Bill Van Doren Presents: Ohio Electric and Ft. Wayne Trolley Program

In-person Program on Friday, September 23, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. (CDT)

Venue: 899 S. Plymouth Ct., Chicago

We have looked at the Ft. Wayne van Wert and Lima as part of our recent Ohio electric and Ft. Wayne trolley programs. So for our September 23, 2022 meeting presenter Bill Van Doren will look at it in detail.

The line was a key bridge route between Ohio and Indiana which operated independently for only the first six months while its track was being completed. Beginning with the predecessor Lima Delphos and Ft. Wayne Traction Co. and the Ft. Wayne van Wert and Lima Traction Company we will follow through the Ohio Electric years and the operation and abandonment by Indiana Service. We will look at its cars, its route, the great 1913 Midwest flood and its two spectacular wrecks. 

Freight traffic was important. In 1929, it moved 288 car loads of stone to a material yard on the ISC north of Ft. Wayne. 

There will be a glimpse of the beautiful museum-quality model on display at the Van Wert Historical Society. This promises to be an interesting, detailed look at the line to flesh out our previous overviews.

Our in-person meetings are held at 7 p.m. Central on the fourth Friday of the month September through June at the Club Room at 899 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago.