Reporting mark ND&W Dates of operation 2012– Headquarters Defiance, Ohio | Locale Ohio, Indiana Length 53 miles (85 km) Founded 1997 | |
Track gauge 4 ft 8 ⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
Napoleon defiance western railroad world s worst maintained railroad 2013
Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railroad (Formerly Maumee & Western reporting - MAW) is a railroad in the United States operating between Woodburn, Indiana and Liberty Center, Ohio. The railroad originally extended to Toledo; portions have been converted to a rail trail.
There is currently railcar storage in Napoleon, Ohio. The line is used Monday through Saturday between Defiance and Napoleon, upon request in Woodburn, and between Woodburn to Defiance where the railroads' main yard is. The track, which runs over the swamp ground for much of its length, is in an extremely poor state of repair, having had no maintenance for over fifty years.
The railroad was purchased by Pioneer Railcorp on December 28, 2012, and they have announced the intention to repair and extend it. Pioneer described the line as "in dire need of rehabilitation". Pioneer commenced with extensive rehabilitation in January 2013, replacing decayed cross ties and broken rail.
There are two interchanges:
Pioneer also operates trackage in Cecil, Ohio that leads to Lafarge North America (Paulding Plant).
The railroad was part of the bankrupt Indiana Hi-Rail Corporation. It was originally a main line as part of the Wabash Railroad 5th District from New Haven, Indiana to Toledo, Ohio. The line between Defiance, Ohio and Woodburn, Indiana was acquired with funding from the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC).