I was out doing some railfanning/exploring a couple of days ago and went to a small railroad town called Ravenna, Kentucky. It was founded when L&N built a decent yard in Estill County. Many trains coming out of the eastern Kentucky coalfields come through Ravenna on their way north to the power plants. The yard also included car shops and an engine servicing facility. It was not too long ago that you could go by the yards and see 3-4 trains powered up and waiting to head out, while the yard contained strings of hoppers waiting for power to be attached. Starting about 7-8 years ago CSX slowly downgraded the yard to the point that it is not much more than a crew change point these days. The car shops are shut down, and the engine servicing racks are no longer in use. All but 4-5 of the yard tracks are torn up, and when I was there the only thing in the entire yard was a hopper and a lumber car, probably bad order cars that had been set out to be picked up later. I took a few photos around the area. I hope to go back in the next couple of weeks to see if I can get permission for some closer shots of the fuel racks and car shop. The first couple of shots give you an idea of the yard's former size. Definitely not the Russell yards, but still a nice sized yard at one time. The last two shots are the car shop and the fuel racks. I'd be interested to see any photos and hear any stories you guys may have of this yard.
Wow!!!! It's probably been close to 20 years since the last time I went to Ravenna and man has it changed. It is sad indeed to see how the yard has all but disappeared.
Never been there. But I know there were two train order offices. So had always envisioned this as a large and important facility. Boxcab E50
Huhh. Sounds alot like Delmar, DE/MD. Back in the early to mid 1950's, Delmar was a huge yard. It had engine shops for PRR's K4's and sidingings for other famous engines. Delmar is now only four tracks wide, but before, it was at least 6 or 7. And it was about 10 to 13 Football fields long. This was a huge yard. It's sad to see another yard to be torn up.
I clocked it with an odometer today, and while I'm sure my measurment was not completely accurate, it measured over a mile long. The car shop and fuel racks don't have tracks to them anymore, but other than that and the weeds growing, it looks like the facilities could be used right now. Maybe there will be a big upswing in the coal industry and they'll rebuild some of it. I wish I had taken advantage of its proximity to me back in the late '90s and early '00s when it was still pretty active.
It's the same thing in Auburn, WA in the old NP yard after BN closed it in 1981 and Stampede Pass, just ruins and the mainline for 15 years 'till they re-opened the pass and yards for east/west traffic again, but it still ain't the same.
No it was not the same. Afterward, every time I saw the place, it seemed more like a crime scene. Boxcab E50
I doubt you'll ever see Ravenna anywhere close to what it was. CSX wants to get rid of everything that is former L&N. Just look at Decoursey for example. It was a huge modern yard with 2 humps! I along with many others hated to see South Louisville shops being torn down. That is what happens with these mega mergers though. I'd be willing to bet Osborn yard doesn't last much longer.
Yeah Decoursey was another one that puzzled me. I hope Osborne sticks around for awhile. By the way, are there any good places from which to photograph Oborne yard?
