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Cleveland's Flats Industrial Railroad

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Enjoy a definitive documentary of the final days of regular operations on the Flats Industrial Railroad. In 2020, Grain Graft’s Cleveland, Ohio flour processing mill announced its closure, and so I set out to capture as much footage as I could before the operation changed forever. FIRR SW1500 1222 is the star of the show, and we’ll see some dynamic switching operations and learn a few lessons in history.

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13 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 223

@waxlymolding 2 года назад

I grew up near Cleveland and moved to Maine in 1995, where I met Arthur Fournier. He came into the pizza shop I worked in quite often and I got to know him pretty well. He was a good guy. Had NO idea he owned a railroad in Cleveland. Arthur died in 2013. I still have a bottle of whiskey he gave me one Christmas. RIP Arthur.

@KalamityJ216 Месяц назад

I needed my Dad today. Thank you for making that happen. Those precious memories … ❣️🚂❣️🇺🇸

@timgerard262 2 года назад

Dang, this video had it all! A fitness center in the railyard, a swing Bridge, a lift bridge, a towboat, and a classic 70's Camaro!

@khadijagwen 2 года назад

I vaguely remember Great Lakes ships going up that river an discharging Ore or something. It was about 2010.

@SteamCrane 9 месяцев назад

@@khadijagwen They still do. Footers unload at the Whiskey Island dock, and River Class boats take the pellets up to the mill. Very entertaining operation.

@RETIREDAMATUER 3 месяца назад

Yea I was gonna say they are still very active. Sometimes two ships pass through a day maybe more

@edwinavil7867 Год назад

The horn on that Switcher is so beautiful. It has such a distinct sound to it.

@HaraldFinster 2 года назад

Strictly speaking, I am not a railway enthusiast. However this video is really intriguing. Very nicely and "silently" filmed without unmotivated "special effects", zooms and pans. The images are well composed and the sound is also good quality. Excellent! Apart from the main subject, the railway operations, the "bridgescape" is just amazing. Your video reminds me of my visit to Cleveland in 1992: I came over from Germany to take photographs of the steel mills and noticed that a road ran right across the mills. As I wasn't familiar with the rules I asked someone if I would be allowed to use this road and was quite surprised that the answer was a "yes". You probably guess that I am talking about Independence Road - one of the most fascinating places I ever visited. To my knowledge many of the blast furnaces still standing in 1992 are long gone. Please refer to my website if you are interested in the photographs: (as yt seems to censor my posting, I can't add a link here - sorry) Kind regards and thanks for the great video Harald

@stratostatic 3 года назад

That engineer was sure all about those horns.

@jaberosier9853 2 года назад

If I knew my line was about to go under I'd be putting on a show at every crossing as well :)

@tomrogers9467 2 года назад

@@jaberosier9853 With so many idiots walking on the tracks with their earbuds blasting and a phone in their faces you need all the horn you can get!

@thomasculkin349 2 года назад

In the 1950s the "flats" was my playground, since I lived within very easy walking distance. Once I even was allowed (against all rules) to stand on the swinging bridge as it rotated. Quite a thrill and very disorienting. Mostly we climbed on the underpinnings of the tall bridges; to this day I shudder when I think about what we foolishly did. The railroad was not particularly of interest to us as kids. Thanks for reminding me of my dangerous youthful activities.

@platec4798 2 года назад

The early 70's Camaro that appeared in the video was a nice addition to the film. Thanks for posting. Well done. Plate C

@tedhardulak7698 2 года назад

I live in Cleveland and travel the "back roads" in the flats occasionally. I could identify all of the places shown. GREAT shot of the swing bridge and tug. This vid is so accurate. I have traveled a lot of areas on Sundays that were no go. Amazing what is in the flats. My Dad worked at Shell oil and as a kid I had a unique View of the flats. And my Relatives lived on Holmden ave. A direct route to the flats from W. 14th. Lots of memories there.

@JMc.D 2 года назад

The Camaro was a cool addition to that scene

@CrossbuckProductions 3 года назад

You deserve way more subscribers. Not many railroad videos actually entertain me, but your narration makes it interesting. Great video.

@pwilliable 8 месяцев назад

Thank you! I lived in Cleveland and always loved watching the trains working down in The Flats. Thank you for this video. You gave it the best send off archive we could ask for.

@MarkInLA 3 года назад

Must be a sad feeling being the crew on the last days....Wonder what they'll do next ... And what happens to the locos and hoppers ??

@migmog9549 2 года назад

Most railroads dont own their rolling stock anymore, the locos will probably end up getting sold to other industrial switching companies

@maxm4375 2 года назад

We always have room at the Cuyahoga Valley scenic railroad

@CuriousEarthMan 2 года назад

@@maxm4375 nice plug! lol more power to you!

@eshollen 2 года назад

What a beautiful sounding horn

@khadijagwen 2 года назад

In 2010 I lived for a year in Grand River, Ohio and made road trips, exploring all around there. I drove through the Flats and down there somewhere, was a mill still pouring molten metal. I assumed it was steel, but I don't actually know. I must have driven where I was not supposed to be, because a pickup followed me out of the area. It was fun to see.

@meme-xn6wr 2 года назад

Yeah private vs public property isn’t signed well in there, as I was down there last summer on my way to Michigan, and we had a few security trucks occasionally check up on us. And eventually, once we left and got to high ground, we could see security was looking for us.

@robertweldon7909 3 года назад

If I remember rightly, That mill produced "Robin Hood Flour". I kind of remember the silos having a big picture of Robin Hood on it in the 1950"s. I could be wrong, it was a long, long time ago'

@nancyoffenhiser4916 3 года назад

We had a Robin Hood flour Mill in the Quad Cities here in Davenport that blew up on May 23, 1975. There's some interesting videos on RU-vid about it. I have never heard a whistle like that I've never seen a SW9 locomotive much in all my years and I pray that locomotive doesn't get scrapped.. that it goes to a museum and continues to get used.

@davidelkins3229 3 года назад

@@nancyoffenhiser4916 The Sheriff of Nottingham was questioned about the mill bombing.

@nancyoffenhiser4916 3 года назад

@@davidelkins3229 Lol!!!!

@mr.stonerUDX714 3 года назад

this is true and it was still there in the 90s

@kevinb9327 2 года назад

I played Little League BB, and we wore the logo - the Lincoln Park Robins.

@osrr6422 3 года назад

That RS5T is just beautiful.

@nssteampunk4865 3 года назад

King of Horns, the loudest one of all.

@nancyoffenhiser4916 3 года назад

I think that engineer loves that lovely horn..

@freymaster4449 2 года назад

The chamber type that this horn has would make it an S5T. More mellow sounding. RS5T’s have spikes on the chambers and are more harsh sounding.

@PGHammer21A 2 года назад

@@nancyoffenhiser4916 I've heard other Leslie horns - however, THAT one is unique to my ears - i know of no other of its sort on any line - long OR short.

@jankington216 2 года назад

No aural beats, they tuned it

@kennyspry5189 3 года назад

What a Damn Shame to See another Business Close and Another Short Line Railroad Close also Very Sad!!!!

@paulburns3788 3 года назад

I like that Switcher type locomotives

@zl_KingLeo_lz Месяц назад

i was one of the guys that lost their job at the mill in 2020. there was i believe 13 of us. Called us in shortly after all the covid lockdowns and told us that they were shutting the doors june 30th 2020. then they extended it because we had more wheat than they thought initially. they ultimately went on to work until i think december. i still left in june as i moved back to my home town of chattanooga tn which ironically enough is where Grain Craft is headquartered. i learned a lot at that job. i feel like it taught me to be a man and not be a kid as it was the first blue collar job i had and the first job i had where i worked around men and not kids. i had worked a lot of kitchen jobs up to that point. most of the guys i worked with were pretty cool. a couple assholes and a couple that i would have liked to put my hands on but overall it was cool. i made some good money there moving and unloading cars and sweeping floors lol. they did sell the property to the metro parks im pretty sure and im curious to see what becomes of it. i ride by every now and then and its funny to see the lot all grown up and to think its only like that because im not out there every year at the start of summer with my weed eater knockin down weeds as part of a work order lol.

@franks471 3 года назад

one day idk about 15 or so years ago i was walking in this area. I was on Carter road and I came across a sw9 loco parked outside of a building. The building had the track running through it, and a garage door, and track ended just after leaving the building. I went on maps many times to find this and it's not there, but I KNEW I saw that particular SW9 sitting out front of a building. Looking at it right now, it looks like the building was at the end of a track that runs along side the yard.

@caseyjonessnr1200 5 месяцев назад

Excellent video and narration. Footage of the switching operations are superb and the narration was very informative. Many thanks. 26:13

@mikechapmanmedia2291 2 года назад

Terrific job all around - shooting, editing, narration! A triple threat! Well done.

@JohnDoe-ut7wu 3 года назад

Love the early second gen Camaro!

@sorshiaemms5959 3 года назад

fits with the locomotive

@pinky5011 2 года назад

I worked for GE service shop and did many repairs and rebuilds for river terminal RR also did an electric motor repair and install in the grain company, we also made remote control units that went into the steel mills. Hard work but very cool, thanks for the vid

@rjl110919581 2 года назад

thank you for the great super detail video on the small short line railroad as was a great joy watching

@carrollcameron7472 2 года назад

That was a great video. Doesn't matter how small a railroad is, it still adds to the life of a town and its people.

@paulbergen9114 2 года назад

Very nicely done creative angles and decent narration made it a pleasure to watch. This reminded me of the last trips of the MILW RD beer line in the namesake city. I do remember seeing a Conrail switcher when I was in town for the last days of the Hullet unloaded. Trivia item one or both of the tugboats here in MKE were upgrades post WW 2. when their steam engines and boilers were replaced with surplus engines from LST that had a Winton engine built in Cleveland. For a real twist in history check out an episode of Route 66 which was shot in that area of Cleveland. You can see some bridges on the background and they are along the river where there are large sand and stone piles. If I remember correctly they are near a wooden crossbuck and off to the side is the perfect grain car. A GACX 1950s Airslide covered hopper painted for the Nickel Plate! Thanks for preserving this bit of history

@SgtChip 3 года назад

I had no idea this was running right under my nose in my nearest major city!

@IanZainea1990 2 года назад

21:20 I live in Cleveland, and I like the city. But I'll admit, as far as cities go, Pittsburgh is a nicer city. Cleveland is working it's way up, but it's still got some time. Part of what hold Cleveland back are the absurdly large block sizes downtown! Pitts blocks are small and compact, it's great! Anyhow, I bring up Pittsburgh, because all their bridges are painted a gorgeous yellow and at night are lit up purple! They look incredible. I really wish Cleveland would do the same!

@Lakeside1943 3 года назад

Very good and interesting documentary about this urban small scale railroad. A sad goodbye indeed.

@e-train765 2 года назад

I've lived in Ohio my whole life (born 1990) and live about an hour south of Cleveland; I'm borderline ashamed I NEVER knew or heard of the FIRR...I've always seen the SW1500 but never knew who owned it or if it even ran, saddened to know it's future is uncertain, but I thank you for this great video and wonderful history.

@davidfrench2653 2 года назад

Wow, very, very well done! My favorite kind of railroading, end-cab switchers working industries. Thanks for making me happy today.

@privateerbouncher9622 2 года назад

Switching is sometimes more exciting than passing trains.

@robertszallavarysullivan9570 22 дня назад

More so, if one is a member of a full switching train crew that has at least one ground man in addition to the Conductor (3). With multiple ground men a crew can safely utilize moves like kicking or dropping cars.

@tomrogers9467 2 года назад

Great horns on that beast! The audio alone was worth the watch.

@Cessna-er4je 3 года назад

I live not far from Cleveland and have always wondered what this railroad was. Very nice!

@SteamCrane 9 месяцев назад

Nice video! I spent a lot of time wandering the flats on foot in the 1960's. Wouldn't do that today. The long abandoned Big 4 mainline lift bridge is the one right next to the Carter Road lift bridge. As far as I know, the Flats Industrial bridge has always been industrial only. Note the very sharp curve on the east side of the river. There used to be a steel mill, I think a rolling mill, on the east side of Carter Road, in the area that's now dirt piles and 123 Express Construction. At that time there was a 44 tonner that served the mill. I remember that there was a switch at one end of the FI drawbridge that the points were on the bridge, but the frog was on land. The Big 4 main joined the NYC main line at a wye just west of the old Stadium, and originally also crossed the NYC main at grade. There was a big post office facility on the north side of the NYC main. The Lakefront Rapid follows the Big 4 alignment north of the drawbridge.

@dmkays 2 года назад

Great video. Very photogenic location and cool shot of the tug and the fantastic bridges.

@charleskesner1302 3 года назад

Great tribute. Another industrial facility closing. So sad.

@romie1967 2 года назад

Nice video. Sad to see these small independent railroads go away. Hopefully, the workers can find another job...

@WatercolorJourneys 8 месяцев назад

This is cool! Great shots and I actually love the commentary.

@gsigs 2 года назад

That crew looked pretty competent. I hop they found work. Fun Cleveland facts: chief export: crippling depression Under construction since 1868. River catches on fire. Official motto: "We're not Detroit"

@richgreene7043 3 года назад

What a great video. Interesting, informative and entertaining. Rich

@Tcostello105 3 года назад

Beautiful video, very well done thank you for sharing.

@realtoytrains 2 года назад

I agree Tom! Loved this one…

@nancyoffenhiser4916 3 года назад

EXCELLENT VIDEO of a locomotive and a horn I have never seen much or heard that horn in 62 years of this hobby. Thank you so much for sharing this I'm glad the algorithm brought me here tonight. I subscribed. Your commentary was wonderful too thank you.

@nancyoffenhiser4916 3 года назад

I loved the boat too, as well as the car...

@shanestrains4056 3 года назад

Love the narration, Paul! Keep up the good work!

@ypaulbrown 2 года назад

wonderful video, photographed some of the area back in 1982

@LunaIsOnYoutube 2 года назад

I love these kinds of lines, love to see what feels like late 70's switching duties

@oscarinvega4113 2 года назад

Wow incredibly well done, very nice!

@bobsmith1814 2 года назад

This a great video. I grew next to IHB and used to watch switch out box cars in local industrial area.

@coldwar1952 3 года назад

My Dad operated this bridge as a NYC employee. The stories from the old days of rats chasing the grain trains are true.

@CSXT17 3 года назад

@coldwar1952 - I'm the conductor shown in the video, and a manager for the FIR. If you have the time, I would love to hear some stories from your dad. I have been trying to track down a former operator from back in the day, but with very little luck until you posted your comment! You can email me at kditchman0672@gmail.com if you would prefer to not talk over youtube comments.

@TheNorthwestWind 3 года назад

@@CSXT17 bro, are you guys done done? I saw Newburgh has one of the units now? I want to ride along!

@coldwar1952 3 года назад

@@CSXT17 My dad operated here when on furlough from engine service, also the Erie bridge long gone on W3rd. I have a NYC metal tin first aid kit and elevator cert cards from this bridge from decades ago, and some other asst paper items which showed up at a NYCSHS show swap meet. If he is still alive, the guy you want to speak with is A.K. 'Al' Bush, this was his regular job as a brakeman. I think he lived out by you in Mentor or someplace. C W

@Graulas 2 года назад

wow love the horn on the 1222

@awizardalso 2 года назад

My real name is Michael McCluskey. I lived on the west side of Cleveland on W.112th St. from 1965 to 1970. Before that I lived in Brookpark, Ohio and spent most of my time out in farm lands and ancient forests. When my family moved into Cleveland, I hated it. Between 1967 and 1969, I took to hopping freight trains to go on adventures.

@Lynchfan88 2 года назад

Born & raised here in Cleveland, Ohio AND being a railroad fanatic I always loved going to The Flats to try & catch The Flats Industrial RR getting it's work in. I don't think I ever caught them working, but I caught the EMD SW's parked and covered hoppers down there all the time. I think Grain Craft is all shut down now because I was down there a week ago and there's no covered hoppers (yes, I KNOW railroad cars come in & out, but I think the place there is closed) and the tracks are all overgrown. Very sad that a well over 100 year old business in that location is now gone. What will come of the Flats Industrial RR and their EMD switchers?

@b3j8 2 года назад

Very cool, and very sad to see this! Been awile since I've seen a train crew using hand signals. Excellent video, thank you for documenting all this before it's gone!

@stevenschocket7561 3 года назад

Thank you very much for this video. The hard work you put in was appreciated !!! GREAAAAAAT!

@derricktherailfan 2 года назад

Awesome video!! This video has given me a relaxation!

@mackfisher4487 2 года назад

Great video, got me to do an Internet search Grain Graft’s got quite a history and the infrastructure certainly impressive. Now the Wall Street vultures speculators can purchase the company for pennies on the dollar scrap all of the assets and leave the structure behind To be added to the list of abandon manufacturing facilities in the area we call the Rust Belt. Isn't there a better way?

@CaptainJustice166 3 года назад

Another great video Paul! Loved the commentary!

@billmarquet5835 2 года назад

I moved away from the Cleveland about 20 years ago so it was nice to get little view of the Flats West Bank and a glimspe of the Rapid..Those Rapid cars look the same as the ones from 20 yrs ago..Nice video,I enjoyed it..

@Over60sowhat 2 года назад

Excellent video and production! Very well written, also!!

@kevinb9327 2 года назад

👍 Really enjoyed this. Well researched. I'm modelling something like this in N scale.

@awizardalso 2 года назад

My real name is Michael McCluskey. When I rode my bike to Wilbur Wright Junior High School I went up to Madison Ave turned left and rode up to Berea Ave.turned right and turned left on W.110th St. I rode past a small industrial rail yard. One day on my way home I wrecked my bike while crossing the tracks. The crew came out patched me up fixed my bike. Every day after that I stopped to thank them. One day they asked if I wanted to go for a ride in the SW9 switch locomotive. I said "I'd like to!" They also asked me to never tell anyone that I went for a ride.

@vdubdork67 3 года назад

Awesome video, great work and narration. I fancy industrial switching and this footage surely did not disappoint! 👌

@thenayways8242 3 года назад

Great work Paul, as always! Loved the voice-over with it & seeing all over Cleveland, man I miss it sometimes!

@Nurvington 3 года назад

Great sound and documentation:::

@ryansansom6901 3 года назад

Excellent video. I am going to miss watching this railroad operation up to the grain silos. Hopefully a new customer will utilize this rail line. I just hope that there is no big hurry to remove the unused part of this line. Once it is gone, it's gone.

@williamerazo3921 2 года назад

No thanks

@williamerazo3921 2 года назад

That area is prime for redevelopment

@zl_KingLeo_lz Месяц назад

Cleveland Metro Parks bought Grain Craft property last year. They are going to develop the river front there and make a walk along i guess.

@Steve-xf4uv 2 года назад

Very informative video and well done. Sad to see the railroad go but 2 nice SW's for a museum or short line !

@AGSGuy 3 года назад

Love that S5T, love the commentary too

@johnfisherjr.5911 2 года назад

Great video!

@jonathanree4524 2 года назад

At 13:30 I thought the conductor was flipping you off until I went frame by frame and realized he was holding up two fingers

@kevdoom2 2 года назад

This was a great video!

@brankoval4686 Месяц назад

They closed that bridge down in 2020 because it would cost $750,000 to fix and it only served one customer, the flour mill. They delivered railcars full of wheat and I would shuffle the cars around and unload them. It was awesome. Sad it no longer works and the flour mill is now closed. The Cleveland metroparks recently bought the property.

@zl_KingLeo_lz Месяц назад

it would appear we were fed some bs by the company. there was something wrong with that bridge but there was a solution to that. the dude said it at the beginning of the video the future of FIRR was uncertain with grain craft closing its doors. GC lied to us. one "Dude" we worked with showed me an article from a local news paper saying that it wasnt because the bridge that we closed technically. if i can find it ill send u the link bro. but this video is definitely confirms that us closing hurt them not the other way around. i recall them trying to put it on the FIRR and the bridge being in trouble but the article im talking about states something about the government stepping in and helping out with either repairs if there was a functioning company at the end of a line that was having problems or if a privately owned switch yard was closing the doors then the government was supposed to step in and take over to continue to serve the comapny at that received goods from the yard that was closing. Grain Craft pulled the plug on that mill because it was losing money. We hardly ran and had lost all but like one contract by the end. It was a perfect storm of events that closed us truth be told but i signed an NDA saying i wont discuss the nitty gritty part lol. me and u will talk about it next time i see u.

@aspivey73 2 года назад

I worked downtown and drove over those tracks for over 9 years.

@fogdan 3 года назад

Awesome!! Thank you for posting!!!

@jwrailve3615 3 года назад

Your videos are badass, seriously great cinematography

@NorfolkSouthernModel 3 года назад

Really appreciate your comment, thanks!

@randywise5241 Год назад

3 generations worked at that mill. The end of an era. 🙁

@xray606 3 года назад

Interesting. Never even heard of this one.

@SIGINT007 2 года назад

Well done piece

@SillyPutty3700 2 года назад

I was there in february 2021 and took pictures of the engine. I had no Idea it was not operational.

@charles97th 3 года назад

Cool sounding horns.

@Rustbelt_Research 3 года назад

Very nice Paul.

@christopherstory2136 2 года назад

Another plant closing. How sad. Great video and narration. Fitting tribute. Subscribed to this channel now because ofbthis fine video.

@jameshill1740 2 года назад

The oft centered headlight is very cool on the switcher

@wvcaver774 2 года назад

What a horn that engine has !

@rkjarm Год назад

7:10

@tractorsmachinesro1405 3 года назад

Great work

@PainesvilleRailfans 3 года назад

Amazing video. Glad I got footage uploaded on my channel uploaded before the customer left.

@SamLovesTrains 3 года назад

Awesome video as always. Enjoy the commentary!

@BaronVonPwn 2 года назад

I'm sure RJ corman could use their skill set. I haul flatbed and always enjoy picking up from their warehouses . And they run some nice short industrial lines.

@SteamCrane 9 месяцев назад

14:16 and 15:36 is the abandoned Big 4 mainline drawbridge. The track west of DK yard is Big 4 main.

@GTRailFanProductions 3 года назад

Great video as always Paul! Definitely enjoyed the commentary!

@ronhelman3985 3 года назад

Great video!!!!!

@railpast Год назад

Great video really enjoyed that and the Nathan horns are just super sad to see it go. I subbed your channel.

@conceyullena 3 года назад

Amazing! Beautiful video! Greetings 🚂👍🙋‍♂️

@GABRIELADAWSON 2 года назад

1:39 Columbus And Leonard Streets reminds me of the Grade Crossing in BORDEN AVE in Long Island City Queens where the LIRR Runs to Hunterspoint Ave next.