Bryan in Williams County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Rail Speed Record
Photographed By Christopher Light, November 2, 2007
1. Rail Speed Record Marker
Inscription.
Rail Speed Record. . In 1966 the New York Central railroad Company (A.E. Perlman, President) proposed a test of existing rail passenger equipment to determine the feasibility of operating high-speed passenger service between cities up to 300 miles apart. The site chosen for the test was near Bryan, Ohio on the longest multiple track straight railroad line in the world. This sixty-seven mile straight trackage from Toledo, Ohio to Butler, Indiana was originally constructed by the Northern Indiana Railroad Company of Ohio incorporated March 3, 1851. On July 23, 1966 the New York Central Technical research Department ran the Budd RDC-3 passenger car number M-497 fully instrumented for stress analysis, and propelled by two roof-mounted jet aircraft engines. The speed of 183.85 miles per hour was attained, the highest recorded on a railroad in North America at that time and to this day.
In 1966 the New York Central railroad Company (A.E. Perlman, President) proposed a test of existing rail passenger equipment to determine the feasibility of operating high-speed passenger service between cities up to 300 miles apart. The site chosen for the test was near Bryan, Ohio on the longest multiple track straight railroad line in the world. This sixty-seven mile straight trackage from Toledo, Ohio to Butler, Indiana was originally constructed by the Northern Indiana Railroad Company of Ohio incorporated March 3, 1851. On July 23, 1966 the New York Central Technical research Department ran the Budd RDC-3 passenger car number M-497 fully instrumented for stress analysis, and propelled by two roof-mounted jet aircraft engines. The speed of 183.85 miles per hour was attained, the highest recorded on a railroad in North America at that time and to this day.
Erected 2003 by Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The Longaberger Company, New York Central System Historical Society, The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 4-86.)
28.821′ N, 84° 33.162′ W. Marker is in Bryan, Ohio, in Williams County. Marker is on Paige Street near North Lynn Street. From town, take Main Street north and under the railroad bridge. The next left (west side) is West Bement Street. Turn west. The first left is Lynn. Go to the end. The marker is next to the Amtrak Station. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bryan OH 43506, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry. “Even with this spectacular performance (and even though it had been built relatively cheaply, using existing parts), the project was not considered viable commercially. The railroad gathered valuable test data regarding the stresses of high-speed rail travel on conventional equipment and tracks then existing
Photographed By Christopher Light, November 2, 2007
2. Tracks to the east
This view is east across the bridge over Main Street. This was once a level crossing before the bridge was put in place. Then, the town station was easily accessible from town. This is also the direction of Toledo, from which the test train entered town.
in America. The data was largely ignored.” (Submitted on March 4, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.)
Photographed By Christopher Light, November 2, 2007
3. Rail Speed Record Marker
Photographed By Craig Doda, September 15, 2021
4. Rail Speed Record Marker
Photographed By Christopher Light, November 2, 2007
5. The old Bryan railroad station (across the tracks)
Photographed By Christopher Light, November 2, 2007
6. Main line heading west
On the test day, the train would have disappeared into the distance down these rails.
Photographed By Christopher Light, November 2, 2007
7. The Amtrak Station
M.W.H. via Wikipedia Commons
8. New York Central Jet-Powered M-957
Photographed By Craig Doda, September 15, 2021
9. Rail Speed Record Marker
"The old Bryan railroad station (across the tracks)"
Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad Depot
Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 6, 2007, by Christopher Light of Valparaiso, Indiana. This page has been viewed 2,422 times since then and 122 times this year. Last updated on February 22, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. It was the Marker of the Week March 4, 2018. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on November 6, 2007, by Christopher Light of Valparaiso, Indiana. 4. submitted on September 16, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 5, 6, 7. submitted on November 6, 2007, by Christopher Light of Valparaiso, Indiana. 8. submitted on March 4, 2018. 9. submitted on September 16, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.