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History The history of the Logan Southern Rail System can be traced all the way back to the Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad Company, which originally built the Columbus to Athens mainline from 1870-'71. Other predecessor railroads are the Ohio & West Virginia and the Marietta & Cincinnati. The O&WV constructed the Logan to Gallipolis route, while the M&C built the Parkersburg, West Virginia to Cincinnati mainline. Later on, the C&HV and the O&WV would consolidate with the Columbus & Toledo Railroad, creating the Columbus, Hocking Valley & Toledo Railroad in 1881. The CHV&T operated from Toledo to Athens, via Columbus, as well as the former O&WV main. Later on, after the financial panic of the mid-1890s, the CHV&T was reorganized into the Hocking Valley Railway in 1899. The HV would operate independently until the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway purchased controlling interest in 1910. Eventually, the HV was absorbed into the C&O system during the Van Sweringen era in May 1930, thus creating the Hocking Division. While the Toledo Subdivision, from the C&O connection in Columbus to Toledo, boomed, the southern portion of the former HV declined. The C&O held on to the southern HV lines (Athens, Armitage, and Pomeroy Subdivisions) until the 1970s, when abandonments occurred. A portion of the Armitage Subdivision from East Logan to Nelsonville was sold to the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway in 1985. Meanwhile, the Pomeroy Subdivision was allowed to continue on as coal revived along the route at Minerton (yes, a real town!). A daily unit train operated from Minerton to Cheshire, along the Ohio River. This continued until the mine was closed in 1986.Now let's switch to the former B&O lines. Though this writer knows little about the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the portion of the former St. Louis line can be traced to the Marietta & Cincinnati. The M&C was absorbed by the B&O to become subsidiary B&O Southwestern. Eventually, the B&OSW would be merged into the B&O system. Many trains operated over this line, including the Royal Blue before becoming a Cincinnati-Toledo passenger train. Intermodal trains operated over the line during the 1960s, '70s, and '80s before the mainline was scaled back, most notably in Southeast Ohio and West Virginia. The portion from Midland City to Belpre, Ohio, and from Parkersburg to Clarksburg, WV was slated for abandonment. For a time, Union Pacific negotiated with CSXT to purchase the mainline, but the deal fell through. CSXT held on to this section of track until the mid-1990s, when it was sold to the Logan Southern, but that will be discussed later. It is a wonder, and has been debated much since the line was put up for sale, why CSXT wanted to sell this strategic piece of track. Intermodal trains were rerouted over 200 miles, adding time to transit. Now that we are up to the present, let's take a look at the stages that led up to the formation of the LSRS. In June 1987, CSXT decided to abandon the Athens Subdivision if a buyer was not found by January 1988. A team of investors came forward and saw the potential the railroad had. They contacted CSX Transportation headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, and proposed to purchase the line for $4.8 million. This would also include a lease-to-purchase deal on three locomotives, purchase of some surplus CSXT rolling stock, and the on-line maintenance-of-way equipment. CSXT officials agreed to the deal and the property was conveyed to the new company at 5:00 p.m. on May 1, 1988. The new company was named the Logan Southern Rail System. The dream of the investors was to push the railroad south of Logan, to tap into new markets. The locomotives inherited were all renumbered to the following: GP40 no. 740, GP38 no. 578, and GP9 no. 1217. Rolling stock included specialized boxcars, covered hoppers for the on-line grain mill and glass factory, and lumber-hauling cars. Also included was a former C&O caboose, intended for use in Lancaster by the local switcher. A marketing team was quickly assembled and went to work immediately. Within a year, there was a noticeable difference in traffic. The new railroad prospered and boasted a net revenue in May 1989. As funds continued to come in, rehabilitation of the mainline began, which included welded rail and an improved dispatching system, based in Logan. In 1990, the LSRS also approached the Hocking Valley Scenic and negotiated trackage rights deal. The improved cashflow would considerably help the HVSR, as would the access to the Logan wye for turning. In exchange for payment and rights to the HVSR, the LSRS would be able to operate an unlimited amount of trains during the week, but no more than five during the weekends of June through December. The LSRS also helped the HVSR update its trackage with better rail and ties, and also repaired the bridges along their right-of-way. With the expanded trackage to Nelsonville, the LSRS also sought to move on to Athens, allowing for better flexibility in marketing. Since this route was part of the original deal between the C&O and the HVSR when the HVSR was started in 1972, the LSRS obtained this long-unused route for $500,000. By mid-1991, the future of the Logan Southern looked good. As the marketing department continued to press on for more business along the mainline, the motive power department began running short - the three locomotives couldn't do it all anymore. The LSRS soon went on a power search, looking no farther than Penn Central Transportation and CSXT. The motive power shortage was soon overcome, as three GP38's were acquired from Penn Central and four GP40's from CSXT. These were all rebuilt with "-2" components at PCT's Juniata Shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Once the "new" power arrived, the 740 and 578 went to Juniata for rebuilds as well. Rolling stock was also purchased over time from several different companies, including scrap dealers. As the year 1992 dawned, the LSRS looked for more territory. As the expansion search continued, a new coal mine was opened in February 1992 at a location just south of Nelsonville. This was quite an accomplishment for the LSRS marketing department, but now there posed a new problem - the mine located a buyer in Cheshire at the power plant located there. Either the coal could go out by truck or by conveyor belt. The conveyor system would be rather expensive to build and maintain at such a distance. Therefore, the LSRS approached CSXT to purchase the rotting Pomeroy Subdivision in its entirety from the connection at Logan Oldtown Yard to Pomeroy for $1 million. CSXT agreed to the terms, except that CSXT retain ownership of the mainline from Gallipolis to Hobson, just west of Pomeroy. The deal was completed and LSRS crews set to work on rebuilding the mainline. The project continued on from April 6, 1992 until January 28, 1993. Track was laid with temporary jointed rail until further cashflow permitted the completion of the project with welded rail. The first unit train operated from Hockhocking Coal Co. No. 1 to American Electric Power's Gavin Power Plant on February 15, 1993. Until then, the coal had been shipped by truck, but it was only a temporary arrangement, as contracts specified that the company "could only ship by rail until 1998, with temporary truck shipments allowed until completion of track." In a step of faith, the Logan Southern also purchased three more rebuilt GP40's from Penn Central to specifically power the unit train. AEP provided their own coal hoppers, which alleviated the problem of the LSRS to purchase their own supply. As traffic continued to steadily rise, the LSRS found it still needed more motive power. In August 1993, the Logan Southern found five RS3's at a scrap dealer in Roanoke, Virginia. Not wanting to hurt its image of being an EMD-only railroad, it purchased the units and had them rebuilt with EMD motors. This plan proved successful and the RS3's were designated RS3M's and numbered 306-310. Also found at the same dealer not long after was an old Norfolk & Western H16-64. This had a price too good to pass up, and this too was rebuilt with an EMD motor, adding an "M" to the model number. It was numbered 23. With the connection with Penn Central Transportation at Armitage, located just north of Athens, a deal was made in late '93 to reroute traffic over the LSRS. This would save on transit times to Columbus from West Virginia, and also give additional cashflow to the LSRS. The Logan Southern mainline from Athens to Columbus is relatively straight and flat, compared to the curves and grades of the PCT West Virginia Secondary. Two trains, both manifests, were routed over the LSRS initially, with the rest to be rerouted by 2000. Another PCT connection along the system, besides "Arm" and Columbus, is at Lancaster. Here the PC branch from Cincinnati to Zanesville is located. At Zanesville, the Muskingum Branch connects with the old Pennsylvania Railroad "Panhandle" mainline. The connection has generated much interchange traffic since the LSRS began its marketing campaign. With revenues still gaining, the LSRS approached CSXT again in 1994. This time, it was to purchase the old B&O mainline from Midland City to Belpre for $4 million. After much consideration, CSXT agreed and also allowed the LSRS joint use of its second yard in Parkersburg, known as the High Yard (located along the former mainline between Washington, D.C. and St. Louis). The track already had welded rail in place from the B&O upgrade in the late 1970s. Only one section of track was rebuilt, and that was the old mainline that was abandoned just east of Chillicothe in favor of the connection with the C&O The old mainline was torn out from West Junction to Schooleys, and rerouted onto the C&O and back down the old CH&D line, finally crossing back over to the B&O. The B&O now in its possession, the LSRS now had full control of the junction at Dundas, where the Pomeroy Subdivision crosses the B&O main. Still referred to as the B&O, the Parkersburg Division was (and still is) marketed as a good choice for intermodal trains. Since the acquisition of this line, three intermodals have been rerouted off the Penn Central Cincinnati Line to the LSRS. These trains use the C&O mainline from Columbus to Logan, then switching off to the Pomeroy Subdivision. Once at Dundas, the train is routed onto the Parkersburg Division for the trip to Midland City. At Midland, the trains are handed off to CSXT for the final trip to Cincinnati. This has proved to be a "gold mine" for the Logan Southern. In order to handle the intermodal trains better, the LSRS purchased six GP50's from Burlington Northern. In June of 1994, the LSRS decided to form a steam program to increase profits and public relations. A search was on for a steam locomotive, which was found at scrap dealer in Cleveland. The locomotive was a former Chesapeake & Ohio 4-6-2 Pacific no. 2665. This locomotive was deemed the "Lost Steamer of Cleveland", similar to the lost steam locomotives at a dealer in Roanoke. A additional shop building was constructed in Logan's Oldtown Yard for the specific use of maintaining and rebuilding steam locomotives. Restoration work began as soon as the Pacific arrived in Logan. In August of 1996, she rolled out of the shop building and began tests along the system. By October, all the bugs had been worked out and she operated her first LSRS revenue run on October 23, 1996, in full C&O paint, from Columbus to Athens and back. In July of 1995, the LSRS unveiled its own rebuild program. Two separate shop facilities were constructed - one for locomotives (in Logan) and one of rolling stock (in Chillicothe). This proved to be a successful venture, boasting high net revenues and additional traffic. Also in 1995, a coal mine located along the former C&O Straitsville Branch and expressed interest in shipping via rail. This posed a problem (again) as the rail line that Perry Coal Co. No. 1 located near was in poor shape and owned by CSXT. To solve the problem, CSXT was approached by LSRS officials to purchase the branch from the LSRS connection in Logan to New Straitsville for $600,000. CSXT officials agreed and also added the rest of the Carbon Hill branch (from Straitsville to Carbon Hill) that the Hocking Valley Scenic didn't purchase when they started in 1972. The deal was closed in September 1995 and worked commenced immediately to rebuild the tracks. For tax purposes, the LSRS founded a wholly-owned shortline railroad named the Hocking Valley Railroad and signed the new right-of-way acquisition over to the HVR. To help with motive power, three RS3M's were sold (transferred) to the HVR. Coal was soon shipped out of the mine via rail on March 29, 1996, to the Gavin Power Plant in Cheshire. By October 1996, traffic levels began to climb higher, partly due to the annual grain traffic and partly to the never-resting marketing department, locating businesses along the rail system. To alleviate power shortages, the Logan Southern purchased additional motive power in the form of a GP7 (mainly for MOW projects) from Union Pacific and ten former NS GP30's from the LSRS's regular scrap dealer in Roanoke, Virginia. Due to the expanding system, a business train was added to the "to-do" list. LSRS officials approached Penn Central to discuss the possibility of purchasing some passenger equipment. Six cars were located and a battered E8A was also included in the purchase agreement. So by April 1997, the LSRS was able to transport officials across the system via their own rails. Painting commenced and a Brunswick green base with yellow lettering was applied to all passenger equipment, except for the E8. The locomotive received the same base, but the lettering was gold instead of yellow and numbered 4021. The 4021 also was rebuilt and equipped with HEP and a GP38-equivalent motor. The inaugural run was scheduled for July 15, 1997 and operated from Logan to Parkersburg and return. Also in 1997, the LSRS recognized the need of commuter operations between Athens and Columbus, mainly due to the ever-rising congestion in Lancaster along U.S. Route 33. A subsidiary, named Logan Southern Railway (reporting marks LS), was set up to handle all passenger operations and equipment. Ten F7A's (numbered 30-39) and about a dozen coaches were located. All were rebuilt and painted in the green/yellow paint scheme. Temporary stations were built in Athens, Logan, Lancaster, and Columbus to accommodate passenger before permanent structures were in place. Operations commenced on October 25, 1997, drawing many commuters to the rails and cutting transit time between Columbus and Logan by 30 minutes. Three separate trains operated Monday-Saturday between 5:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and resuming operation from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. This proved highly successful, with many satisfied commuters on-board. Soon, fourth trainset was created and began service, daily except Sunday, between Logan and Pomeroy, with stops at McArthur and Gallipolis. With all the companies within the Logan Southern system, a holding company was developed in December 1997. The Hocking Valley Railroad and Logan Southern Railway became wholly-owned subsidiaries of Logan Southern Companies, LLC, as did the LSRS. Also in the shuffling of companies, all rolling stock, except for locomotives, came under the ownership of the LSR and restenciled with "LS" reporting marks. The cars were then leased to Logan Southern Rail System for a period of 50 years, renewable. All locomotives owned by LSRS were retained and kept under "LSRS" reporting marks. All non-railroad real estate was sold to Buckeye Real Estate Group, Inc., also a wholly-owned subsidiary of LS Companies, LLC. In June of 1998, Penn Central Transportation officials and LSRS officials met in Philadelphia to discuss the formation of a new joint company. The new company would include a special through freight program between the two railroads and also a leasing company. A deal was finally reached on July 27, 1998 and officials from both companies announced the formation of PennSouthern Co., Inc. Services provided would include PennSouthern Leasing Services and PC-LSRS Boxcar Pool. The boxcar pool would consist of a variety of boxcars painted in special jade green paint with reporting marks PCLS. PC-LSRS Boxcar Pool would operate special through trains between yards along each system (such as LSRS [Logan] Oldtown Yard to PCT [Selkirk] Perlman Terminal). Since the trains, with prefix PCLS, would operate as through trains, this would cut interchange times, thereby reducing costs to shippers. The program was a little shaky at first, but by August 1999, it would prove to be a rousing success. PennSouthern Leasing Services plans called for a variety of motive power (from SW1500's to SD60's and C30-7's) which would be available to shortlines and Class I systems. No special paint scheme was drafted; just the application of reporting marks "PSLX" to equipment. Other equipment to be leased was a variety of rolling stock such as coal hoppers, covered hoppers, and tank cars. All maintenance on equipment would be performed at select shops across the PCT and LSRS systems. By this writing, 170 pieces of rolling stock are available for lease (seventy are already leased thus far) and twenty locomotives are hauling freight, with another forty available. Also in 1999, a decision was made by the board of directors to acquire the former B&O Portsmouth Branch, extending from the mainline at Hamden to Portsmouth on the Ohio River. This would allow the LSRS to terminate haulage rights over Norfolk Southern from Chillicothe to Portsmouth. The LSRS already owned the former B&O yard in Portsmouth, paralleling the NS terminal. A deal was reached with CSXT to purchase the line for $1.2 million, with CSXT retaining trackage rights and a small storage spur in Sciotoville. Rebuilding of the "new" Jackson Division began on February 20, 2000. Welded rail was installed and a CTC system put in place. The division was opened for traffic on December 5, 2000. Five trains began operation over the line, thus rendering the haulage rights over NS useless. The marketing department soon made the division known to shippers and was able to land an intermodal train between Cincinnati and Portsmouth, via CSXT haulage to Midland City. In late 1999, the LS Companies decided to lease passenger operations to Amtrak. This saved the headache of constant equipment repairs and insurance coverage. Trains 31/32 were created to haul passengers between Athens and Columbus as a daily train. Trains 33/34 took over the Pomeroy route and another route was added. Trains 35/36 began service between Cincinnati and Parkersburg (via CSXT to Midland City), with stops at Midland City, Chillicothe, and Athens. Refurbished Amfleet equipment was brought in, pulled by a P42 "Genesis" locomotive. Per the agreement, LSRS would receive a maintenance contract, handling any maintenance at the Logan shops. When July 2000 rolled around, a former N&W steam locomotive was located in a small town park located in rural Virginia. The locomotive was former N&W K1 class 4-8-2 no. 106. Upon arrival on the LSRS in Columbus, it immediately went to the steam shops for overhaul. To the crews' surprise, the locomotive was in fairly good shape. It was later learned that she was oiled and checked over weekly by a former N&W steam shop employee until his death in 1996. All FRA required appliances were installed, as was a twin beam headlight. The K1 was renumbered 700 and relettered with the LSRS logo and "Logan Southern" across the tender, both in yellow. With the full time steam crew of ten, it didn't take long before the 700 was released from the shop. On September 28, 2000, LSRS K1 class no. 700 was released from the paint shop and several test runs were made following the release. Two Operation Lifesaver trips were scheduled for October 7 and 28 and the 700 performed with few bugs. The steam program soon had two locomotives to use for trips and a schedule was soon put together for 2001. As the new century dawned, the LSRS looked for more territory. As of this writing, CSXT and LSRS are still in the process of creating a deal to acquire the former B&O from Parkersburg to Clarksburg, WV. One plan calls for the rebuild of the mainline to Clarksburg, trackage rights over CSXT to Grafton, WV, and half-ownership of the High Yard in Parkersburg. Nothing has been agreed to as of yet. If the acquisition goes through, this will allow intermodal and coal bridge traffic to operate from Midland City to Clarksburg, with CSXT handling the traffic in either direction from the interchange points. The new line could prove very lucrative for the Logan Southern. The future of the Logan Southern looks bright. With an aggressive marketing department and good relations with Class I Penn Central Transportation Co., all looks very well for the now-regional common carrier. Stay tuned, as it's going to get even more interesting as time marches on.
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This page was last updated:
01/01/2002 18:07