Linker's Curve

In 1905, the Toledo, Port Clinton and Lakeside decided to locate its railway along the north side ofwhat is now state highway 105 from Elmore to Oak Harbor, Ohio. It had little trouble acquiring the needed right-of-way from farmers along the road, except in the case of William Linker.

William Linker's house was situated across the street from his barn. When the TPC&L asked him for permission to cross his property, he agreed to let it do so–except that the railway was not to run its track between his house and barn. That meant that the TPC&L had to install a curve to ease its line around the barn.

The resulting curve–called Linker's Curve–can be seen in the picture above. Looking west, the highway is just out of the picture on the left. The TPC&L's path is marked by the path of the power lines.

Car 23, proceeding westbound to Toledo, was scheduled to meet box motor 41 at Elmore siding. But the box motor's operator disregarded his train orders and tried to reach Wendt siding a little farther east. He badly miscalculated, and the result was a horrible collision at Linker's Curve.

The box motor's operator was killed in the wreck and his conductor received serious arm injuires. Fortunately, none of the passengers in 23 (at right) were killed. Both pieces of equipment were repaired and returned to service.

This accident is covered in the book The Toledo, Port Clinton and Lakeside Railway, written by George W. Hilton, and republished by Montevallo Historical Press.