Secrets of Seneca County Historical Driving Tour | The Iron Triangle & Rail Park
Embark on a captivating journey through the wondrous past of Seneca County, Ohio, with the Secrets of Seneca County Historical Driving Tour! The next stop on the journey is: The Iron Triangle & Rail Park (499 S Poplar Street, Fostoria, OH 44830, Stop #11)
Fostoria, 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 and 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 and St Louis better know 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.
Though Fostoria was once well known for the booming glass industry, featuring five separate factories at one point, it has now become well known and a destination for railway viewing thanks to the rich rail history and the lines that ran through the community. By the 1880s, the lines that had been laid would work to form what is now known as the Iron Triangle, the triangular space when three separate rail lines meet.
Today, the Iron Triangle boasts a 360-degree view of the 100+ trains that still pass through Fostoria, now operated by the CSX and Norfolk Southern rail companies. There is also a viewing shelter and multiple picnic areas, which are maintained by the Fostoria Rail Preservation Society. Railroad fans will also be eager to visit many of the historic depots and buildings that stand as a testament to Fostoria’s long rail-centric history. Learn more about The Iron Triangle & Rail Park at FostoriaIronTriangle.com.
