Community Information
IORY Railroad Crossing Emergency Number: (800) 979-4958
Safety Around Trains
The safety of our passengers, our employees, and our community is the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad's highest priority.
For your safety, the general public is never permitted to use railroad right-of-way as a walking path. The general public is never permitted on or inside rolling stock without authorization and supervision from a qualified Cincinnati Scenic Railway representative. Railroad tracks should only be crossed at designated public grade crossings. Trains can come from any direction at any time. CSR is a 24/7/365 operation that regularly operates trains not posted on our public excursion schedule.
Rolling stock and railroad right-of-way are pieces of heavy industrial machinery. They are not a public space. Trespassers risk inadvertently releasing hand brakes (parking brakes) or otherwise damaging critical safety and operational systems. Trespassers create unnecessary risks for CSR personnel, CSR passengers, and the public at large.
Cincinnati Scenic Railway reserves the right to prosecute unauthorized individuals trespassing on railroad tracks, rolling stock, or other equipment.
Ohio Revised Code regarding trespassing on railroad property:
2909.10 Railroad vandalism - criminal trespass - interference with operation of train.
(A) No person shall knowingly, and by any means, drop or throw any object at, onto, or in the path of, any railroad rail, railroad track, locomotive, engine, railroad car, or other vehicle of a railroad company while such vehicle is on a railroad track.
(B) No person, without privilege to do so, shall climb upon or into any locomotive, engine, railroad car, or other vehicle of a railroad company when it is on a railroad track.
(C) No person, without privilege to do so, shall disrupt, delay, or prevent the operation of any train or other vehicle of a railroad company while such vehicle is on a railroad track.
(D) No person, without privilege to do so, shall knowingly enter or remain on the land or premises of a railroad company.
(E) Whoever violates division (A) of this section is guilty of railroad vandalism. Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of criminal trespass on a locomotive, engine, railroad car, or other railroad vehicle. Whoever violates division (C) of this section is guilty of interference with the operation of a train.
Except as otherwise provided in this division, railroad vandalism; criminal trespass on a locomotive, engine, railroad car, or other railroad vehicle; and interference with the operation of a train each is a misdemeanor of the first degree. Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the violation of division (A), (B), or (C) of this section causes serious physical harm to property or creates a substantial risk of physical harm to any person, the violation is a felony of the fourth degree. Except as otherwise provided in this division, if the violation of division (A), (B), or (C) of this section causes physical harm to any person, the violation is a felony of the third degree. If the violation of division (A), (B), or (C) of this section causes serious physical harm to any person, the violation is a felony of the second degree.
(F) Whoever violates division (D) of this section is guilty of criminal trespass on the land or premises of a railroad company, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
Effective Date: 04-09-2003.
Photography
Cincinnati Scenic Railway does not allow photography on or inside its property without authorization and supervision from a CSR representative. This includes prohibiting the climbing on and boarding of rolling stock stored in the Lebanon Station area (example: climbing into the vestibule of a passenger car).
Photographers are always welcome to take photos standing beside the train without issue or authorization.
CSR leases or owns the Minst Building, Brant's Hardware's former feed store, the red stationary caboose, the platform area restroom building, the vintage taxi stand/gas station, all railroad rolling stock, all railroad track, and portions of surrounding land.
Photographers will be asked to leave CSR property if they are interfering with CSR operations or demonstrating generally unsafe practices (example: taking photos in the middle of the road).
CSR is not responsible for injury or death that occurs when tresspassing on CSR property.
CSR negatively views and strongly condemns professional photographers that invite clients onto CSR or other railroad property without authorization.
Cincinnati Scenic Railway reserves the right to prosecute unauthorized individuals, including photographers and their clients, trespassing on railroad tracks, rolling stock, or other railroad equipment. CSR will seek restitution for property damaged or defaced by photographers.
Photographers looking to obtain authorization and access may contact the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad ticket office. CSR management reserves the right to refuse any photography authorization and access request.
Train Safety Presentations
Cincinnati Scenic Railway works to make its managers, employees, and volunteers available for railroad safety presentations in the community. CSR offers short railroad safety presentations to area community groups, schools, and other interested organizations free of charge. At the organizer's request, local railroad history presentations are also available.
Economic Impact
In a 2014 study commissioned by the City of Lebanon and prepared by the Stone Consulting Group, the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad had an estimated $2,460,700 economic impact in the community and supported 86 jobs.
The railroad organizations involved in the operation of the train directly employ over 50 people. This includes 4-5 full time staff members.
Stone Consulting's Randall Gustafson, the lead author of the Lebanon rail study, said the following, "I think you got a good thing going here. Other communities would love to have what you have and they hire me. This railroad will be used as an example in several other places I go into on how things are both done right and in how things can be improved."
Crossing Blockages - Mechanic Street
Cincinnati Scenic Railway actively works to mitigate or eliminate train operations that block crossings for extended periods of time. Because Mechanic Street bisects our station track and boarding platform, the street is closed to through traffic when the crossing is occupied by the train. Except for Mechanic Street or any other street in the event of an emergency situation, CSR/CRC will not occupy a crossing for more than 15 minutes. CSR/CRC comply with PUCO guidelines and regulations regarding crossing blockages.
Noise
Our locomotives are required to comply with strict regulations concerning the minimum and maximum decibel range for train horns. Regulations dictate that the horn must be blown at all grade crossings not flag protected by an employee stopping traffic on the ground. To reduce noise pollution in Downtown Lebanon, we flag protect the Broadway and Mechanic Street crossings.
Additionally, locomotives must be idled during below freezing temperatures. CSR closely monitors water temperature in the locomotives to minimize locomotive idling. CSR is exploring grant options to install shore power within the next 2-3 years that will eliminate the need to idle locomotives in the winter overnight.
About Lebanon's Railroad
Since 2015 Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad has been operated by the independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization Cincinnati Scenic Railway (CSR). CSR and it's contractors are responsible for the safe, successful, and financially independent operation of the Lebanon based excursion passenger train. CSR contracts with the Cincinnati Railway Company (CRC) for professional operating crews, exclusively qualified to operate on railroad lines controlled by the Indiana & Ohio Railway Company. Questions regarding the passenger service should be directed to us at the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad.
The rail line between Lebanon and Hageman Junction is owned by the City of Lebanon and operated as a part of the Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY). Track inspections, freight rail operations, and dispatching are handled by IORY personnel under their agreement with the City of Lebanon. Questions regarding freight rail service and rail line operation should be directed to the Indiana & Ohio Railway. This includes emergencies at grade crossings.
The City of Lebanon maintains the rail line using third-party contractors. CSR pays fees to the City of Lebanon to operate over the publicly-owned rail line. Questions regarding rail line maintenance bids should be directed to the City of Lebanon.
CSR owns or leases all rolling stock on the line. Rolling stock is privately maintained as private property. Questions regarding rolling stock stored on the line can be answered by us at the Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad.