Flats Industrial Railroad

The Flats Industrial Railroad (reporting mark FIR) is a Class III railroad that provides short-line commercial/industrial switching service in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, primarily with CSX Transportation and the Norfolk Southern Railway.

Flats Industrial Railroad

Overview
Headquarters	1757 Columbus Road, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio 44113
Reporting mark	FIR
Locale	Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Dates of operation	1996[1]–
Predecessor	Conrail[1]
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length	4 miles (6 km)[1][2]

History

Trains have run in the Cuyahoga Valley since the 1880s. In 1880, the Valley Railway began operations, transporting coal to Cleveland, Akron, and Canton from the Tuscarawas River Valley and providing passenger service along the way. After a decade of operation, the Valley Railway became part of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. In the 20th century, competition from automobiles, trucks, and buses caused the decline of both freight and passenger service.

Right-of-way ownership shifted over the years from Valley Railway to the Cleveland Terminal & Valley Railway (CT&V), to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, to the Chessie System.

Today

Flats Industrial Railroad acquired its rails and right-of-way within the Flats District (Cleveland) from former Conrail. As of 2009, the Class III Short Line railroad operates as the Flats Industrial Railroad Company (FIR/FIRS). . The railroad operates on weekdays, reportedly around 7:00 to 10:00AM in the morning. At one time, they used to have a sand trans-loading business to keep themselves busy while not switching at Cleveland's Cereal Food Processors elevator. They also used to serve fatty oils and synthetic esters producer, "Werner G. Smith." They interchange with the Norfolk Southern in a yard between Fulton Road and W.41 Street in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cloggsville Line, operated by Norfolk Southern, serves that yard. Company (FIR/FIRS).

As recently as 2014, FIR had only two employees.[3]

Equipment

Flats Industrial Railroad initially operated one switching locomotive, later adding a second locomotive.^[B]

Locomotives

Flats Industrial Railroad - Locomotives

Number	Manufacturer	Model	Description
1202	EMD	SW1200	Diesel-Electric Switcher
1222	EMD	SW1500	Diesel-Electric Switcher

Images and media

Facilities

Flats Industrial Railroad vertical lift bridge
Flats Industrial Railroad vertical lift bridge
Coordinates	41°29′31.5″N 81°41′59.25″W
Carries	Flats Industrial Railroad
Crosses	Cuyahoga River
Locale	Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Maintained by	Flats Industrial Railroad
Characteristics
Design	Metal Riveted Warren Through Truss, Stationary, Vertical lift bridge
Material	Steel
Total length	260 feet (79.2 m)
Longest span	260 feet (79.2 m)
No. of spans	1
Piers in water	0
History
Opened	1953
Location

All locations are in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio:

(former) ConRail/PennCentral Clark branch and DK yard
Overview
Owner	Flats Industrial Railroad
Locale	Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Termini	CP Knob switch connection with CSX/NS 1. Train Avenue and Willey Road 2. Carter and Scranton road 3. Carter and Old River road 4. FIR siding, Fall and French street 5. FIR siding, Fall and French street 6. FIR siding, Fall and French street 7. flour mill, Merwin street 8. flour mill, Merwin street 9. flour mill, Cuyahoga River 10. flour mill, Cuyahoga River
Service
Type	Industrial Freight Short-line railroad
System	Flats Industrial Railroad
Operator(s)	Flats Industrial Railroad
History
Opened	1996
Technical
Line length	4 miles (6.4 km)[1]
Track length	4 miles (6.4 km)[1]
Number of tracks	1 to 3
Character	Class III railroad
Track gauge	4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Highest elevation	571 feet (174.0 m)

Flats Industrial Railroad
Technical Track gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Length 4 miles (6.4 km)
Cuyahoga River Cuyahoga River EOL Cuyahoga River EOL ? siding Merwin Level crossing Merwin EOL Merwin EOL ? siding Fall Switch Fall-Leonard switch Fall Level crossing ? EOL ? EOL ? siding ? EOL ? siding French switch Leonard switch CUT (GCRTA Red Line) Viaduct Columbus-French switch Columbus-French-Leonard Level crossing Columbus-Leonard switch ? Clark ? Clark Cuyahoga River Vertical lift bridge ? Clark Carter Level crossing ? Clark 10 miles (16 km) Carter-Old River EOL Carter-Scranton EOL ? siding ? switch ? switch ? switch DK Yard ? switch OH-10, Lorain 1932-1001.3-1801503 Overpass ? switch ? switch ? Clark Abbey 1991-333.2-1870084 Overpass Clark-? switch ? siding Willey EOL Willey Level crossing ? Clark US-42, W.25 1912-208.8-1803301 Overpass ? Clark ? RR Overpass ? switch ? switch DK Yard Fulton 1901-148.4-1869663 Overpass DK Yard I-90 1975-161.5-1807870 Overpass ? switch ? switch 14 miles (23 km) CUT-Clark Border

Cleveland Union Terminal Branch
Technical Track gauge 4 ft 8 ^1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge Length 4 miles (6.4 km)
? Yard CUT Overpass CUT GCRTA Red, Blue, Green Overpass CUT Interstate 77 Overpass CUT E.37 Underpass CUT- Switch CUT- Switch CUT- Switch CUT- Switch CUT- Switch CUT- Branch Broadway-E.34 Overpass CUT ? Switch Rockefeller Overpass CUT ? EOL CUT CUT CUT Canal underpass CUT W.3 underpass CUT CUT Interstate 90 Overpass CUT Cuyahoga River CUT University underpass CUT Abbey 1991-333.2-1870084 Overpass CUT-? branch CUT-? switch CUT Fairfield-Scranton 1910-62.5-1840444 underpass CUT Willey 1909-33.2-1840606 underpass CUT ? crossover US-42, W.25 1912-208.8-1803301 Overpass CUT CUT-? switch CUT-? branch Train underpass CUT Fulton 1901-148.4-1869663 Overpass CUT I-90 1975-161.5-1807870 Overpass CUT-? branch CUT-? switch CUT-Clark Flats Industrial Railroad Border 14 miles (23 km) CP Knob switch W.41 1930-158.2-1833707 Overpass CUT W.44 Overpass CUT W.53 1993-150-1870092 Overpass CUT Clark 1906-42.7-1840118 underpass CUT ? CrossOver W.65 1914-34.4-1869760 underpass CUT ? Switch CUT Denison Overpass CUT CUT-? Wye CUT ? Switch CUT ? CrossOver CUT Clinton underpass CUT I-71 underpass ? switch Lindale Yard CUT-? branch

Flats Industrial Railroad - Facilities

Coordinates	Name ^[A]	Type	Address	Description
41°29′30.75″N 81°42′0.5″W	Head	Quarters	1757 Columbus Road, 44113
41°29′31.5″N 81°41′59.25″W	Vertical Lift	bridge	over Cuyahoga River
41°29′31″N 81°42′1″W	Locomotive	parking	1757 Columbus Road, 44113	model ?
41°29′30.75″N 81°42′1.25″W	W	Switch	1757 Columbus Road, 44113
41°29′27″N 81°41′45″W	E	Switch	Carter Road, Scranton Road
41°29′25.5″N 81°41′44.25″W	EE	Switch	Carter Road, Scranton Road
41°29′20.25″N 81°41′42.75″W	EEE	Switch	Lorain-Carnegie, Scranton Road
41°29′25.5″N 81°41′43.75″W	EEEN	Switch	Carter Road, Scranton Road
41°29′28.75″N 81°41′45″W	EEENW	EOL	Carter Road and Old River Road	ruins to former Old River Road rail lift bridge and GCRTA W.10th tracks
41°29′34.5″N 81°41′42.75″W	EEENE	EOL	Carter Road and Scranton Road	rear of Carter and Scranton Road businesses
41°29′15.25″N 81°41′42.25″W	ES	Switch	Scranton Road, University Road
41°29′13″N 81°41′41.75″W	ESS	Switch	Scranton Road and University Road
41°29′3.5″N 81°41′45.25″W	ESSS	Switch	Scranton Road, Abbey Avenue
41°28′53.25″N 81°41′52″W	ESSSE	EOL	Willey Road, Train Avenue
41°28′53″N 81°41′53″W	Willey	Switch	Willey Road, Train Avenue
41°28′37.75″N 81°42′13″W	ESSSS	Switch	Train Avenue, West 30th. Street
41°28′37″N 81°42′14.5″W	ESSSSN	Switch	Train Avenue, Richner Avenue
41°28′26″N 81°42′42.25″W	ESSSSNS	Switch	Train Avenue and Richner Avenue
41°28′25.25″N 81°42′44.25″W	ESSSSS	Switch	Train Avenue and Richner Avenue
41°28′23.5″N 81°42′47.75″W	ESSSSSM	Switch	Train Avenue, Richner Avenue	CP Knob connection to (NS/NSR?) main line
41°29′32″N 81°42′5.75″W	WN	Switch	Fall Street and Leonard Street
41°29′33.5″N 81°42′8″W	WNN	Switch	Fall Street and Leonard Street
41°29′35.5″N 81°42′12.5″W	WNNN	EOL	Cuyahoga River	flour mill
41°29′35.25″N 81°42′12.5″W	WNNS	EOL	Cuyahoga River	flour mill
41°29′32.75″N 81°42′9.25″W	WNS	Switch	Fall Street
41°29′33.25″N 81°42′11″W	WNSN	EOL	Merwin Street	flour mill
41°29′33″N 81°42′11″W	WNSS	EOL	Merwin Street	flour mill
41°29′29.75″N 81°42′3.75″W	WS	Switch	French Street and Columbus Road
41°29′29.25″N 81°42′5.5″W	WSN	Switch	Fall Street and French Street
41°29′27″N 81°42′8.5″W	WSNN	EOL	Fall Street and French Street	FIR siding
41°29′26.75″N 81°42′8.5″W	WSNS	EOL	Fall Street and French Street	FIR siding
41°29′27.25″N 81°42′7.25″W	WSS	EOL	Fall Street and French Street	? spare parts locomotive ?

Accidents

In 2005, FIR reported a single Highway-Rail Crossing incident, no other accidents, and no one killed or injured.[4] In 2004, FIR did not report any accidents (train, highway-rail crossing, other incidents).[5]

See also

• Cleveland railroad history
• List of crossings of the Cuyahoga River
• List of Ohio railroads
• Connecting or neighboring railroads:
  • Cleveland Commercial Railroad
  • CSX Transportation
  • Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
  • Cleveland Works Railway
  • Norfolk Southern Corporation
  • Newburgh and South Shore Railroad
  • Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway

Notes

^ A: Switch names are HQ-relative, should be Main-line relative.
^ B: Both locomotives are visible on Google Earth and Maps imagery, there are many (copyrighted) pictures of each posted on other web sites.
^ C: CP as in CP Knob refers to "control point". FIR operates on what used to be the Clark Branch and the DK Yard. The other bridge across the Cuyahoga River (OX/Flats Tower/Carter-Old River) in no longer used. FIR's interchange connection at CP Knob is to the CUT branch/main line.[6]
^ D: Department of Transportation, Surface Transportation Board, STB Finance Docket No. 33044
Flats Industrial Railroad Company--Acquisition and Operation Exemption--Consolidated Rail Corporation
Flats Industrial Railroad Company, a noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to acquire by purchase, and to operate, approximately 4 miles (6 km) of rail lines owned by Consolidated Rail Corporation between M.P. 14 at Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH, and M.P. 10 at Carter Road, Cuyahoga County, OH, including the industrial lead to Cereal Food Processors, Inc. The proposed transaction was to have been consummated on or after October 1, 1996.
Decided: October 3, 1996.[7]

References

1. "Vol. 66, No. 221/Thursday, November 15, 2001/Notices STB Finance Docket No. 34108". Federal Register. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-20.
2. "Table 1-13: Freight Railroads Operating in Ohio by Class: 2000". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Archived from the original on 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
3. "TOTAL EMPLOYMENT BY STATE AND LAST RAILROAD EMPLOYER - CALENDAR YEAR 2014" (PDF). Railroad Retirement Board. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2016-06-18.
4. "Railroad Safety Statistics 2005 Annual Report" (PDF). Federal Railroad Administration, United States Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
5. "Railroad Safety Statistics 2004 Annual Report" (PDF). Federal Railroad Administration, United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-04-22. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
6. "Lake Region - Cleveland Division Lakefront". Penn Central Railroad Online. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
7. "DoT Report #21 - October, 1996". TrainNet.Org, Federal Register, Surface Transportation Board, United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2008-08-29. Retrieved 2008-07-19.

General References

• Ohio Department of Transportation
  • "RAILROADS IN OHIO". Ohio Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2008-02-29.
  • "OHIO RAILROADS EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST CODE" (PDF). Ohio Department of Transportation.
• "Railroads". Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Retrieved 2008-07-19.
• "Short Line Details - 519 Flats Industrial Railroad Co". Norfolk Southern Railway. Retrieved 2008-07-19.