Vol. 6, No.9 August 1979 New Sandusky Train Service ________-. I Attracts Large Crowd To Ceremony Some 5,500 persons turned out on Sunday, July 29, to witness the grand reopening of rail service to Sandusky, Ohio. That service officially began when the westbound Lake Shore Limited tore through a large paper ribbon stretched across the tracks to the ac­ companiment of loud cheers from the crowd. The ceremonies began well before train arrival time, however, with an open house, rail exhibits, singing and band music , and dedicatory speeches from local dignitaries and Amtrak . ~ . ", Sanduskyites greet the jirst Lake Shore Limited as it stops jor passengers. personnel. The new train stop is the first rail flags were placed in the station on state representative, 84th Ohio passenger service for Sandusky in permanent display. district; and M.L. Clark Tyler, Am­ eight years. Sandusky will be an un­ Speakers at the ceremony included trak's vice president, government af­ manned station with tickets available Congressman Donald Pease, 13th fairs . on board the train or through pur­ Congressional district; Fred Deering, Jay Wagner, a local businessman, chase from Amtrak-authorized travel agents. Sandusky was added as a stop be­ Senate, House Vote Amtrak Funds cause of the population of the city and surrounding communities and its The Senate, on Wednesday, tion of the new system by Oc­ location between Elyria and Toledo August I, by an 89 to 11 vote, ap­ tober 1. where no intermediate stops were proved an Amtrak financing bill Two differences between the available. that will cut about 20 per cent of bills, for example, include a Sixty-three persons climbed aboard the least-used miles from Am­ Senate authorization of $1.8 bil­ the Lake Shore Limited on its first trak 's current system. lion for two years while the stop in Sandusky. Forty of those per­ The Senate action followed a House authorized $2.7 billion sons rode to South Bend, Indiana, vote, one week earlier, on July over a three year period. where they detrained to catch the first 25, by the House of Representa­ Specific train discontinuances eastbound Lake Shore for their re­ tives on a similar funding bill. have not been announced. turn home. The House measure passed by a The day's ceremonies officially be­ 397 to 18 vote. Although there definitely will gan with the raising of the American Although the bills are very be cuts in the system, they will be flag by a detachment of Coast Guard­ similar, there are enough dif­ far less severe than those original­ smen from the nearby Marblehead, ferences between them to require ly proposed by the Department of Ohio, station. In addition to the a House-Senate Conference Transportation in its report to American flag, they also raised flags Committee meeting to iron out Congress earlier this year. o f the fi ve states through which the those differences. That will occur Both the House and the Senate o riginal Lake Shore Limited after Labor Day, in time to get beat back last-minute attempts to operated. Those were New York, the bill to the President for his freeze the current system for an­ Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Il­ signature to allow implementa- other year. linois. After the ceremony, the five was master of ceremonies. Among the various items, vIsitors Amtrak's station is located in what Tyler accepted, on behalf of Am­ were able to see a bell from the Lin­ used to be the express and freight of­ trak, a chrome plated spike honoring coln funeral train, two 16-foot-long fice of the former New York Central the occasion from Frank Link, city sections of original strap rail from the facility. Located just east of the old manager. Tyler, in turn, presented Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad, station proper, the smaller structure Link with an Amtrak jacket. an old link and pin coupler, a track is better suited to Amtrak's current inspection velocipede and time tables needs. Tyler also received a commemora­ from the original Lake Shore route The building was completely refur­ tive photo album depicting railroad and the Mad River line. bished before being put into opera­ history in the Sandusky area as well tion. Several old large doorways were as an antique-style station sign. The On display, too, were two ex- Am­ bricked in and new doors and win­ sign now hangs on the track side of trak passenger cars now owned by dows installed. The interior was com­ the station building. members of the Mad River and NKP Museum. Long lines led to the coach pletely painted and additional park­ Both items were presented by and sleeping car throughout the ing provided for passengers. Richard Helzel, rides manager, and morning. Amtrak held an open house for Donald Ingle, public relations man­ visitors during the morning. Coffee, ager, of Sandusky's Cedar Point Entertainment for the festivities doughnuts, sweet rolls and soft amusement/theme park. was provided by the Barbershop Bob­ drinks were available for the crowd On display at the station during the cats quartet and the Keystone Kops while Amtrak personnel distributed day were various railroad artifacts band, both from Cedar Point. engineers' hats to the children and from the Mad River and Nickle Plate Coordinator for the event was Deb­ travel brochures to adults. Railroad Society Museum from near­ bie Stein, director, Sandusky Bay Rail service in Sandusky dates back by Bellevue, Ohio. Visitors and Convention Bureau. to September 17,1835, when the Mad (Left) Congressman Donald Pease addresses the Sandusky crowd. (Below) Th e La ke Sho re Limited noses through the ceremonial ribbon stretched across the tracks. (Upper Left) Frank Link and Jay Wagner display the "antique" station sign. (L ef!) George Tillman hands out doughnuts to visitors. (Above) Amtrak employees at the ceremony included, left to right, Sandy Cala, Fred Frayer, Steve Lehman, Bob Runnels, Diane Vetock and Mike Tsikalas. 2 River and Lake Erie Road was dedi­ Famed Yankee Pitcher _____ ___--, cated by General William Henry Har­ rison who later was to be elected I Is Son Of Sunset Conductor President of the United States. This was the first rail line west of R.A. "Rags" Guidry is a con­ this association and the Special Olym­ the Alleghenies and its original track­ ductor on Amtrak's Sunset Limited, pics because of his brother. age ran from Sandusky to Dayton for working between Lafayette, Louis­ And, of course, Conductor Guidry 137 miles. Track consisted of strap iana, and Houston, Texas, but he offers advice on his son's per­ iron rails, 2 Yz inches wide and 5/8 must be forgiven if occasionally his sonal appearances and endorsements. inch thick. mind strays from the railroad to the Guidry is treasurer for the United The line's first locomotive, named confines of New York's Yankee Transportation Union, Local 474, at the Sandusky, was the original Stadium. Lafayette, as well as being active in locomotive built at the famed Pater­ That's because his older son, Ron, the Naval Reserve. son, New Jersey, engine works. That just might be pitching that day for the Ron Guidry's record of 25 wins engine stopped every time rain fell World Champion Yankees. and only 3 losses for the 1978 season while the engineer sought shelter in Ron is THE Ron Guidry, Sporting gained him a flood of endorsement the nearest barn. News' "Man of the Year" for 1978, offers. Included were a chewing to­ It took 13 years to finish the first 10 the American League's Cy Young bacco, a car and a soft drink. mile stretch from Sandusky to award winner for being the best pitch­ He explained his reasons for rejec­ Bellevue. The Mad River and Lake er in the league and recipient of the tion of these particular offers. "Kids Erie eventually became part of the Associated Press, "Male Athlete of might think chewing tobacco makes Big Four which became part of the the Year" award. The younger me a big person. I don 't want them to New York Central system. Guidry also came in second in the do that." Serving visitors during the open voting for the league's "Most Regarding the auto, he simply said house were George Tillman, on­ Valuable Player" award. "I don't drive that kind of a car." board services supervisor, and The older Guidry is the proud Clayton Lewis, on-board service at­ father of two sons, Ron and ll-year­ tendant, both of Chicago. old Travis, who competed in last Other Amtrak employees partici­ year's Special Olympics at La­ pating in the ceremonies included fayette's Northside High School. Robert Runnels, district manager, Both sons are good athletes says Detroit; Sandy Cala, district super­ the Amtrak conductor and each has visor, Cleveland; Fred Frayer, sales done well in his own arena. manager, Cincinnati; Dick Sher­ Travis won second place in the Spe­ wood, ticket clerk, Canton; Juanita cial Olympics softball throw. Ron's Kochanowski, ticket clerk, Toledo; feats are well documented. and Diane Vetock, lead ticket clerk, "He's still the same guy he always Mike Tsikalas, ticket clerk, and was," said Guidry. "He loves base­ Steven Lehman, baggageman and ball-and always did. I used to be his ticket clerk, all of Cleveland. coach on a Little League team. "When he outgrew that, he just Superliner Diner kept on going. I've very proud of his The Guidrys; Ron, Travis and "Rags." The first Superliner diner went into accomplishments. " The soft drink? The same.