The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Train carries potential over rails
Trips selling out, possibilities abound, group leader says
“Here though, what I think we have is a fundamental link in the heart of a county. It goes right through the heart of the county.” — Lake Shore Railway Association President Marc Chappo
Lorain County’s hometown railroad remains a potential tourist attraction and economic engine for the area, said the leader of the group dedicated to preserving it.
In 2017, the nonprofit Lake Shore Railway Association completed 25 years of the Lorain & West Virginia Railway offering passenger rides from its depot, 46485 State Route 18, in Wellington Township, just west of Wellington village.
The trips go out and back as far north as Hughes Road in Pittsfield Township, about 6.2 miles north.
The nonprofit group owns railroad tracks that run to the area north of Elyria.
Members maintain the working tracks and the dream of someday riding the rails as far north as Sheffield Village — and possibly into Lorain.
“That’s always been the plan,” said association President Marc Chappo of Elyria. “It’s gone on for a number of years.
“There’s always progress. It’s
been a little slower than we would like.”
Getting riders
The Railway Association formed in 1979 to preserve the railway, believed to be the only hauler railroad in Ohio that sits entirely in one county. Public rides began in 1993.
After the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, ridership “just plummeted,” Chappo said.
Insurance rates also spiked, rising up to six times the cost, so the Railway Association had to pay for insurance instead of track development, he said. But things are looking up. “Let’s just say right now we’re aiming in the right direction for success,” Chappo said.
Exact figures for 2017 will be tallied for the Railway Association’s annual meeting in March.
But Chappo noted trips at last year’s Wellington Cheese Festival sold out, as did a Sweetest Day excursion with wine and chocolate.
Last fall, daylight trips through October sold out, possibly due to nice weather and because people were more aware of the rail line due to the specialty trips, he said.
In 2016, the Railway Association sold out 18 Santa Train trips on Fridays and Saturdays for three weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Last year, the group added more Santa Train trips; all 30 sold out.
Riders generally like the shorter trips with much interaction with Santa Claus for children, Chappo said.
“We meant to figure out, do we continue the trend where we just add more trains? We think that’s the right way to do it,” Chappo said. “We will add more Christmas trains, there’s no doubt about it.”
Train potential
Northeast Ohio has another nonprofit railway in the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, which runs through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
In 2016, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad carried a record 214,063 passengers, according to the most recent annual figures available.
A more developed Lorain & West Virginia Railway would be an augmentation to the region instead of competition with the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Chappo said.
People who visit the region to ride one could seek out the other, he said.
The Lorain County route would not involve a national park.
“Here though, what I think we have is a fundamental link in the heart of a county,” Chappo said. “It goes right through the heart of the county.”
The train could be a physical link from Wellington up to the heritage of steelmaking in Lorain.
Heading north, the train
leaving Wellington would pass along the west side of Oberlin.
The Lake Shore Railway Association worked with the Elyria YWCA on a concept to join the county’s Underground Railroad historic corridor with the actual railroad, Chappo said.
At the southern end of the line, there are scenic views from the trestle over the Black River.
Further north, the train could go over another trestle, about 760 feet long and 80 feet over the Black River, running parallel to state Route 254.
The railroad could have potential to locate hike and bike trails next to it tracks.
Chappo suggested possibilities ranging from dinner rides to commuter trips north and south.
In theory, there is potential to connect Lorain & West Virginia Railway to existing rail lines into Sheffield Village, maybe all the way to Black River Landing in Lorain.
“That’s going to take some cooperation, of not only some local governments, but the state and federal governments, too,” Chappo said. “It’s a huge coordination effort.”
Finding funding
Cost is another major factor in developing the line.
Since its start, the Railway Association has raised $2.5 million to acquire the track and restore the first 6.2 miles from Wellington Township north.
The Railway Association has raised and spent tens of thousands of dollars on its locomotive and passenger coaches, Chappo said.
It gets its funding from memberships and rider fares.
But it could qualify to work with foundation and government grants when money becomes available, Chappo said.
The trains would be a welcome addition to Black River Landing, said Lorain Port Authority Executive Director Tom Brown.
“Everybody would be thrilled to death to get a rail or a streetcar component to the site,” Brown said.
Right now, it is unfortunate the Port does not have money to dedicate for railway development, he said.
Even so, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway shows trains can be a tourist draw, Brown said.
He also cited Kenosha, Wis., as a potential model for Lorain in the future.
In Kenosha, officials used a two-mile loop with electric street cars to connect the city’s waterfront and downtown, said Brown, who has visited the city twice.
2018 plans
For now, the members of the Lake Shore Railway Association will prepare for the 2018 season.
The organization holds its annual meeting in March and members set the operating schedule and track repairs for the year.
In 2017, trips were shorter than runs in 2016 because of the railroad crossing at state Route 303.
There, the approaches are too steep where roadway crosses the tracks, so heavy trucks are tearing out tracks, Chappo said.
It makes sense to change the road approaches to avoid damaging the railroad, but that work must be overseen by the Ohio Department of Transportation.
So, the Railway Association hopes to make progress with ODOT this year, Chappo said.
By day, Chappo works as a senior scientist for research for Philips Healthcare.
He and an uncle first went to a meeting about the formation of the Railway Association in 1979 and he has been a member since.
“We didn’t want to see that corridor disappear,” Chappo said. “We all shared that vision of the corridor and wanted to build it to what it can be.”
New members are welcome, and new dreams.
“It doesn’t cost any money to imagine,” Chappo said.