Photo Set 3

B&O GP38 3829 rumbles over the diamonds at HV Cabin headed toward Midland city and Cincinnati.

Olentangy Tower (a.k.a. HV Cabin) was located in the east side of the Olentangy River.  The camera is pointed northwest.  The curved double track in the foreground is the C&O.  The B&O train is on the Big Four line (the B&O had trackage rights between GN Tower and Columbus Union Depot).  The ex-PRR Bradford line is also part of the mix at Olentangy Tower with its track on the north side of the tower.  The B&O locomotives have just crossed the ex-PRR off camera to the right.  Photo by Jon Bentz, date 1969 or early 1970s.

Night exposure at Columbus Union Station from the platforms.  Our photographer is waiting for the eastbound National Limited to arrive.  Photo by Jon Bentz, ca. 1977.

The puzzle switches at the east end of Columbus Union Depot with an approaching mail train scheduled to do work in the station.

These switches were all hand thrown by one of the three switch tenders station in the area.  There was a B&O, PRR and Columbus Union Depot Co. switch tender.

Behind the I-670 bridge pillar sits Neilson Tower with the second floor boarded up.  In the far background is the Cleveland Avenue viaduct.

Did you find the ubiquitous pigeon?  Pigeons seemed to love Columbus Union Station.  They would rise altogether when a train came rumbling in soon to return to their forging.  Photo by Jon Bentz, 1969.

The north end of Buckeye Yard.  The three ex NYC F7's are on the west runner.  The west runner was used to move locomotives to and from the fuel pad at the southern end of the yard.  The camera is looking southeast toward the north end Yardmaster's Tower.  Just beyond the tower with several autos parked in front is the north end locker building.  Photo by Jon Bentz, 1976

Two GP-40 locomotives pulling a string of grain cars out of the south end of Watkins Yard.  The camera is pointed north with Valley Crossing behind the photographer.  The second unit is Chessie System No. 4158.  Photo by Jon Bentz, ca. 1975

New York Central RDC laying over at Columbus Union Station between runs from Cleveland to Columbus and return.  The camera is looking east.  Photo by Jon Bentz, 1969

Chesapeake & Ohio SD40 No. 7543 with an eastbound train of empty coal hoppers.  The signal is at mile post 6.3 (6.3 miles north of Yard A, Columbus).  The camera is looking north.  Photo by Jon Bentz, ca. 1970

From retired C&O Operator James Evans –  "The bottom signal units for tracks No. 1 & 2 are take the siding signals.  When a train was to pull into the siding and clear they would show an “X” with the position light signals.  This was before the use of radios on all engines.  If the train was using the siding as a crossover from one main to the other the signals would be dark.  C&O was one of the first railroads to equip trains with radio.”

An earlier view from the same spot looking south.  A Chesapeake & Ohio OSU/Michigan football special is headed westbound (toward Michigan).  Photo by Jon Bentz, 1965