Toledo, Lake Erie and Western Railway facts for kids

The Toledo, Lake Erie and Western Railway is a special kind of railway. It's a non-profit group that works to preserve old trains and tracks. This railway operates on about 10 miles (16 km) of track in Ohio, USA.

The tracks used to belong to the Norfolk and Western Railroad. They cross the Maumee River on a large bridge built in 1916. This bridge is 901 feet (275 meters) long. It's the biggest bridge owned by a tourist railway east of the Mississippi River! The railway owns the section of track from Waterville to Grand Rapids, Ohio.

About the Railway's Journey

The Toledo, Lake Erie and Western Railway used to run a passenger train called the Bluebird. However, train operations stopped in 2009. This was because the tracks needed repairs. Unfortunately, there was also some vandalism, which made it harder to reopen.

In 2013, one of their special engines, ALCO S4 #5109, was painted to look like its original Chesapeake and Ohio Railway colors. Soon after, a rare train horn that was meant for this engine was stolen. These challenges made it difficult for the railway to get back on track.

Working Towards Reopening

After these setbacks, the railway tried a new plan in 2011. They hoped to partner with a company that would run freight trains. This partnership ended in late 2014.

Since then, dedicated volunteers have been working hard. They are fixing the passenger cars, locomotives, and tracks. Their goal is to get everything ready for trains to run again. They want to bring the Bluebird Passenger Train back for everyone to enjoy.

New Museum Location

On February 14, 2014, the Toledo, Lake Erie and Western Railway acquired a new property. This is the Waterfront Electric Railway Museum in Grand Rapids, Ohio. This new location includes a building for storing train cars and a workshop. There is also a small brick building that is now a gift shop. It also displays old photographs and historical items.

This new property came with some interesting old train cars. These included a former Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Elevated Car and a snow sweeper. Volunteers put a lot of effort into fixing up this new museum space. They wanted it to be a great place for work and to help bring in money for the railway.

Open House and Museum Train

By May 10, 2014, the Museum held its first open house at the new property. It was a big success! Besides the new museum, the railway also has a "Museum Train" on display. This train is located closer to Downtown Grand Rapids.

The Museum Train includes locomotives #1 and #202. It also has a tool car, a caboose, and a passenger coach. Now that the new museum property is open, this display train is mostly used for special events and meetings.

Current Activities

The Bluebird Passenger Train has not carried passengers since 2009. However, volunteers are still working hard to restore it. They are trying to raise money to help fund these restoration efforts. You can find more information about donating on their website, TLEW.ORG.

In addition to fundraising, the railway offers special motorcar rides. These rides go over the Maumee River. They are offered every weekend during the summer months. These rides let people see the beautiful Maumee River and the area around it.

Train Equipment

The Toledo, Lake Erie and Western Railway has several interesting locomotives. They also have passenger coaches. These pieces of equipment are important for preserving railway history.

Locomotives

Here are some of the locomotives owned by the TLEW:

Former Locomotives

The railway has also had other locomotives in the past.

Passenger Coaches

The railway has several passenger coaches. Some are used for display, and others are being prepared for future use.

• No. 403 - Used on the Museum Train
• No. 404 - Planned for the Bluebird Passenger Train
• No. 407 - Currently being restored
• No. 408 - Planned for the Bluebird Passenger Train