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Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson
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Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
Basesd in the northeastern corner of Ohio, only a dozen miles from Lake Erie, the Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson Scenic Line
was a 6-mile seasonal tourist operation utilizing Alco switchers and an assortment of heritage passenger equipment. The operation offered an out-and-back trip, including a locomotive run-around at either end of the ride.
The trackage is a surviving segment of a former Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway division, later New York Central and then Conrail, connecting Jefferson to Ashtabula in the north and Youngstown in the south.
Begun in 1991 but ended in 2014, the passenger operation was the sister company to the Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson Railroad
-- a shortline bulk commodity hauler interchanging with the Norfolk Southern.
See also our complete Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson shortline scrapbook
1998 tourist guide ad / collection
2006 tourist guide ad / collection
RWH
Motive Power
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #107
Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #107
ex Fairport, Painesville & Eastern #107
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #7371
Jefferson, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #7371
ex Hunkey-Conkey Construction #1002
See our Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson shortline scrapbook for more motive power photos
Rolling Stock
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #100
open excursion car / Jefferson, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #201
excursion power car / Jefferson, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #7133
Coach / Jefferson, Oh / Jun 2009 / RWH
Jefferson, Oh / Jun 2009 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #7136
Commissary / Jefferson, Oh / Jun 2009 / RWH
Jefferson, Oh / Jun 2009 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #1002
Excursion / Jefferson, Oh / Jun 2009 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #765367
Discarded sleeper / Jefferson, Oh / Jun 2009 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson #425
Caboose / Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
May 2009 / RWH
Ashtabula, Cortland & Youngstown #721
Private coach / Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
May 2009 / RWH
Ride
In the fall of 2011 I took my family with me on my third visit to Jefferson, Ohio and the busy little Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson.
The weather was terrific, blue skies and puffy clouds.
Before we boarded the train for the 12-mile run, my daughter and I were inspecting #7371 when we received an impromptu invitation to ride in the cab.
Ours was the second excursion of the day, so the engineer needed to run his yellow S1 around the train to recouple to the north end of the consist.
Later, after our excursion, we found the locomotive again for one last round of pictures, only to be welcomed back into the can for a second run-around: this time to put the locomotive up for the night in the storage shed.
It was a great day on the AC&J, in large part because it was my daughter's first ride in a locomotive cab. "Daddy, the only thing sad about this day: We can't tell Papa about my first cab ride." Indeed.
Many thanks to the AC&J crewmen for their generous shortline hospitality. Long live the #7371!
October "Pumpkin Train" Ride
Goggle Maps / RWH
That the Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson's six mile run in northeast Ohio follows a former New York Central mainline right-of-way becomes obvious with the first ride: straight lines all the way, save one gentle curvature to run due-north to Plymouth. This makes for a smooth excursion ride.
The line crosses two waterways en route, and in the fall of 2011 major work was being done down in the stream to dredge the area surround the turn-of-the-century stone pilings that support the bridge.
The ride runs north, underneath Ohio Route 11, and stops short just south of the interchange with the Norfolk Southern mainline to Ashtabula -- a major rail coal-loading facility for great lakes shipping. Near Plymouth, the AC&J has installed a short double-ended siding for running the locomotive around their tourist trains. The ride returns southward to Jefferson, with the locomotive running cab-first.
The route show signs of track rehabilitation, including bridge repairs and tie replacement. The right-of-way is owned by the State of Ohio and leased to the shortline hauler.
Oct 2011 / RWH
Oct 2011 / RWH
bridge support repair work / Oct 2011 / RWH
Oct 2011 / RWH
near Plymouth, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
Cab Ride
all cab photos above taken Jefferson, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
Locations
Enjoy the historic, main street charm of Jefferson, Ohio. Jefferson has been the heart of and the county seat of Ashtabula County since 1807. Founded in 1803 by Post Master General Gideon Granger, the village has several historic buildings, including a beautiful courthouse built in 1836 and the Giddings Law Office, places where Congressman Joshua Giddings and Senator Benjamin Wade, leaders in the anti-slavery movement, once practiced law.
Built in 1872, the Jefferson Depot contains railroad memorabilia and features the original ladies waiting room and restrooms complete with wall-hung flush tanks. Outside, there is an 1888 House, Colonial Hurb Garden, early General Store, 1972 Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad Station and 1918 Caboose, the 1848 Church in the Wildwood and Church Barn, the 1838 One-room Schoolhouse, Hohn's General Store and early century pharmacy, and the 1885 Sheffield Post Office.
1998 tourist guide ad / collection
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson depot
Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
Click to see the Jefferson depot plotted on a Google Maps page
Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson office
Jefferson, Oh / May 2009 / RWH
Jefferson, Oh / Jun 2009 / RWH
May 2009 / RWH
May 2009 / RWH
Lagniappe
Jefferson, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
Jefferson, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
My Diesel-Electric Girl
Jefferson, Oh / Oct 2011 / RWH
Links / Sources
- Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson Railroad website
- Diesel Shop roster for Ashtabula, Carson & Jefferson Scenic Line