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Flats Industrial Railroad

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Coordinates: 41°29′30.75″N 81°42′0.5″W / 41.4918750°N 81.700139°W / 41.4918750; -81.700139 (FIR HQ)
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Flats Industrial Railroad
Overview
Headquarters1757 Columbus Road, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 44113
Reporting markFIR
LocaleCleveland,
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Dates of operation1996[1]–
PredecessorConrail[1]
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length4 miles (6 km)[1][2]

The Flats Industrial Railroad (reporting mark FIR) is a Class III railroad that provides short-line commercial/industrial switching service in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, primarily with CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway.

History

Trains have run in the Cuyahoga Valley since the 1880s. In 1880, the Valley Railway began operations, transporting coal to Cleveland, Akron, and Canton from the Tuscarawas River Valley and providing passenger service along the way. After a decade of operation, the Valley Railway became part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In the 20th century, competition from automobiles, trucks, and buses caused the decline of both freight and passenger service.

Right-of-way ownership shifted over the years from Valley Railway to the Cleveland Terminal & Valley Railway (CT&V), to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, to the Chessie System.

Today

Flats Industrial Railroad acquired its rails and right-of-way within the Flats District (Cleveland) from former Conrail. As of 2009, the Class III Short Line railroad operates as the Flats Industrial Railroad Company (FIR/FIRS). . The railroad operates on weekdays, reportedly around 7:00 to 10:00AM in the morning. At one time, they used to have a sand trans-loading business to keep themselves busy while not switching at Cleveland's Cereal Food Processors elevator. They also used to serve fatty oils and synthetic esters producer, "Werner G. Smith." They interchange with the Norfolk Southern in a yard between Fulton Road and W.41 Street in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cloggsville Line, operated by Norfolk Southern, serves that yard. Company (FIR/FIRS).

As recently as 2014, FIR had only two employees.[3]

Equipment

Flats Industrial Railroad initially operated one switching locomotive, later adding a second locomotive.[B]

Locomotives

Flats Industrial Railroad - Locomotives
Number
 Manufacturer
 Model
 Description
1202 EMD SW1200 Diesel-Electric Switcher
1222 EMD SW1500 Diesel-Electric Switcher

Images and media

Facilities

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

Flats Industrial Railroad
vertical lift bridge
Flats Industrial Railroad vertical lift bridge
Coordinates41°29′31.5″N 81°41′59.25″W / 41.492083°N 81.6997917°W / 41.492083; -81.6997917 (FIR vertical lift bridge)
CarriesFlats Industrial Railroad
CrossesCuyahoga River
LocaleCleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Maintained byFlats Industrial Railroad
Characteristics
DesignMetal Riveted Warren Through Truss, Stationary, Vertical lift bridge
MaterialSteel
Total length260 feet (79.2 m)
Longest span260 feet (79.2 m)
No. of spans1
Piers in water0
History
Opened1953
Location
Map

All locations are in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio:

(former)
ConRail/PennCentral
Clark branch and DK yard
Overview
OwnerFlats Industrial Railroad
LocaleCleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Termini
  • CP Knob switch connection with CSX/NS
  • 1. Train Avenue and Willey Road
    2. Carter and Scranton road
    3. Carter and Old River road
    4. FIR siding, Fall and French street
    5. FIR siding, Fall and French street
    6. FIR siding, Fall and French street
    7. flour mill, Merwin street
    8. flour mill, Merwin street
    9. flour mill, Cuyahoga River
    10. flour mill, Cuyahoga River
Service
TypeIndustrial Freight Short-line railroad
SystemFlats Industrial Railroad
Operator(s)Flats Industrial Railroad
History
Opened1996
Technical
Line length4 miles (6.4 km)[1]
Track length4 miles (6.4 km)[1]
Number of tracks1 to 3
CharacterClass III railroad
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Highest elevation571 feet (174.0 m)
Flats Industrial Railroad - Facilities
Coordinates
 Name
[A] 		Type
 Address
 Description
41°29′30.75″N 81°42′0.5″W / 41.4918750°N 81.700139°W / 41.4918750; -81.700139 (FIR HQ) Head Quarters 1757 Columbus Road, 44113
41°29′31.5″N 81°41′59.25″W / 41.492083°N 81.6997917°W / 41.492083; -81.6997917 (FIR lift bridge) Vertical Lift bridge over Cuyahoga River
41°29′31″N 81°42′1″W / 41.49194°N 81.70028°W / 41.49194; -81.70028 (FIR locomotive parking) Locomotive parking 1757 Columbus Road, 44113 model ?
41°29′30.75″N 81°42′1.25″W / 41.4918750°N 81.7003472°W / 41.4918750; -81.7003472 (FIR W switch) W Switch 1757 Columbus Road, 44113
41°29′27″N 81°41′45″W / 41.49083°N 81.69583°W / 41.49083; -81.69583 (FIR E switch) E Switch Carter Road, Scranton Road
41°29′25.5″N 81°41′44.25″W / 41.490417°N 81.6956250°W / 41.490417; -81.6956250 (FIR EE switch) EE Switch Carter Road, Scranton Road
41°29′20.25″N 81°41′42.75″W / 41.4889583°N 81.6952083°W / 41.4889583; -81.6952083 (FIR EEE switch) EEE Switch Lorain-Carnegie, Scranton Road
41°29′25.5″N 81°41′43.75″W / 41.490417°N 81.6954861°W / 41.490417; -81.6954861 (FIR EEEN switch) EEEN Switch Carter Road, Scranton Road
41°29′28.75″N 81°41′45″W / 41.4913194°N 81.69583°W / 41.4913194; -81.69583 (FIR EEENW EOL) EEENW EOL Carter Road and Old River Road ruins to former Old River Road rail lift bridge and GCRTA W.10th tracks
41°29′34.5″N 81°41′42.75″W / 41.492917°N 81.6952083°W / 41.492917; -81.6952083 (FIR EEENE EOL) EEENE EOL Carter Road and Scranton Road rear of Carter and Scranton Road businesses
41°29′15.25″N 81°41′42.25″W / 41.4875694°N 81.6950694°W / 41.4875694; -81.6950694 (FIR ES switch) ES Switch Scranton Road, University Road
41°29′13″N 81°41′41.75″W / 41.48694°N 81.6949306°W / 41.48694; -81.6949306 (FIR ESS switch) ESS Switch Scranton Road and University Road
41°29′3.5″N 81°41′45.25″W / 41.484306°N 81.6959028°W / 41.484306; -81.6959028 (FIR ESSS switch) ESSS Switch Scranton Road, Abbey Avenue
41°28′53.25″N 81°41′52″W / 41.4814583°N 81.69778°W / 41.4814583; -81.69778 (FIR ESSSE EOL) ESSSE EOL Willey Road, Train Avenue
41°28′53″N 81°41′53″W / 41.48139°N 81.69806°W / 41.48139; -81.69806 (FIR Willey Crossing) Willey Switch Willey Road, Train Avenue
41°28′37.75″N 81°42′13″W / 41.4771528°N 81.70361°W / 41.4771528; -81.70361 (FIR ESSSS switch) ESSSS Switch Train Avenue, West 30th. Street
41°28′37″N 81°42′14.5″W / 41.47694°N 81.704028°W / 41.47694; -81.704028 (FIR ESSSSN switch) ESSSSN Switch Train Avenue, Richner Avenue
41°28′26″N 81°42′42.25″W / 41.47389°N 81.7117361°W / 41.47389; -81.7117361 (FIR ESSSSNS switch) ESSSSNS Switch Train Avenue and Richner Avenue
41°28′25.25″N 81°42′44.25″W / 41.4736806°N 81.7122917°W / 41.4736806; -81.7122917 (FIR ESSSSS switch) ESSSSS Switch Train Avenue and Richner Avenue
41°28′23.5″N 81°42′47.75″W / 41.473194°N 81.7132639°W / 41.473194; -81.7132639 (FIR ESSSSSM switch) ESSSSSM Switch Train Avenue, Richner Avenue CP Knob connection to (NS/NSR?) main line
41°29′32″N 81°42′5.75″W / 41.49222°N 81.7015972°W / 41.49222; -81.7015972 (FIR WN switch) WN Switch Fall Street and Leonard Street
41°29′33.5″N 81°42′8″W / 41.492639°N 81.70222°W / 41.492639; -81.70222 (FIR WNN switch) WNN Switch Fall Street and Leonard Street
41°29′35.5″N 81°42′12.5″W / 41.493194°N 81.703472°W / 41.493194; -81.703472 (FIR WNNN EOL) WNNN EOL Cuyahoga River flour mill
41°29′35.25″N 81°42′12.5″W / 41.4931250°N 81.703472°W / 41.4931250; -81.703472 (FIR WNNS EOL) WNNS EOL Cuyahoga River flour mill
41°29′32.75″N 81°42′9.25″W / 41.4924306°N 81.7025694°W / 41.4924306; -81.7025694 (FIR WNS switch) WNS Switch Fall Street
41°29′33.25″N 81°42′11″W / 41.4925694°N 81.70306°W / 41.4925694; -81.70306 (FIR WNSN EOL) WNSN EOL Merwin Street flour mill
41°29′33″N 81°42′11″W / 41.49250°N 81.70306°W / 41.49250; -81.70306 (FIR WNSS EOL) WNSS EOL Merwin Street flour mill
41°29′29.75″N 81°42′3.75″W / 41.4915972°N 81.7010417°W / 41.4915972; -81.7010417 (FIR WS switch) WS Switch French Street and Columbus Road
41°29′29.25″N 81°42′5.5″W / 41.4914583°N 81.701528°W / 41.4914583; -81.701528 (FIR WSN switch) WSN Switch Fall Street and French Street
41°29′27″N 81°42′8.5″W / 41.49083°N 81.702361°W / 41.49083; -81.702361 (FIR WSNN EOL) WSNN EOL Fall Street and French Street FIR siding
41°29′26.75″N 81°42′8.5″W / 41.4907639°N 81.702361°W / 41.4907639; -81.702361 (FIR WSNS EOL) WSNS EOL Fall Street and French Street FIR siding
41°29′27.25″N 81°42′7.25″W / 41.4909028°N 81.7020139°W / 41.4909028; -81.7020139 (FIR WSS EOL) WSS EOL Fall Street and French Street ? spare parts locomotive ?

Accidents

In 2005, FIR reported a single Highway-Rail Crossing incident, no other accidents, and no one killed or injured.[4] In 2004, FIR did not report any accidents (train, highway-rail crossing, other incidents).[5]

See also

Notes

^ A: Switch names are HQ-relative, should be Main-line relative.
^ B: Both locomotives are visible on Google Earth and Maps imagery, there are many (copyrighted) pictures of each posted on other web sites.
^ C: CP as in CP Knob refers to "control point". FIR operates on what used to be the Clark Branch and the DK Yard. The other bridge across the Cuyahoga River (OX/Flats Tower/Carter-Old River) in no longer used. FIR's interchange connection at CP Knob is to the CUT branch/main line.[6]
^ D: Department of Transportation, Surface Transportation Board, STB Finance Docket No. 33044
Flats Industrial Railroad Company--Acquisition and Operation Exemption--Consolidated Rail Corporation
Flats Industrial Railroad Company, a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire by purchase, and to operate, approximately 4 miles (6 km) of rail lines owned by Consolidated Rail Corporation between M.P. 14 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH, and M.P. 10 at Carter Road, Cuyahoga County, OH, including the industrial lead to Cereal Food Processors, Inc. The proposed transaction was to have been consummated on or after October 1, 1996.
Decided: October 3, 1996.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Vol. 66, No. 221/Thursday, November 15, 2001/Notices STB Finance Docket No. 34108". Federal Register. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-20.
  2. ^ "Table 1-13: Freight Railroads Operating in Ohio by Class: 2000". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  3. ^ "TOTAL EMPLOYMENT BY STATE AND LAST RAILROAD EMPLOYER - CALENDAR YEAR 2014" (PDF). Railroad Retirement Board. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
  4. ^ "Railroad Safety Statistics 2005 Annual Report" (PDF). Federal Railroad Administration, United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2008-07-28. [dead link]
  5. ^ "Railroad Safety Statistics 2004 Annual Report" (PDF). Federal Railroad Administration, United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-04-22. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
  6. ^ "Lake Region - Cleveland Division Lakefront". Penn Central Railroad Online. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
  7. ^ "DoT Report #21 - October, 1996". TrainNet.Org, Federal Register, Surface Transportation Board, United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2008-08-29. Retrieved 2008-07-19.

General References

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