Railfanning the CSX Middletown Subdivision (Ohio)

The CSX Middletown Subdivision is located north of Cincinnati, Ohio, and it diverges from the CSX Toledo Subdivision. In contrast to the Toledo sub, which spans 167.8 miles, the Middletown sub measures just 13.7 miles. Despite its shorter length, this line plays a crucial role in serving a major client, AK Steel Middletown Works, which manufactures flat-rolled carbon, stainless, and electrical steel products. A significant portion of its business comes from the automotive sector.

This steel manufacturer has a long history that began in 1899 under the name The American Rolling Mill Company (ARMCO). The line is a former B&O branch created specifically to support this large steel mill. Today, CSX operates this line daily, providing services to AK Steel and its other clients.

Railfanning along this route can be challenging due to its short length of only 13 miles and the existence of blind spots. It’s crucial to have a scanner to monitor activity on this line. To get acquainted with the train symbols in operation here, pay attention to the Cincinnati and Toledo Subdivisions and tune into the road and dispatch channel on the Middletown Subdivision. As for the blind spots, visibility into the AK Steel facility is lost once a train enters, but you can still pick up communications on the road channel if you’re in the vicinity. Despite its short length, this line includes its own yard at Excello Lind Yard.

This past Tuesday, I met up with my friend Chuck to track down CSX’s L&N Heritage Unit. We spotted it at Lind Yard and watched as it moved light into AK Steel. We waited nearby, monitoring the switching activity through our scanner, which helped us anticipate its departure from AK Steel. We then followed it down the line to Monroe Bicentennial Commons. While listening to the dispatch channel, we discovered that the L&N unit wasn’t the only train in the area; an inbound train was headed to Lind Yard. The L&N unit was hauling a heavy train but managed to stop on the 8,000-foot siding just before the commons to allow the oncoming train to pass. Chuck and I were pretty lucky to see two trains on this mostly single-line subdivision.

This day highlights how crucial a scanner is for railfanning. By scanning the 97 railroad channels, I can pinpoint the road and dispatch channels used in the Subdivision. With this knowledge, I can incorporate them into my local channel bank for scanning. I’m eager to get back to railfanning this line again soon.