We had been warned this was to be a colder and snowier winter and the predictions are coming true.  There is no reason for me to leave my warm home today and it's a good time to sit in front of the computer and get more "stuff" completed here.

Looking back on the FRPS 2013 year, well, we can certainly say we had a lot going on and here is the list.

FEBRUARY

...Henry H. Geary Foundation/Key Bank donates $1,000.00 to FRPS.

...City of Fostoria receives 3 bids for the Fostoria rail park $1.8 million construction project.

MARCH

...Whitta Construction, Fostoria, was selected to build the Fostoria Iron Triangle Visitors Center and Viewing Park.

...Posey Excavating completed the Codding building demolition project.  Rail fans will have a better view of the area with this building gone.  This property, owned by the city of Fostoria, is directly west of the rail park.

APRIL

...Ohio Rail Tourism Assn.(ORTA) held their annual meeting at Jerry Joe Jacobson's Sugar Creek Roundhouse.  FRPS is a member of ORTA.  Amazing to walk around and see such a display of rail road history so well preserved, loved and admired.

...Whitta Construction, began the work on the new rail park.  Work should be completed by October if the weather cooperates.

...Operation Lifesaver Train (OL).  FRPS has an Operation Lifesaver presenter on our board.  FRPS invited the Fostoria Fire Dept. & Fostoria Police Dept. employees to ride the OL train with FRPS members as guests.  The trip was from Rocky River to Bellevue.

...FRPS held their 4th annual Railroad Employees Reunion at St. Wendelin Parish Life Center.  Guest Speaker was Matt VanHattem, Senior Editor, Trains Magazine.

...Charles Glover, Fostoria donated a LE&W whistle post.  FRPS will move the post to the rail park in 2014.

MAY

...National Train Day (NTD), Toledo was a successful event with over 8,000 people attending.  FRPS is on the NTD committee and had tables at the event.

...Canadian Walter Pfefferle began updating the FRPS website and opened up a FRPS Facebook page.  Walter has accomplished a great deal in a short time.  Look at our website and connect with us on Facebook.  We will keep you informed on what is happening in Fostoria and FRPS.

...C&O/NKP double diamond and B&O/C&O double diamonds are being replaced by N/S and CSX crews.  

...Ft. Wayne's NKP 765 rumbled EB through Fostoria.

...B&O RR Historical Society held a mini-convention in Fostoria.  Previous mini-con was in 2009.

...Ft. Wayne's NKP 765 rumbled WB back to Ft. Wayne through Fostoria.

...Michael Harvey, St. Mary's OH, donates a scanner for railfans use.  Scanner is setup at Davis & Newcomer Bldg. (D&N) and to be placed in rail park when platform is completed.  (This scanner will be moved in the spring when the weather is warmer.)

...Rolf Babb, Jim Hohman and Dr. Gregory Hensley donate a picnic table for rail fans use.  Picnic table is located in the D&N lawn area.

...FRPS receives $1,000.00 grant from Fostoria Eagles.  Funds will be used to upgrade the LE&W depot electric box.

JUNE

...Operation Lifesaver holds their quarterly meeting at the LE&W depot.

JULY

...City of Fostoria employees cut down the scrub trees on the Codding property line allowing more visibility for rail fans in the Iron Triangle.

AUGUST

...Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative donates $1,000.00 to FRPS for expenses to paint the LE&W depot exterior.

...Tom E. Dailey Foundation donates $2,000.00 to FRPS for the LE&W/ NKP caboose restoration project.

...Mohegan-Pequot RR Club travels to Fostoria to railfan in the Iron Triangle.

...FRPS volunteers clean up the T&OC/NYC depot and NYC Tower grounds.  They removed vegetation with the city of Fostoria employees furthering the process at the NYC Tower by removing trees in and around the tower and abandoned rail line.  

SEPTEMBER

...Ft. Wayne NKP 765 travels EB through Fostoria to Cuyahoga Valley in early September and traveled WB back to Ft. Wayne later in September.

...FRPS President Jim Roberts announces new FRPS executive board members--Tom Miller, Renee Smith, Joe Droll, Pamela Smith and John Potteiger.  These appointments were made to fill vacant seats.  Earlier this year Aaron Gonya, John Kimble and Roger Radcliff resigned.

...Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau (FAVB) & Capture 1 Studios released "The History of Fostoria, Vol 1" with an event at St. Wendelin Parish Life Center. 

...12th annual Fostoria Rail Festival held at Fost. Intermediate School (FIES). Chamber Car Show was added. Train show has grown and will be moved to the adjacent larger school building, Fostoria High School for the September 27, 2014 event.

...WBGU-TV (public TV) visits Fostoria Rail Festival and interviews Mayor Eric Keckler, FRPS Pres. Jim Roberts, Chamber of Commerce Director Pamela Smith, Fostoria Area Historical Society Pres. Leonard Skonecki (Gov. Charles Foster) and Ellen Gatrell for WBGU Scenic Stops program. Our segment will be part of the NW Ohio railroads program.
OCTOBER

...B&O RR Historical Society held their national convention in Findlay with two buses of attendees visiting the Iron Triangle.

...Rail park not quite complete.  Too much rain over the summer has caused delays.

NOVEMBER

...Fostoria native John Switzer published an article in the Columbus Dispatch on growing up in Fostoria during the steam train era.

...City of Fostoria held the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Fostoria Iron Triangle Visitors Center & Viewing Area.  Approximately 200 people were in attendance.  A reception was held at the BANKquet Hall following the ribbon-cutting.

DECEMBER

...Mayor Eric Keckler is allowing the rail park to be open 24/7.  Fostoria City Council will have an ordinance requesting the 24/7 at December council meetings.

...Fostoria Chamber held 2nd annual WhoVille on Dec. 7 along with the Fostoria Rotary Club Holiday Parade in downtown Fostoria.  Santa arrived at the LE&W depot for our 6th annual Santa at the Depot.  Chamber had events downtown and at the Fostoria Plaza.  In attendance, the Grinch!

...FRPS sponsored the 4th annual Light Up Fostoria for the Holidays contest.  Bus tours are held to view the entrants beautifully lighted lawn displays.

GENERAL INFORMATION

...Donations were received during the 2013 year from Charley Sheets, the Clyde Lindsay family, Gerald Lee, retired B&O engineer Marie Walton, Jim Nusser, Robert Woods widow and Herm VandeKerkhoff.

...FRPS traveled through Ohio and Michigan attending many train shows.  Of course we informed railfans of what is going on in Fostoria.

...FRPS memberships are up with 160 members for 2013.  We expect those numbers to increase with the rail park opening to the public in Nov.  Are you a member?  Our membership form is on our website.  

Ellen

RAILPARK OPEN NOVEMBER 15th

Hello to all this November evening.

Great news to pass on to everyone !!!!!! The City of Fostoria will have their official ribbon-cutting at the Fostoria Rail Park on Friday, November 15, two weeks from today. The 3:00 p.m. ceremony should be completed at 3:30 with a reception immediately following at the BANKquet Hall, corner of Main & Tiffin Streets until 5:00 p.m.. Please pass this information on to everyone !!! The RailPark will be open 24/7 so railfans can enjoy it anytime they visit.

The ORDC Track Record was emailed to many of you and IF you do not wish to receive it, please advise me. Please do not forward the info to ORDC, it just causes confusion. IF you do not wish to receive emails on FRPS/Fostoria updates, please also advise.

This weekend is the NMRA train show at Dayton's Hara Arena. Hope to see many of you there. Great show, please plan to attend if you can.

The Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau will host their 2nd Grinch/Whoville weekend for children on Saturday, Dec. 7, 9a3p. Santa will arrive in Fostoria via the Rotary Club Holiday Parade, 11:00a.m. Santa will light up the City of Fostoria Whoville Tree and then come to the LE&W Depot to visit with local children and their families from noon-3 and 5-7. Santa needs a break to feed his reindeer from 3-5.

Our 7th annual Santa at the Depot will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5-7 pm and Saturdays noon-2 until December 21. Model trains will be running along with the 24+ brightly decorated Christmas trees inside and outside. Get your Christmas spirit here if you need some. This is not just for children, adults love to see the decorations too. We can provide you with a photo with Santa for a nominal price and you can take the photo home with you too. Pets are also welcome, they are part of our families too!!!

LIght Up Fostoria will again be part of Fostoria's Holiday spirit on Friday & Saturday, Dec. 13 & 14. Local and area homes decorate their yards and enter the contest. Tours will be set up for you to either take in your own car or you can ride in one of the buses and have a tour guide give you information on the lovely Christmas decorations for a nominal cost. FRPS and the Fostoria Chamber/FAVB are involved in this event.

Enjoy this weekend.

Ellen

Results for the September 28, 2013 Rail Festival contests are:

Lens-Eye View Photo Contest

Black and White Entries   1st  Jay Freet, Mishawaka, IN, 2nd Jimmy Thorp, Fostoria, OH; 3rd Ron Breniser, Goshen, IN

Color Photo Entries:  1st  Sam Sponseller, Plymouth, OH; 2nd Christine Berryman, Dearborn, MI; 3rd Stu Nicholson, Columbus, OH, 

More than 30 online entries were made in this photo contest with all the entries being available on the FostoriaIronTriangle.com website.

Soup Contest    Judges Choice:  1st, Sandy Berrier, Cheeseburger Soup; 2nd Allyson Murray, Steak Vegetable Soup; 3rd, Kay Rochotte, Mexican Corn Chowder; Teresa Lee, Chili #1,  & Ellen Gatrell, Cheddar Broccoli #1.

Peoples Choice:  1st Sandy Berrier, Cheeseburger Soup; Marilyn Beers, Garden Vegetable Soup; 2rd Marion Sheets, Kwik-Shake Restaurant, Chili #2.

We did have one unknown person enter a Cheddar Broccoli Soup.  We congratulate this person but do not know who prepared the soup.

Thank you to all who entered both contests.  Congratulations to the winners.  You are all a part of making the 12th Fostoria Rail Festival so successful.  FRPS had increased attendance as well as large increase in train show vendor tables sold.  Having the Fostoria Chamber Car Show in the school parking lot was beneficial in having more attendance at our event too.  Again, thank you to all who participated and congratulations to the winners.

Ellen Gatrell

FRPS Festival Chairperson

Right at the beginning of this email a big a THANK YOU needs to be given to all who had a part in another great Fostoria Rail Festival.  Those who volunteered, setup trains, train vendors, bus tour guide, setup & torn down the tables and especially the sponsors of our event, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.  Last but not least are those who visited our festival, we certainly need you to have a successful day.  THANK YOU TO ALL.

Over 900 people came through the doors on Saturday, more than 2012. We passed out 375 railfan packets with many already having the packet. We asked for your hometown to find out where everyone came from.  Those results will be in the next email too.    Over 125 tables were filled with model trains, and train related items.  We have heard many good comments from both vendors and customers.  N gauge and G gauge were popular and apparently sold out for the vendors.  Maybe we need more vendors with N & G gauge. Happy vendors and happy customers make for a good show. The bus tour by Gov. Charles Foster was good but we definitely need to have at least two buses next year and we will do so.  Chamber of Commerce Director Pamela Smith had the Chamber Car Show in conjunction with the Rail Festival and this too was a great addition to the days events.  The model trains were exciting for all and a thank you to the Saginaw River Valley Model Railroad Club, Dalmation Switching District, Great Lakes HO Module Groupand the Northwestern Modular Railroaders.  For 11 years Fostorian Dick Painter has been bringing his B&O steam engine for all to see.  What a treat.  FRPS member Gerald Lee had a table full of engines, again very interesting for all ages.  His brass railroad bell was a hit, (get the pun) and was heard loud and clear at the show.   McKenna Essman, local high school student,  is interested in the Civil War era and had interesting information on womens clothing in that era.  Glad we now have a different dress code in this century.  Good job McKenna!!   The Fostoria Glass Queen and her court were at the Rail Festival and Car Show selling cookies with the proceeds donated to FRPS.  A thank you to the girls!!  Soup Contest was, as usual, a big hit.  Ten soup entries with all good tasting entries.  Sandy Berrier, Fostoria won both Peoples and Judges Choice with her Cheeseburger Soup. The Lens Eye View Photo Contest this year was a little different in its format with Color or Black & White entries.  We had all 30 entries on line and have not yet selected the winners.  They will be announced in the next email and on our website.  We promise next year to have all entries printed off so those attending can vote for Peoples Choice.  We are sorry for not having this completed this year.  The school cafeteria sold out of food again.  That must mean we had many people take advantage of their menu choices.  The FRPS website webmaster, Walter needs to be given a big THANK YOU.  Without Walter, we would still be in 2009 on our website.  What a treat to have information updated ALL the time.  Walter, you are great !!!  

Regarding the Railpark, progress is being made with plans to pave the parking lots, and driveways this week.  Completion should be by the end of October with ribbon-cutting date to be announced later.  We plan to keep you updated on all happenings.

The ORDC Track Record is being forwarded to you.  IF YOU WANT TO BE REMOVED  from this list, PLEASE advise me.   I have been removed from the list by your action and cannot forward it to 475+ people otherwise.  We will be happy to take you off this list, but please advise me.

Enough for now, need to turn off the lights for the night.  Have to stuff railfan packets tomorrow for the B&O RR HS convention this weekend in Findlay.  They will be here in Fostoria on Friday to view the rail park & B&O depot.  Someday we hope to have their convention and many. many others in Fostoria !!!  FRPS will also be in Berea on Saturday and Sunday for the train show.  

Ellen

This is a busy and exciting week.  Railfans will be arriving soon to sit in lawn chairs, enjoy the cooler days, watch trains in the Iron Triangle and get ready to visit the Saturday, September 28 12th Fostoria Rail Festival.

Thank you in advance to ALL of you for your support!!!  This is a bigger and better year with the rail park getting close to completion and the rail festival having an even bigger vendor response--120+ tables of train vendor merchandise.  This should make the customers come in even bigger numbers.

We have table setters already to unload the tables Thursday night at 5:00, setting up  tables at the school begins Friday, 2:00 and vendors can begin entering the building at 5:00.  Setup from 5-9 Friday night, Saturday 6:30-9:30 with the show from 10-4.  The soup contest has 11 entries at the present time, the photo contest is on this website twith over twenty entries received. with the deadline being Wednesday!!!   The Fostoria Chamber Car Show with be in the high school south parking lot, a wonderful addition to trains !!!  Next year we want to have RC planes, helicopters at the festival too.  Trains, planes and automobiles theme !!!!   Just to let you know, we have tried the real airplanes for two years and the wind was too strong for the flights.  Sorry, but out of our control.

FRPS will have their monthly meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26 at the LE&W depot, 128 W. North st.  The meeting will begin at 6:00 NOT the regular 7:00 as we have lots to go over. 

We have completed painting the baggage room interior block walls a white color.  Makes the room much brighter plus we needed to clean up the area anyway.  Had lots of help with the project, a few things to be completed but 99.9% done.  Good work !!!!!   

Regarding the rail park, there are three photos will be sent to Walter for the FRPS website as my "cloud" has not delivered the photos as of this email.  Heavy equipment was there on Monday moving the dirt around.  The city has begun removing trees from the park west side boundary too.  Soon there will be a complete view to the west.   WOOHOOOO.

The Whitta Construction trailers have been removed which means they must be getting close to completion plus they need to get that corner of the park ready for dirt, etc.   No idea when the fence will be installed.  More of the parking lot/driveway lights need to be installed.  Just happy to see activity on the park.  Soon guys, soon you'll be on the platform filming/watching trains !!!!!  We do have quite a few locals who keep us informed of the progress, in fact they are a great security group too.  Not much gets by them.  

Hope you are on your way soon to Fostoria, at least on Saturday if not before.  Enjoy this nice weather !!!!!

Ellen

Have been receiving questions regarding the Ft. Wayne RR HS NKP 765 travel schedule.   The 765 will leave Ft. Wayne Thursday, Sept. 5 and travel EB to Akron.  Normally---we have the engine travel through the Iron Triangle in the late morning, probably after 11:00 or maybe even closer to early afternoon.  No set time, it all depends on the traffic through the Iron Triangle. Select your location along the NKP tracks and listen for the whistle and look for the smoke.  Please visit the Ft. Wayne and Cuyahoga Valley websites for more info.

I gave incorrect info on the Wabash Cannonball run last week.  It's Oct. 26-27 and will be behind the NKP 765.  Again, look on the Ft. Wayne website for complete information.

Trains Magazine has two articles on the Fostoria Iron Triangle and our Sept. 28 Rail Festival.  Thank you Matt VanHattem and Brian Schmidt  !!!  The October issues should be on the magazine stands soon.  

Volunteers have been busy clearing brush away from our historic railroad sites.  The NYC depot has been cleared and the NYC tower is also being cleared.  The only problem is poison ivy and poison oak are prevalent.  I've had the rashes on my face, neck and arms since early August.  Will be glad when we are finished with the cleanup.  We'll take some tower photos and have them available for your viewing soon.  The tower property will eventually be city owned property and city employees picked up our brush piles and even scraped some of the debris away and exposed the railroad bed. Thank you city street dept. employees !!!!!   How nice to see some history appear.  We will be draining some of the water out of the tower basement soon too.  

The LE&W depot office bathroom has been completed.  Paint, tile and a new toilet !!!  Wow !!!

The Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau has produced a History of Fostoria DVD with the profits to benefit the Fostoria Area Historical Museum.  The FAVB will be hosting a premier event of the dvd on Sept. 17.  Please plan to attend if you can.   Look on the FAVB website for  more info.

The Rail Festival Photo Contest info is on our website and is even easier to enter this year than ever before !!!!!  Look on our website for all the rules.

September 28, Fostoria Rail Festival is just around the corner.  Plan to attend.  The bus tour will again be available as well as try the delicious soup entries in the soup contest.  Model trains,  many train vendors, childrens corner and more.  There will be the Chamber Car show in the high school parking lot, which is adjacent to our location.

Ellen

Again, the platform building was on todays work schedule.  This type of work cannot be shown in photos as well as previous construction projects on the property.  We have been told  the many rainy days have put the schedule behind a bit and have heard October might be the completion date.  Whatever it takes, we just want to be able to have railfans who appreciate Fostoria to have the opportunity to use the railpark.  

Just found a recent Train Orders conversation with alot of negative comments about the railpark.  Apparently these are people who do not really know much about Fostoria, the reasons for the platform location, etc.  The majority of railfans will be happy, if not, they are certainly the minority.  AND this park cost them not one personal cent.  They will probably come here and enjoy the facility.  One thing for certain, FRPS and Fostoria are pleased to have such a railpark !!!!!

Don't forget the Ft. Wayne RR Historical Society will have their open house on August 16, 17 and 18.   AND the 765 will be in Cuyahoga Valley in September for two weekends.  This means the 765 will be traveling through Fostoria.  Will get more info from Kelly and forward it in another newsletter.  Please look at the Ft. Wayne RR Historical Society website for all the info you need.  

Fostoria Rail Festival is Saturday, September 28.  Are you a vendor and want tables or a possible customer?  

Ellen

Seems the weather has definitely changed from rain just about every day to a normal hot humid July.  That's OK, it could be worse  and we cannot control it any way !!!

The Fostoria Glass Festival is this Friday and Saturday in downtown Fostoria.  More info is on the FostoriaGlassFestival facebook page.  The LE&W depot will be open Friday evening 5-8 and Saturday noon-5 for childrens train rides inside the air-conditioned building.  Cold lemonade will be available too.

Have had inquiries about the scrub trees that are on the old Codding property. Eventually we will be able to cut the trees down.  The city is the owner of the property and we have permission to cut the trees down.  In order for the trees to be cut down we will have to all sign a liability form so the city has no responsibility for any accidents or injuries.  We do not have permission UNTIL the city law director gives us the proper paperwork,  then we can improve the western view of the trains.  

As noted in previous e-mails, we have had visitors from the Bahamas, Peru and Great Britain this year.  We have many Ontario residents visit and we can add a CN engineer from Quebec City area to our list.  

Ellen

The weather is somewhat cooler than expected and will be close to 50 tonight.  Visiting railfans from New Hampshire, England and Illinois are certainly wearing a jacket while railfanning tonight.  Thanks for coming to Fostoria !!!!!

I forgot to thank the Fostoria Eagles for the $1,000.00 donation they gave to FRPS in May.  Board member, John Kimble, also the city of Fostoria electrician is upgrading the electric service at the LE&W depot.  This will cover the cost of the box, etc.  THANK YOU FOSTORIA EAGLES !!!!!  Without the donations we receive, our funding would be definitely even tighter.  We are very lucky to have so many generous people who will help FRPS.  Again, thank you !!!!

The Glass Heritage Festival will be Friday and Saturday, July 19 & 20 in downtown Fostoria.  We will have the LE&W depot open Friday evening (5-8) and Saturday afternoon (noon-8).  Please stop by and visit.  Glenn will have the trains running and we have a larger childrens train ride this year, wait until you see how nice it is.  Good job Glenn on finding the trains, etc.  The festival will have a car show on Saturday along with a 5K race.  The museum across the street will also be open as well as the Glass Gallery.  If you want to learn more about Fostoria here is your opportunity for Fotoria history.  

Fostorian Lloyd McKee passed away on June 10.  Lloyd was 92 and had worked for the N&W 25 years.  He had attended our first railroad employees reunion with his son and daughter-in-law.  The family has our sympathy.

No photos to pass on for the railpark but there are more on the website, Fostoria Rail Preservation Society and also on the Facebook page.  Right now they are working on the plumbing/electrical work for the raised platform.  The concrete piers have been poured.  Day by day the park is getting closer to being completed!!!  

Don't forget you can sit under the maple trees in front of the Davis & Newcomer building.  We have a trash can there with a lid.  Please deposit your trash there.  We have another can and will eventually have one for trash and the other for plastic and cans (recycled items).  FRPS is responsible for dumping the cans.  It would be nice to have a picnic table, anyone have an extra they don't use anymore?  If you do, just place it in the D&N area, your generosity will be appreciated by everyone.  Thank you to all the railfans who keep the area clean !!!  Makes it nice for all that way.

Will be in Dayton this weekend at Carillon Park and Van Wert in July for train shows.  The Ohio State Fair always has an Operation Lifesaver booth in the merchants building and FRPS will be represented there too.

Safety Towns have been in session all around the area.  Safety Towns are for 5-6 year old children to learn about crossing the streets safely, what do do if you see a gun, Operation Lifesaver and other safety issues.  We were asked to be the Operation Lifesaver presenter at Bowling Green, Maumee, Oregon and Defiance.  The more everyone knows about railroad/train safety, the better and safer everyone is. 

The monthly FRPS meeting will be next Thursday, June 27, 7:00 at the LE&W depot, 128 W. North Street.  

If you have not paid your FRPS membership dues, please help FRPS by paying your membership.  There are many projects on our list with one top project painting the LE&W depot this year.  It must be done this year.  

Enjoy June, it's almost over.

Ellen

The LE&W depot, 128 W. North St, our main building at this time is open to the public on Saturdays from 1-4.  The Fostoria Area Historical Society is directly across the street and has the same hours.  Stop in either or both places and learn more about Fostoria's history or purchase some merchandise from us.

Many railfans were near the NKP tracks on May 31 when the Ft. Wayne RRHS NKP 765 went home after it's busy May trip schedules.  We were extremely lucky to view it for over 25 minutes.  Some of us were behind (east) of the Davis & Newcomer building (D&N) when F Tower requested other traffic to run through the diamonds.  The 765 was in front of Pelton's Market for 25 minutes with plenty of time for photo ops.  Even some CSX employees had a chance to view the wonderful monster up close.  How lucky we are in Fostoria to be right on the direct route for so many of the 765 trips.   Wonder how many YouTube, etc. are on the web relating to the 765?

The FRPS website is taking shape with Walter Pfefferle, a Canadian resident to be given ALL the credit.  Walter has been working very hard to get the website full of info you want and need to know about Fostoria and FRPS.  Any comments, please send them.    

The Rail Festival is not really too far away and preparations are underway.  September 28 will be here before you know it.  Vendor forms will be mailed out shortly.  We have had a photo contest and you are eligible to enter your photos.  Photos need to be of some Fostoria location and can be old or new photos.  First prize is $100.00    Info will be on the FRPS website.   We have heard rave reviews of the Soup Contest and we will again have this good-eating event.  Fostoria is a blue-collar community and soup is a blue-collar food.  More info will be forthcoming on the website and in future e-mails.

The D&N trees had many railfans this week and weekend from California, Ohio, Canada and West Virginia.  A reunion of a sort was held for some of these railfans as they meet in Fostoria at least once or twice a year to get together.  How nice for you to have good weather, a little cold for June but better than too hot.  Thanks for coming guys and gals.

FRPS will be involved in Safety Town presentations in Bowling Green, Oregon (OH), Defiance and Maumee in the next two weeks.  We will also be at the Dayton Carillon Park railfest on June 22-23 with our railfan packets and Operation Lifesaver info too.  

Have a good week.
Ellen

December 17, 2009

Photos of the demolition of the Pork Packing Building are in the Review Times Tuesday, December 15, 2009 paper. You can access it at www.reviewtimes.com.   When you read the article, please note there are some errors in it.  Burgess & Niple is the engineering firm from Columbus Ohio who has been working on the project for 8-9 years, All Aspects Contracting, Elyria, Ohio are the demolition contractors hired by the City of Fostoria to demolish the building and clean up the debris.  FRPS, to my knowledge, has not donated any funds to the city for the project, but we were instrumental in helping the city acquire the $815,000. grant from ODOT by supplying the Fostoria Railfan Surveys.  The surveys were tangible proof of railfans traveling to Fostoria to view trains, etc.  Eddie had access to the demolition and has many more photos taken over the two days and still taking photos during the cleanup process.  He has them available on trainorders.com and if you are a member of that website you can view them.

FRPS is excited to have the building down as are many railfans.  Eddie has been busy on trainorders answering questions about the project.

FRPS tries to keep the interested in knowing the info on the Fostoria Iron Triangle Rail Park. process.

All Aspects Contractors, Elyria, were at the site yesterday.  Paperwork is not completed for the demolition of the pork building.  All Aspects have a  job in Fremont and will probably complete that and move their equipment back to Fostoria afterward.  The guess is the Fostoria demolition will be started AFTER Thanksgiving, with no set date yet.

I asked about how long it would take to bring down the building and he said about 4 days BUT getting the site clean, removing the bricks and filling in the basement would take longer than that.