West Columbus Yard - T&OC

 An aerial photo of the Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad's (T&OC) West Columbus Yard.   From the Tom Swisher Collection.

        The West Columbus Yard was the classification yard for the T&OC in Columbus.  To the left, off the photo, was the roundhouse for servicing steam locomotives and BJ tower on the west side of Grandview Avenue (see photo west end of yard). When the New York Central System took over the T&OC in the 1930's it already had the Big Four through Columbus.  They were two quite different railroads with the Big Four running crack passenger trains on its Cleveland - Columbus - Cincinnati route and the T&OC heavy in coal from southern Ohio, and points further south, to the Toledo coal docks.  They always seemed like two different railroads although the Big Four gave up its Denison Avenue roundhouse and had its steam locomotives serviced at West Columbus. 

        To the right, just off the photo, the Big Four main line curves to the north meeting up with the B&O coming from the south.  From that point to just east of Columbus Union Station the B&O used the Big Four tracks. 

        West Columbus Yard was constructed with a bowl or depression in the middle of the yard.  Cars being classified could be kicked from either end of the yard, rolling toward the center of the  bowl.  

        When the PennCentral completed their new Buckeye Yard in the late 1969 West Columbus was phased out.  Where the roundhouse once stood is now the C.O.T.A. bus garage.