which follows shortly behind the first. We’re surprised to see Southern Pacific power on the head end. SP power is no stranger between Cincinnati and St. Louis, but for a set to make it all the way down to Ironton is unusual. 114 is new to the modeled roster this week!
Shortly after the automotive manifest clears, a northbound rolls into the street. 475 is one of several units still wearing its Ohio Central paint. The OC was acquired by the DTI in 2006. We see 611, which was on the coal train earlier, making a return trip north out second. They’ve got a high-wide load up front today.
The next train didn’t come until the golden hour. It was a southbound loaded grain train with an NS SD60 on the point. NS will take this east to the coast for export.
We conclude the day with another hot train, an Alexandria to Moterm (Detroit) intermodal. This is one of the other trains that NS runs directly to and from the DTI’s Ironton yard. You may think it seems strange for the DTI to have this versus an all-NS move, but the DTI is solely responsible for developing this market!
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