World's Worst Maintained Railroad (Full Video)
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- Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
- Maumee & Western Railroad Company (reporting mark MAW) was a Class III shortline railroad, located between Woodburn, Indiana and Liberty Center, Ohio. The MAW operated on a former Wabash Railroad mainline ("The Fifth District"), which ran Westward out of Toledo to Fort Wayne. After the merger between the Wabash and Norfolk & Western Railroads, the line became a neglected branch under the auspices of the Norfolk & Western, and was partly torn up between Toledo and Liberty Center, with that part of the right of way now acting as a rail-trail. However, Norfolk Southern Railway (formed after the merging of Southern Railway and Norfolk & Western Railroad in 1982) sold the rest of the remaining railroad tracks between Woodburn and Liberty Center to the Indiana Hi-Rail Company in 1990. Indiana Hi-Rail operated the line for several years with Alco locomotives until the company was liquidated in 1997. By that time, this once prosperous line seemed to be facing a possible abandonment. But, the Maumee & Western Railroad, with help from the State of Ohio's, "Rail Development Commission," purchased the line between Woodburn and Liberty Center, with their headquarters being located in Defiance, Ohio. The Maumee & Western operated a daily train between Defiance and Napoleon, except for Saturdays and Sundays.
Since circa 1964 (after the Wabash/N&W merger), the line hasn't received any major repair work, and also runs through Ohio's Great Black Swamp for the majority of it's length. Combined with those two problematic factors, the MAW was bound to creepily slow speeds. In this video, ex-Illinois Central GP10 #16 (in a special Operation Lifesaver paint scheme) struggles to pull empty box cars through the small community of Jewel, on a portion of track that resembles the entire railroad. This line, as you can see, was and still is in dire need for repair. However, at the time, the costs were estimated in the millions, and way too costly for the MAW to maintain. As one can see, it's very hard to imagine that this line was once a mainline on the Wabash Railroad. Despite the poor conditions, the MAW had made some minor improvements with ballast, but as mentioned before, without the sufficient funds, the line still deteriorated. But, in December 2012, hope was yet again revived for this line.
Pioneer Rail Corp. acquired the 51-mile trackage of the Maumee & Western Company in late December of 2012, between Woodburn and Liberty Center. The new subsidiary line is now being called the Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railroad Company. With the purchase and first operations being in January, the new railroad has began their ownership of the line with a great start, and is currently making heavy track repairs between Defiance and Napoleon (as of February 2013). The company plans on continuing track repairs and revamping the line for years to come, and are even preparing for new and former customers of the MAW to join in shipping with the new railroad. Public reception of the railroad is very warm, with the Crescent News in Defiance releasing a headline feature story in their newspaper in January 2013, over viewing the company's bright prospects. Pioneer currently is using three of their own locomotives for operation on the railroad, and plans to add another unit (a GP9 High Hood) very soon.
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*If you're interested in photographing this line, NDW's radio frequency is 160.695 (AAR Channel 39).
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Copyright 2012
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-DIB
![АЛАУДИНОВ у Скабеевой: эти их ВСУ нас НЕ ДОГОНЯТ 😁 [Пародия]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/an0anqU4WGQ/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm going to assume the reason why there weren't any hobos in any of the empty boxcars is because they figured they would get to wherever they were going faster if they got out and walked.
Operation Lifesaver: Look, Listen and don't stay on the tracks for more than half an hour, or this thing might sneak up on you.
This video taught me that in addition to watching gleaming new trains speeding by at 300kph, and the mechanical ballet of old steam engines chugging past, I also enjoy watching well-worn trains creeping by at 2mph hoping every second they don't derail or tip over ...
What’s the point of having seriously beat up Trains travel on beat up and rusty tracks
@@theshootingstars5192 more money into politician's pockets, thats the only point
@@theshootingstars5192 the economic benifits
@firefaiting Subscribe and you'll get more videos of this line right on your UA-cam homepage! Thanks for watching!
A good question to ponder is how does this particular railroad keep engineers on the payroll? One trip down this line would be all I could take.
Before the Milwaukee Road went defunct, I rode with the crew as a late teen.
It’s a love for the rails, no less.
The ride was rough, no doubt.
However, most of the time was spent on the ground operating switches, uncoupling cars, or connecting air lines.
There was not a lot of time running the mainline.
I actually felt sorry for the Way Freight guys,
They were on that rough track for a lot more hours!
A day’s pay to go across town? Sign me up. It’s a very lovely twenty minute drive otherwise.
2:07 There's no way that's part of their line. The rails aren't melting into spaghetti.
Lots of comments taking potshots at the condition of the rail and roadbed. Fair enough. The physical plant certainly needs attention. But what folks forget is that if it weren't for this shortline filling in for a reluctant class 1, the customers on this line would go out of business. And we are finding out just how many stranded rail customers there are after all of the mergers over the years. Kudos to the shortlines that continue to provide service to the low volume/ "single car" customers.
Kitty Cat purposefully walking down the track: "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, you are filming in an unauthorized area, and it is not safe for you to remain here."
he s agreat trackinspector to boot
The grain elevators and food warehouses served by the line. The difference between rail rates and truck rates is huge. As long as the products arrive, what does the customer care that the last few miles were taken at a low speed?
8:10 Look out, kitty cat! I mean, you have time of course, no rush.
The odds of a truck driver dying on the interstate are much higher than the odds one of these crewmen is injured in a 10mph accident. Do you propose removing all trucks from the highway?
Every day that engineer takes the longest trip of his life
I'm surprised that those uneven rails don't cause the whole train to tip over
I agree with a few railfans here. I'd love to see more videos like this instead of brand new locomotives on a maiden run doing 70 mph.
Some day I'll luck out and catch a B36-7 / GP9 struggling up a 2.5% grade with all the great effects that go with it! Seen it once before, but didn't think about recording them. B36-7 running LHF and the geep facing forward, a crew for each locomotive. It sounded beautiful.
Guys, this IS the reality of shortline railroading in America. Most of them are old branch lines bought from Class I's and II's that were on the block to be abandoned. Most shortlines have track very similar to this. Those cars make a couple hundred bucks each for the railroad. Out of that you have to pay crews for train ops, engine maint., car maint., track maint., signal maint., office staff, plus fuel costs and a host of other expenses. Not a lot left in that pie for rebuilding track.
This is not a railroad. This is a shitroad
1:47 We give you the world most extreme lawn mower. Blade not included.
The "shortline" takes the cars from the customers on the branchline and turns it over to the large "Class I" railroads for a long distant haul. For example, grain moved over this line moves to NS where they in turn take the product hundreds of miles to the feed mills in the SouthEast. Therefore hundreds of trucks are taken off the road.
wonderful film even though the state of repairs are badly needed - thanks 4 posting my friend
DelayInBlock, big thank you for the in-depth description. That's a different kind of railroading there. Wow. ...it would be smoother if they ran on temporary panel track instead.
I couldn't help see the ironic humor at about 10:47 where it shows the sign on the front of the engine, "Always Be Careful".
It may be really bad but, it's a railroad and I'd still love to work on it.
In the US, CN and MX when a line is no longer profitable it can be sold by the "big" railroads to local communities or operators who try to save it and win traffic back. For lines like this one where the traffic is low rated ag products there just isn't much to work with. They can be hard or impossible to save. Fortunately derailments are at very low speed and "usually" not that expensive to rerail. I hope they can succeed..
The cat was probably going faster than the train. What the hell is keeping that locomotive on the tracks.
the cat is a union cat and he don't have to talk to any 1 just do his job which is walk the line and do his time
This isn't just a US vs UK issue. It's principally the UK and Western Europe vs the rest of the world issue. Europe and the UK in general has driven most of the freight hauled to the highways. In the Americas low speed branchlines are far, far more common and are used for short distant movements of freight. Saves the environment and wear/tear on the highways.
I drove truck in the Midwest, actually surrounding this area, and I always questioned why I’d be doing a run, when it could very easily be run by train. Honestly would love to be replaced by rail service. There is no need for dozens of trucks to be running between two points served by the same rail line.
You've heard of the Leaning Tower of Pisa? This is the Leaning Locomotive of Ohio!
Ten years later and I'll bet their not any better
@becauseisaidso15 well said. Instead of criticizing the operators of this line for running on bad track, you congratulate them for attempting to save a low density line. Not many people understand that part of this business. Most think a few men in a corporate office somewhere are making big bucks by cutting back on maintenance. When in reality, as you point out, they are trying to increase business and salvage rail service to small communities.
Loved the video Jason especially the Tressel Bridge. Thought the tracks by your house were bad this seems much worse.
You should see it by the canning plant, one side of the track sags in many places and one of the Sleeper boards is SNAPPED IN HALF!
I've seen worse. But great video! I love to see old rarely used tracks like this.
That black diesel @ 2:15 has remains of the "Operation Lifesaver" logo on it...
I guess this line really needs OP Lifesaver; nobody would want to wait for their trains to pass the crossing!! :)
Conrail was an incredible success story. It certainly did not fail. Amtrak is taxpayer funded, as are most passenger railroads throughout the world. I definitely do not use the word lucky to describe the incredible work performed by individuals in our industry. In North America we move incredible tonnage over long distances and we have done so profitably for decades. In most cases these railroads are privately owned and not taxpayer funded.
The breakup of Conrail was a bloody disaster however. If the nation had the eastern railroads in their sole control, a major hurdle in continued passenger service would not exist. A key route that went through my old town (and two state capitals) was removed in the breakup. Many state’s entire systems are in shambles post Conrail.
Neat video, the MAW is a great railroad I just hope they get their track in better shape! Nice video like I said I love seeing video's of this railroad
Great video, loved the close ups and side views of the EMD. That cat must be used to getting his paws massaged by the vibrations in the rails.
How are they in operation?
Looks like it is due for a track replacement.... Like 10 years ago...
more like 30 years ago!!!
do I hear ,,50 years ago
I have to admire the patience of the engineers to crawl along the rails like that. Reminds me of some of the old TP&W track around Bushnell and Good Hope, IL.
What an eye opener!
The crews who operate the trains should be given a medal for the safe operation of the trains and the owners fined heavily until the run is repaired!!!!!!
i think the train is trying to tell you "GET AWAY FROM THERE WHO KNOWS WHEN THIS THING IS GOING TO FALL OVER"
8:35 you had a buddy!
@DelayInBlock ooh please make more vids of this kind of railroads, i love them. it's just amazing to see those trains still running on the bad track.
If I ever am in the area, I will make it a point to get out and shoot. Some photos from this line have already made their way to a few of the railfan boards, they are becoming quite a celebrity in the railroad community
That cat was moving faster than the train lol. Cool video tho!
Where the HELL!!!! are the wooden railroad ties?!?!!!!
This should be illegal !
Major violation of safety
Total negligence! 🤬🤯🤬😡
Quitting your job after a week. That would be good as you would never make a real railroader. This does not show how fast our infrastructure is crumbling at all. Most of the rail system in the US is incredibly efficient, profitable and hauls massive tonnage. This is just a branchline with little traffic that some people are trying to save.
Engaging video, very well done and thoroughly enjoyed!
The sad part about most of this line is that the roadbed just sucks up ballast. There are a lot of these lines out east that boast of a hastily built roadbed that just can't take continued pounding.
this must bee the nearest thing to a off-road track that a train will ever see....
How do they even operate trains in such a horrible condition? I wonder how many derailments there have been.
This is just what eastern railroads in the late 60s and early 70s were like
Nice video! Sure would love to see this short line. Also glad to seee an old IC gal still working too!
How the hell do the trains run on these fucked up rails
There's a thing under the video called a. "Description." Now, this is just a wild guess, but I think that may be a good place to find your answer.
You gotta wonder, why would a hazardous cargo rail car derail if the railroad it was operating on doesn't carry hazardous cargo in the first place?
It runs daily during the work week Mon-Fri between Defiance and Napoleon, OH.
If I were in charge of tracks in that bad of condition, the only thing I'd allow down those tracks is maintenance vehicles to fix the track
The Geep isn't struggling to pull its consist; just going slowly due to the bad track condition, as you pointed out!
It could be run with a Plymouth (if they could find one)
This is a great example of motivated people. The tracks aren't good. They don't have the best cars. Engines are old. BUT they are still in business because they are ready for the hard work! In the future, if they tear out the tracks and put in new ones. I would love to see them fly! P.S. Great video! Keep up the good work!
Danger is out on the interstate at 70mph. That is where people are killed on a regular basis. And roaring up and down those highways are heavily subsidized truckers. Yes. This line needs significant work. But the danger to the public is out on I-70......not here.
It's in operation because no one else will provide much needed and vital transportation services to the regions that this short line railroad serves. You have to admire a company stepping up and providing a service like that.
That track looks worse than it does, but that doesn't discount the fact that it definitely needs some TLC.
Audio would fit a nice Japanese horror movie where King Kong starts knocking over a huge steel roller coaster ride, ripping it all apart & watching it collapse in 20 different directions. No two freight cars are going, tilting, rising or sinking down at the same time. I wonder what this line pays for liability insurance?
My 97 year old mother can walk faster than this train is moving at many locations.
That's actually in pretty decent shape for a branch line. There is far worse out there still in service.
FRA Excepted Track (which is the kind you see in this video) only needs to have a certain amount of new rail-ties & plates put in every so often as the FRA deems necessary. So it's nothing special. Rail maintenance is expensive, especially for a short-line. They have to pinch pennies. Not to mention seen it's FRA Excepted Track, and they can only transport up to 5 hazardous material cars at a time.
Mayor Stubbs of Alaska is an actual mayor, I would highly recommend that this railroad hire the kitty as the right of way maintenance manager!
WHOAH!!! Those tracks are all buckled, never seen anything like that before
There's something intriguing about this video. Didn't think I'd make it all the way through. "Too boring", I thought. But after a while it became a quest, a chivalrus enterprise to see if the thing would get home okay. Breathed a sigh of relief, too.
This track needs a lot more than a tamper. It needs trainloads of ballast. And the roadbed beneath the track is basically "soft". Once you start dumping ballast and begin tamping, you can literally "tamp" your way to China.
Throughout the world many early railroads were hastily built and no one envisioned 280,000 pound cars back in the 1800's. The same can be said for the North American highway system with heavy trucks. Now many lines don't have the basic roadbed needed for heavy cars.
In the UK the line would have been abandoned decades ago. The freight would be roaring up and down your roadways polluting the air and adding to congestion. In North America we give entrepreneaurs the opportunity to try and save the lines. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't
GP10: Glur Glur Glur...
Kitty: Oh big train. Let me tell you how to walk in straight.
MAW: Hey, whose cat is this? You should pay for the usage of the track!
@MrSuperCargile Thanks man! And thank you for your help! I really appreciate it!
The tracks are so bad because the earth is rejecting Ohio.
Actually, they’re a 55-mile shortline with 4 locomotives. They keep one in Woodburn (usually, or Cecil) and another up in Napoleon.
I can’t believe you uploaded 22 minutes of video to UA-cam, that had to take forever, especially considering this is pretty good definition!
@metraF40PH163 Thank you for the clarification.
not as bad as a story i heard. They placed some cars on a spur and left them they were on the track. Wgen an engine returned to move them off, the cars were on the ground. Standing still derailments!
UPDATE: In 2017 MAW would sell the ex Illinois Central Unit to RMEX in Connersville, IN but it's classic Black Deathstar Scheme was beginning to rust and turn to Brown it still remains in Connersville as of Today.
Morning
You are absolutly right, I prefer a company that invests something to satisfy their costumers and believe me in this world are more small companies that have a better reputation than this here!!!!
That's right. In the UK they just rip up the track and the products move by truck on the highways where they burn up far more fuel and cause far more accidents. In the US, MX and CN individuals are given the rights to buy the lines and try to save them. Keeps service to small communities, helps the environment and saves jobs. Yep, things sure are good in the UK
It's overgrown and not replaced as the cars moving over this line are too few to fund the weedspray and track repairs necessary to improve the line.
I'm watching, and feeling seasick.
In Australia such a line in poor condition would be closed and the Unions would refuse to work it.
It is indeed obviously unsafe, but the US Government says otherwise. So long as the those tracks aren't bent to either side, they can be bent as far up or as far down as allowed because the train is technically still able to maintain its balance and keeps on the rails.
That's the spirit. Don't trust a small company trying to make a go of it. You must be one of those guys who only trusts massive corporate giants who only would operate trains at high speed for high volume massive customers. That's the spirit! Screw the little guys struggling to survive!!!!
Mathematically it's not possible. My previous career we were lucky to get 2%, it was usually 1-1.5%. The irony is that your're told to work hard so you can buy things, don't be lazy and so on. But then you hear, "if we give these raises, then we'll have to increase costs." What it's going to come down to is people are going to have to change. The same people who are telling Americans "Well you have to cut back" are the same ones spending $40,000 on lunch. Change of heart has to come first.
I're railroaded my entire working career and that includes 20 years in management at the Supt. level. Conrail was a success story ultimately sold for a substantial amount to NS and CSXT. If your management tells you to pull cars long distances without brakes tied down then that is an indictment of their attitude and not the industry. Yes. "Profit". Railroads in N/A are in business for profit. I would rather have that than the govt. funded railroads elsewhere.
Was the cat on the rails part of the chessie system??lol
A freight car has to be empty before it can be loaded; every freight car spends its time either loaded or empty!
That railroad needs some serious reconstruction.
Great video I can't beleave how bad the rail is.
This track is what INERs track looked like about 20 years ago.
The Operation Lifesaver logo was painted on the locomotive by the Illinois Central locomotive before it was purchased by the Maumee and Western. They never got around to painting their engines, except for "MAW" painted under the side windows on most of them.
Christ, I never get over the difference between US & UK loading gauges. Track like that just would not be accepted in UK, even for private lines.
The U.S. government subsidizes highways, river traffic and the airline industry. But the only railroad that gets any government money on a regular basis is Amtrak. I can guarantee the federal government is not keeping this railroad running. They are making money on their own or they wouldn't be in business. They either are not making enough profit to improve infrastructure or they simply won't.
"You know," said Arthur with a slight cough, "if this is Southend, there's something very odd about it ..."
"You mean the way the sea stays steady and the buildings keep washing up and down?" said Ford. "Yes I thought that was odd too."
I think that could have been the slowest train i have ever seen! Fantastic footage!
Clarification: Those rails can be bent to the side as well if they are bent at the same angle allowing the train to stay on the tracks like a mini curve if you will.
Cat goes faster than train is so cute
Not necessarily. Rail moves faster and more goods at once, and this train is just probably transferring cars from one railroad to another, possibly making a few stops along the way.
17:07 The speed sensor on the second axle journal-box has no cable. Not that they really need it.