Last Train to Loveland

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Photo: train at Loveland Depot, 1973

On November 7, 1974, Don Staley’s train pulled into Loveland for the last time. It carried only one boxcar, a load of lumber headed to Nisbet’s store. It was the last train to run on what is now the Little Miami Scenic Trail. There was no fanfare; Don, a conductor on the line for 44 years, simply walked away, his job complete.

When he started on the railroad in 1957, sixteen trains a day ran along his line between Cincinnati and Columbus. Two carried passengers; the rest carried freight. There were Fords and Chevrolets and parts for both, and steel from Valley Steel in Clarksville and Armco in Middletown (accessed by the spur line at Middletown Junction where our Lebanon spur trail now crosses the river). From Loveland came lumber and coal—and, about once a month, a boxcar full of animal skins. Trains stopped at Kings Mills, where there was a small shack with an agent, to pick up loads of gunpowder produced in the mills on the opposite side of the river.


Photo above: Don Staley on cabin car, 1968

Gunpowder could be dangerous cargo, but in 1970 it was cargo of a seemingly innocent sort that caused the big Kings Mills train derailment Don witnessed in 1970. His train, heading north, pulled off on the siding at Morrow to make way for a large train of at least 100 cars heading south. One of the passing cars was piled high with thick dowels, headed to Louisville to become baseball bats. The wood stuck out beyond the side of the car, and Don says his train narrowly escaped damage from the passing load. When Don’s train was ready to head back south toward Cincinnati, they received permission to follow the Louisville-bound train. But soon they got a “stop” signal just north of Grandin Rd.

Don climbed down from the caboose to view the problem. Ahead was the train that had passed them earlier—all over the tracks. Twenty-seven cars had derailed, perhaps caused by the overloaded car of future baseball bats coming around a curve. Dowels were scattered all over the tracks, and cars lay on their side, wrecked. Although no one was injured in the accident, it took a couple of weeks to complete the cleanup. See photos below.

Don Staley, now 82, still celebrates the railroad. He has built a remarkable museum in his own backyard outside of Loveland, including full-size track, signals, and motor cars. Each month a group of railroad-loving friends gathers there to tinker and talk.  After all, Don says what he liked best about his career, even more than the trains, was the people he worked with. When some of them predicted that one day the railroad would be gone and a trail put in its place, Don was more than skeptical. “Oh, you’re nuts,” he said.

Today as you enjoy the trail built, literally, on the foundation of the railroad that came before, maybe you’ll remember the trains and their crews who also left their legacy on our trail.

Photos Below: Train derailment at Kings Mills, 1970. In the first, notice Peters Cartridge factory in the background.

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Below: Don Staley's backyard Railroad Museum

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Article by Janet Slater
All photos courtesy of Don Staley
July 2021

Safe Trails: Catch More Flies With Honey

by Erick Wikum

honeyI’ve experimented with a number of ways to address discourteous and unsafe behaviors on the Little Miami Trail and have come to the conclusion that the old adage, “You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar,” rings true. Constructive criticism shared with fellow trail users, no matter how well meaning or politely stated. is often met with indifference at best and anger akin to road rage at worst. On the other hand, being polite and positive can change the world, one interaction at a time. In particular, individually and collectively, we can help shape behaviors of our fellow trail users by doing the following two things.

1. Set a good example: Mimicry is a powerful force that leads people in any environment to adopt behaviors modeled after those demonstrated by others. We can influence our fellow trail users to be courteous and safe simply by demonstrating desirable behaviors. Calling out “passing on your left,” wearing a helmet, stopping and waiting for clear passage at road crossings, walking dogs on leashes 6 feet in length or less, slowing down around others, obeying the 20 mph speed limit, not hogging the trail and moving off of the trail when stopped are examples of these behaviors. It may seem that people are more apt to copy bad than good behaviors, but our good example does make a difference.

2. Reinforce positive behaviors: Psychologists know that when a subject (be it a person, dog, etc.) repeatedly receives a positive stimulus after displaying a behavior, then that behavior is likely to be repeated, a process known as operative conditioning. How can we reward positive behaviors we observe on the trail? The answer is surprisingly simple—say thank you. This simple but powerful stimulus says “I appreciate your behavior” and makes it more likely that a fellow user will continue to say “passing on your left,” to slow down around others, etc.

We live in a world where it often seems that bad examples are more contagious than good ones. And yet, positivity does make a difference. I hereby deputize you in the fight to establish safe and courteous norms for the Little Miami Scenic Trail. Set a good example and reinforce positive behaviors; thank you!

 

June 2021

Safe Trails: Wouldn't It Be Nice?

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by Erick Wikum

Wouldn’t it be nice if our fellow trail users:

  • walked their dogs on 6-foot leashes,
  • picked up after themselves, their dogs and their horses,
  • controlled their children,
  • moved off the trail when stopped,
  • obeyed the trail speed limit (20mph),
  • stopped at road crossings,
  • called out “on your left” when passing and
  • <<insert your favorite pet peeve here>>?


When they don't, it can be frustrating, disappointing and, frankly, unsafe.

And yet, we must take the trail and its users as we find them and not how we wish them to be.  The reality is that many users do not know trail etiquette, while others are self-absorbed and forget that they are sharing the trail with others.  Children will be children, dogs will be dogs, horses will be horses, and there’s no telling what deer and other wild animals (who don’t read Trail Mail) might do.

Consequently, when we use the trail, we have no choice but to practice “defensive driving.”  That means expecting the unexpected. That means slowing and even being prepared to stop around other users, traveling in either direction, especially dog walkers, children and horseback riders.

Next month’s Safe Trails column will feature two powerful tips which, if practiced by the more than 2,000 readers of Trail Mail, will help transform trail users to be more as we wish them to be.


May 2021

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