LE & W Depot 128 W. North St.  ~  Fostoria, Ohio The Fostoria Rail Preservation Society (FRPS) purchase an historical local train depot in March, 2007 for $30,000.  The depot which was purchased through a Geary Foundation grant from Camp Fire USA - NW Ohio was originally built in the late 1880's. Located at 128 W. North Street in Fostoria, the depot is currently under "refreshing" according to an FRPS officer.  However the depot has been so well-maintained by previous owners that meetings and local events are being held in the facility as the freshening up process continues. Beginning in January, 2008, the Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau will be opening their offices in the depot.  At that time, volunteers will begin to maintain weekend hours for public visitation of the facility.   Santa at the Depot The LE&W Depot was open for local children to visit with Santa between Thanksgiving & Christmas.  The Depot was transformed with decorated Christmas trees, working model train, and provided FRPS members the opportunity to share the Depot's history with Christmas visitors.      A City Built on Rails       Fostoria, the city named for Charles Foster, was formed in 1854 when the  villages of Rome and Risdon officially united.  It  was also the year the Fremont and Indiana Railroad began laying  track for its line that originated in Fremont and passed through Fostoria and Findlay on its way to Indiana.         In 1872, the Chesapeake & Ohio completed the section of track that ran through Fostoria. The C & O ran between Columbus and Toledo and was principally a coal hauler, but by 1877 the C & O was running four passenger trains a day in both  directions. On July 22, 1873, the Baltimore  & Ohio line reached Fostoria on its way to Chicago from the eastern seaboard and, in the 1880’s, two more railroads came through Fostoria. The New York, Chicago & St. Louis, better known as the Nickel Plate was routed through Fostoria in spite of fierce lobbying by Norwalk. The last railroad to come to town was the New York Central, originally known as the Atlantic & Lake Erie Road. In addition, Fostoria was served by three inter-urban lines between 1898 and 1932: the Tiffin, Fostoria & Eastern Electric Railway, the Toledo Fostoria & Findlay, and the Fostoria & Fremont. These carried freight and mail as well as passengers.  The TF&E and the TF&F also operated amusement parks near Bascom and Arcadia to induce ridership.  Meadowbrook Park in Bascom was originally owned by the TF&E. Today, trains are still an indelible part of the Fostoria landscape. In fact, over 180 trains a day pass through our town,  making it one of the most attractive locations in the United States for rail fans.

Fostoria Rail Preservation Society
PO Box 421   ~   Fostoria, Ohio 44830
ontrack@fostoriairontriangle.com  ~  419.435.1781