Flats Industrial Railroad

Flats Industrial Railroad
Reporting mark FIR
Locale Cleveland,
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Dates of operation 1996[1]–
Predecessor Conrail[1]
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length 4 miles (6 km)[1][2]
Headquarters 1757 Columbus Road, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 44113

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[›]

This transport-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Locomotives

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

Images and media

This transport-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Facilities

Flats Industrial Railroad
vertical lift bridge
Flats Industrial Railroad vertical lift bridge
Coordinates 41°29′31.5″N 81°41′59.25″W / 41.492083°N 81.6997917°W / 41.492083; -81.6997917 (FIR vertical lift bridge)
Carries Flats Industrial Railroad
Crosses Cuyahoga River
Locale Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Maintained by Flats Industrial Railroad
Characteristics
Design Metal Riveted Warren Through Truss, Stationary, Vertical lift bridge
Material Steel
Total length 260 feet (79.2 m)
Longest span 260 feet (79.2 m)
No. of spans 1
Piers in water 0
History
Opened 1953

All locations are in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio:

(former)
ConRail/PennCentral
Clark branch and DK yard
Overview
Type Industrial Freight Short-line railroad
System Flats Industrial Railroad
Locale Cleveland, 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
Operation
Opened 1996
Owner Flats Industrial Railroad
Operator(s) Flats Industrial Railroad
Character Class III railroad
Technical
Line length 4 miles (6.4 km)[1]
Track length 4 miles (6.4 km)[1]
Number of tracks 1 to 3
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Highest elevation 571 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)Coordinates: 41°29′30.75″N 81°42′0.5″W / 41.4918750°N 81.700139°W / 41.4918750; -81.700139 (FIR HQ)HeadQuarters1757 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 Liftbridgeover Cuyahoga River
41°29′31″N 81°42′1″W / 41.49194°N 81.70028°W / 41.49194; -81.70028 (FIR locomotive parking)Locomotiveparking1757 Columbus Road, 44113model ?
41°29′30.75″N 81°42′1.25″W / 41.4918750°N 81.7003472°W / 41.4918750; -81.7003472 (FIR W switch)WSwitch1757 Columbus Road, 44113
41°29′27″N 81°41′45″W / 41.49083°N 81.69583°W / 41.49083; -81.69583 (FIR E switch)ESwitchCarter 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)EESwitchCarter 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)EEESwitchLorain-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)EEENSwitchCarter 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)EEENWEOLCarter Road and Old River Roadruins 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)EEENEEOLCarter Road and Scranton Roadrear 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)ESSwitchScranton 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)ESSSwitchScranton 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)ESSSSwitchScranton 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)ESSSEEOLWilley Road, Train Avenue
41°28′53″N 81°41′53″W / 41.48139°N 81.69806°W / 41.48139; -81.69806 (FIR Willey Crossing)WilleySwitchWilley 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)ESSSSSwitchTrain 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)ESSSSNSwitchTrain 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)ESSSSNSSwitchTrain 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)ESSSSSSwitchTrain 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)ESSSSSMSwitchTrain Avenue, Richner AvenueCP 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)WNSwitchFall 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)WNNSwitchFall 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)WNNNEOLCuyahoga Riverflour mill
41°29′35.25″N 81°42′12.5″W / 41.4931250°N 81.703472°W / 41.4931250; -81.703472 (FIR WNNS EOL)WNNSEOLCuyahoga Riverflour mill
41°29′32.75″N 81°42′9.25″W / 41.4924306°N 81.7025694°W / 41.4924306; -81.7025694 (FIR WNS switch)WNSSwitchFall Street
41°29′33.25″N 81°42′11″W / 41.4925694°N 81.70306°W / 41.4925694; -81.70306 (FIR WNSN EOL)WNSNEOLMerwin Streetflour mill
41°29′33″N 81°42′11″W / 41.49250°N 81.70306°W / 41.49250; -81.70306 (FIR WNSS EOL)WNSSEOLMerwin Streetflour mill
41°29′29.75″N 81°42′3.75″W / 41.4915972°N 81.7010417°W / 41.4915972; -81.7010417 (FIR WS switch)WSSwitchFrench 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)WSNSwitchFall 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)WSNNEOLFall Street and French StreetFIR siding
41°29′26.75″N 81°42′8.5″W / 41.4907639°N 81.702361°W / 41.4907639; -81.702361 (FIR WSNS EOL)WSNSEOLFall Street and French StreetFIR siding
41°29′27.25″N 81°42′7.25″W / 41.4909028°N 81.7020139°W / 41.4909028; -81.7020139 (FIR WSS EOL)WSSEOLFall 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. 1 2 3 4 5 "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.
  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.
  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. Retrieved 2008-07-19.

General References

  • Ohio Department of Transportation
    • "RAILROADS IN OHIO". Ohio Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2008-02-29.
    • "OHIO RAILROADS EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST CODE" (PDF). Ohio Department of Transportation.
  • "Railroads". Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
  • "Short Line Details - 519 Flats Industrial Railroad Co". Norfolk Southern Railway. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
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