Yet another format change to the blog. If you've been following from the beginning, you probably think I change formats as often as I change underwear. You would be correct. Once a month whether I need to or not...
Anyway, now for some history...
The term "crooked river" describes the Oxbow Bend area where the Cuyahoga River snakes through downtown Cleveland. An Oxbow Bend is actually a geological description of a winding river that over time gets severed from the river and forms a lake as the river naturally wants to straighten itself out. The Cuyahoga River never reached this point (it would take several thousand more years to complete) and now that humans have intervened by building dock walls, the river is where it is until humans decide they may want to change the course of the river artificially.
The map below represents the main area I intend to model. Until I change my mind again that is.
Oxbow Bend area in Cleveland
The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad (CCC&St.L or "Big Four") mainline into downtown Cleveland came up the right-hand peninsula of the river, through the east bank of The Flats, and up to the old Union Station at the site of the current Amtrak station by First Energy Stadium. When the New York Central took control of the Big Four in the early 20th Century and once the Cleveland Union Terminal was built, the old Big Four mainline was no longer used for passenger trains coming into Cleveland and the line became the Clark Branch and DK Yard. Many industries were served in the Oxbow area by NYC and the other railroads that came into the area.
The OX Tower (which is still standing by the way) was at the north end of DK Yard and controlled the interlocking at the north end of the yard and access to the upper lift bridge into The Flats. DK Tower was further south near the Erie interchange and controlled the southern end of the yard and the Erie interchange. The upper bridge into The Flats sits right next to the Carter Rd lift bridge, literally just a few feet apart. The lower lift bridge crossed the river to the west of the yard and gave access to the left hand peninsula of the Oxbow Bend area where there were several more industries. Both of these lift bridges were built in 1953 and replaced rolling lift bridges built around the turn of the 20th century. NYC and Erie both interchanged with the Republic Steel Bolt & Nut plant, which had its own switching locomotives and switched the plant itself.
As time progressed and NYC became Penn Central and Penn Central became Conrail and Conrail became CSX, the area became less and less important as rail served industries in the area dwindled away. Eventually the tracks north into the Warehouse District and most of DK Yard tracks were abandoned and so was the upper lift bridge although the bridge still stands and is fixed in the raised position. Today the Flats Industrial Railroad interchanges with CSX and switches the few remaining industries in the area across the lower lift bridge which still operates. The grain elevator which sits in the shadow of the Lorain-Carnegie bridge in The Flats, is still operational today and is part of a flour processing plant called Graincraft. In the 1940's & 1950's it was a frequent stop for grain hauling Great Lakes freighters.
I am surprised how much stuff is still standing today. OX Tower, both lift bridges, and the grain elevator to name a few. Next step is to take a trip to Cleveland to get some of my own photographs. This time I'll make sure to remember to put my SD card into the camera before I go.
Anyway, now for some history...
The term "crooked river" describes the Oxbow Bend area where the Cuyahoga River snakes through downtown Cleveland. An Oxbow Bend is actually a geological description of a winding river that over time gets severed from the river and forms a lake as the river naturally wants to straighten itself out. The Cuyahoga River never reached this point (it would take several thousand more years to complete) and now that humans have intervened by building dock walls, the river is where it is until humans decide they may want to change the course of the river artificially.
The map below represents the main area I intend to model. Until I change my mind again that is.
Oxbow Bend area in Cleveland
The Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis Railroad (CCC&St.L or "Big Four") mainline into downtown Cleveland came up the right-hand peninsula of the river, through the east bank of The Flats, and up to the old Union Station at the site of the current Amtrak station by First Energy Stadium. When the New York Central took control of the Big Four in the early 20th Century and once the Cleveland Union Terminal was built, the old Big Four mainline was no longer used for passenger trains coming into Cleveland and the line became the Clark Branch and DK Yard. Many industries were served in the Oxbow area by NYC and the other railroads that came into the area.
The OX Tower (which is still standing by the way) was at the north end of DK Yard and controlled the interlocking at the north end of the yard and access to the upper lift bridge into The Flats. DK Tower was further south near the Erie interchange and controlled the southern end of the yard and the Erie interchange. The upper bridge into The Flats sits right next to the Carter Rd lift bridge, literally just a few feet apart. The lower lift bridge crossed the river to the west of the yard and gave access to the left hand peninsula of the Oxbow Bend area where there were several more industries. Both of these lift bridges were built in 1953 and replaced rolling lift bridges built around the turn of the 20th century. NYC and Erie both interchanged with the Republic Steel Bolt & Nut plant, which had its own switching locomotives and switched the plant itself.
As time progressed and NYC became Penn Central and Penn Central became Conrail and Conrail became CSX, the area became less and less important as rail served industries in the area dwindled away. Eventually the tracks north into the Warehouse District and most of DK Yard tracks were abandoned and so was the upper lift bridge although the bridge still stands and is fixed in the raised position. Today the Flats Industrial Railroad interchanges with CSX and switches the few remaining industries in the area across the lower lift bridge which still operates. The grain elevator which sits in the shadow of the Lorain-Carnegie bridge in The Flats, is still operational today and is part of a flour processing plant called Graincraft. In the 1940's & 1950's it was a frequent stop for grain hauling Great Lakes freighters.
I am surprised how much stuff is still standing today. OX Tower, both lift bridges, and the grain elevator to name a few. Next step is to take a trip to Cleveland to get some of my own photographs. This time I'll make sure to remember to put my SD card into the camera before I go.
Awesome history lesson! There were lots I didn't know about that area. It's a good thing you've always stuck to rails near crooked rivers!
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