Lane Restrictions On South Meridian Road In Youngstown

[Towntalk]

Didn't those tracks run behind the old Century 21 Paint Company?

[kenneyjoe330]

WOW I am soooo impressed - I love maps and after looking at the train map I remember the tracks on Medridian Road - I think they went into Plaza Lumber or somewhere around there.  I forgot all about those tracks.  Thank You so much  .  Along with maps I LOVE old pictures and the ones posted are fantastic.  THANKS 

[joly1584]

Doing google research I found the Youngstown & Austintown Railroad(YARR)


http://www.gwrr.com/operations/railroads/north_america/youngstown__austintown_railroad.b

If you zoom in on the map it is the right location for the tracks. It is currently owned by Genesee & Wyoming.


This website shows stock for the YARR dating back to the 1880's:


http://www.stocklobster.com/yoauraco.html

[Towntalk]

Just thought about something ... could those have been old Y&N tracks since they were on Meridian Road? Perhaps Rick could clear up the matter for us? Y&N was based on th West Side in the day.

[Towntalk]

Y&S started out as an innerurban streetcar line that ran south and had a terminal on East Front Street. It later dropped the streetcars and became a freight railroad. I will post some photos of it if anyone is interested and perhaps even if you ain't.

[kenneyjoe330]

How interesting is that ?   Now where on God's Good Earth in Boardman did these tracks run ?   I thought the only tracks in Boardman would be along Southern Blvd ! ! !   I've been reading about the canals in the area in the 1800's but haven't gotten to trains yet and I am sure it will come up in the book.  So you are saying they ran along Tippycanoe Road ?  Lockwood ?  And Pray Tell to Where - what was so important in that area that warrented this kind of train traffic so long ago.  Did it go to Salem ?   I find this very interesting.

[jay]

Ages ago, the railroad served a stone quarry that was located in what is now Mill Creek Park.  The tracks used to service the coal mines of Cornersburg and at one time extended south through part of Boardman.

In recent times, the railroad served a lumber yard on South Meridian Road at Industrial Road.

[kenneyjoe330]

So what is the history behind those tracks ?   The West Side's answer to The Sharon Line

[jay]

Traffic on South Meridian Road is restricted to one lane going north and one lane going south.   An old railroad track crossing is being removed from the street.  Watch out for the bump!