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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'>At the end of August
<st1:City w:st="on">Norfolk</st1:City> Southern's transloading facility in <st1:City
w:st="on">Norwood</st1:City>, OH, a suburb of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Cincinnati</st1:place></st1:City> was closed. This facility
lies at the end of the former N&W Hyde Park branch and is the only customer
on the line. It had been switched once or twice per week. <br>
<br>
The railroad gate is open at the east end (which was always locked except while
switching), derail switch closed, rusty rails, an empty yard, and a sign in the
office door window stating that the office was closed. I do not know if this is
a permanent closure. Bulk transfer company Matlac closed in 2004 then
Superior Carriers took over. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Norfolk</st1:place></st1:City>
Southern owns this property. Since 2004 NS has been working twice a week there
most weeks. Many of the tank cars and of course the flour cars contained
ingredients for Frisch's (local franchise restaurant “Big Boy’) commissary.
But, Clare Yard is also a bulk transfer facility operated under lease by
Bulkmatic. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'>Whether this line,
by the reuse of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Norwood</st1:place></st1:City>
yard, will ever be reopened cannot be speculated upon right now. For some
years NS has offered this line to SORTA, the Southern Regional Transportation
Authority, bu they have no purchased it. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'>TQ07 was the switcher/shifter
that went up the line from Clare to bring in, shift and take out cars.
These would go to Clare and eventually be taken to <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Sharon</st1:place></st1:City> yard by the T51 local that also goes
out the old Peavine to Peebles. TQ07 and T51 still operate but not in the
regular manner of last year. We’ll have to seen how and when
business turns around.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'>Strictly
speculation, the condition of the three bridges on the line might define the
possibility of this line being reopened, the bridge over Big Duck Creek and Red
bank Road, the bridge west of this, hog Back, and the bridge over I -71. I
haven’t heard of any plans to abandon the line so far. But, NS has
abandoned formally a short section of the line from Idlewild to Berry Yard
between <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Paddock Road</st1:address></st1:Street>
and <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Tennessee Avenue</st1:address></st1:Street>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2
color="#313131" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
color:#313131'>Norwood</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font size=2
color="#313131" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
color:#313131'> yard and the area surrounding it was a hot spot for business in
the 1900-1920’s for the N&W as well as the industrial yard for cars
moved by the PRR/CL&N on to their spurs on the CL&N. Just to the
west was the connection to the CL&N at Idelwild (<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Xavier</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
now).<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color="#313131" face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;color:#313131'>Gary Rolih<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=2
color="#313131" face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Verdana;
color:#313131'>Cincinnati</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font size=2><span
style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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