Hello everyone, and welcome to a very special video featuring the Norfolk Southern Reading Heritage Unit! On June 11th, 2024, Cincy Railfan Productions and I were making our return journey back from Muncie, Indiana, when we got word of the Reading Heritage Unit (NS 1067) leading manifest train 196 out of Cincinnati and heading north on the Fort Wayne/New Castle District. As soon as we got the news, we made a Bee-Line (pun intended) to the town of Eaton, Ohio, in an emergency-audible attempt to chase down this great-looking heritage unit. Much to our luck, we made it just in time to catch the Reading going through Eaton on its journey north to Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Reading's newly-restored paint scheme looked great in the evening sun and it was in much better shape than the last time I saw it over five years ago.
This was my first time visiting the town of Eaton, Ohio, and in all honesty, this is an underrated spot to see trains on the Norfolk Southern mainline between Cincinnati and Fort Wayne. Eaton features a preserved train station and a caboose right next to the active train track, and over 20 trains per day pass through the town. Many of these trains are some of the most important on the Norfolk Southern system between the Midwest and the deep south, such as 196 between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Fort Wayne. Perhaps the best aspect of Eaton is the clear sightline to view the trains from the station area, and I had a terrific angle on the Reading Heritage Unit. If I am ever in the direction of Muncie or looking for someplace different to visit, Eaton is definitely worth a stop.
Thanks for watching, and I hope you enjoy the video!
-N&W475.