Based in Ontario Ohio, the O&WE Ry is a non for profit historical society that focuses on the history of the railroad between Mansfield and Galion Ohio. Railroads through Ontario, dating as far back as the 1860s consist of The Atlantic & Great Western Railway, Erie, Erie Lackawanna, Conrail and Norfolk Southern railroads. Established in 2019, the O&WE Ry plans to preserve the history, remnants and
Right of Way (ROW) of the railbed that travels through Ontario Ohio. Currently owned by the Norfolk Southern and the Pennsylvania Holdings Company, the ROW is mostly undisturbed, except for the removal of the 150 year old stone arch Rock Rd bridge. This bridge sustained damage during an auto mobile accident and was deemed beyond repair. The goal of the O&WE Ry is to purchase the property of the ROW along Railroad St between Rudy Rd and Lexington-Ontario Rd which was the site of the Ontario Rail Depot that was demolished in the 1970's. From there, the O&WE Ry plans to purchase the ROW from Lexington-Ontario Rd to Rock Rd with future expansions east to Mansfield. The O&WE Ry will re-establish the railbed along with creating the Erie Bike Trail, a bike/walking trail that will run parallel to the railroad from Railroad St in Ontario to Main St in Mansfield with the bike/walking trail extending to the Carousel District, giving the community a safe area for exercise and a place to enjoy nature. Future purchasing plans are for 2 conjoining sites along Park Avenue West across from Pearl St in Ontario. This will be for a community room that will be in the design of a historic 1900's era rail depot. This community room will be for rent by donations for weddings, meetings, parties and dinners. The O&WE Ry will run excursion passenger trains for the young and young at heart from Ontario to the Norfolk Southern Maintenance of Way (MOW) building on North Main St in Mansfield. The MOW building will be the end destination for excursion trains and will also act as the North Pole for the Santa Train, a Polar Express themed excursion. Riders will exit the train where kids will meet Santa then reboard the train for a ride back to the Ontario Station. The O&WE Ry will feature theater trains, seasonal sight seeing trains, Santa Special trains where children will receive a boarding ticket, cookie and a cup of hot chocolate, Western robbery trains, Rail Speeder excursions and so on. Before boarding, passengers will enjoy multiple model railroads for kids to operate, artifacts and railroad safety videos presented by the O&WE Ry. These trains will also feature company parties/meetings as you ride the rails. The excursion trains will bring much needed tourism and commerce to the Cities of Ontario and Mansfield as well as surrounding communities. The O&WE Ry also plans to plant up to 25,000 soft and hardwood trees along the ROW for neighborhood privacy and in city parks in Ontario and Mansfield, equally. All of this will be possible by generous donations of any amount from community members. Community members who partner with the O&WE Ry will receive bi-monthly news letters from the O&WE Ry, that will discuss finances and progress of the railway. Thank you, from the Ontario & Western Erie Railway!
