From the former location of Dayton Union Station, and Second Street (MP 60.0), where the former PRR line to Columbus heads away east-southeast (but only for a couple of miles), the current Dayton Line continues east-northeast on former Big Four track, the former B&O Toledo line heads away north, double track, current-of-traffic (Rule D-251), Yard Limits, maximum speed 50 mph, but local speed restriction 30 mph, past a bridge over the Mad River, the start of single track, CTC, still Yard Limits, at North Dayton (MP 62.4), where an erstwhile line from Chillicothe once trailed in from the southeast and full line speeds prevail, a bridge over the Great Miami River, the 8,350 ft. east side siding (once a yard) at Needmore (MP 63.4), a grade crossing at Webster Street the Great Miami River alongside to the east, and Johnsons.
There are 8,100 ft. and 7,200 ft. sidings, operated as a 15,300 ft. siding with crossovers in the middle at "Middle Vandalia", adjacent to the Taylorsville Metropark, at Vandalia (MP 67.9), with a bridge over I-70, MP 68, and the I-40 bridge overhead, all within the siding, where the line was relocated to the west when the Taylorville Dams were constructed, and an industrial track heads west, a detector at MP 70.3, the end of Yard Limits at MP 70.7, a turn to just west of due north, a 25 mph speed restriction through Tipp City, from MP 73.3 to MP 75.4, the 5,050 ft. east side siding at Tipp City (MP 74.0), the start of Yard Limits at MP 77.5, a 25 mph speed restriction through Troy, from MP 78.8 to MP 80.3, the 5,950 ft. east side siding at Troy (MP 79.2), a flat crossing with the Troy Industrial Track (once part of an erstwhile Big Four line), a turn north-northeast, and a bridge over the Great Miami River.
The line turns back to just west of due north, on the east side of the river, past the end of Yard Limits at MP 81.5, the start of Yard Limits at MP 85, a 40 mph speed restriction for trains over 14,000 tons, from MP 87.2 to MP 88.2, the 5,900 ft. and 5,800 ft. east side sidings at Piqua (MP 87.3), where there was once a flat crossing with an erstwhile PRR line and the line turns north-northeast, the end of Yard Limits at MP 88, Kirkwood (MP 92.5), where the line turns northeast along the east side of the Great Miami River, a detector at MP 94.8, a bridge over the Great Miami River, a turn to the north, a bridge carrying the former Conrail (Big Four) Indianapolis Line overhead, the start of Two Main Tracks, CTC, at Sidney Junction (MP 96.5), Sidney (MP97.8), and Swanders.
Single track, CTC, resumes at SW Cabin (MP 102.6), past Anna, the 3,650 ft. west side siding at Botkins (MP 110.5), a 30 mph speed restriction through Wapakoneta, from MP 117 to MP 117.9, the 7,050 ft. west side siding at Wapakoneta (MP 117.7), where the line turns north-northeast and there was once a flat crossing with the former Toledo & Ohio Central, a detector at MP 118.1, a 25 mph speed restriction through Cridersville, from MP 123.6 to MP 124.4, the 3,550 ft. east side and 3,800 ft. west side, overlapping, sidings at Cridersville (MP 124.0), a 45 mph speed restriction from MP 126.3 to MP 128.8, the start of yard limits at MP 126.5, a spur from Adgate trailing in from the west, a 25 mph speed restriction from MP 128.8 to MP 131.5.
The Lima Locomotive Works was once located on the west side of the line just south of the start of double track, current-of-traffic (Rule D-251) at Erie Junction (MP 129.2), where there is a 10,500 ft. west side siding and a flat crossing with the former Conrail (former Erie), the former Lake Erie & Western (now NS) coming alongside to the west, and joining at South Lima where it once crossed on the flat, and the flat crossing with the former Conrail (former PRR) Fort Wayne Line at NS Tower (MP 130.7), a turn to just east of due north, past MO Tower, where the NS (former LE&W) heads away northeast, and the yard at Lima (MP 131.7), where the erstwhile Lima & Defiance Railroad once headed northwest.
Single track, CTC, resumes at North Lima (MP 133.7), past the end of Yard Limits at MP 133.8, the former acute-angled flat crossing, now just the line trailing in on the east side, with the former Detroit, Toledo & Ironton at DT&I Junction (MP 134.5), whence that line once ran alongside to the west, the 7,081 west side and 6,916 ft. east side, overlapping, sidings at Cairo (MP 136.6), a detector at MP 140.3, a 35 mph speed restriction through Columbus Grove, from MP 142.4 to MP 142.9, the 6,972 ft. west side siding at CG Tower (MP 142.5)where the erstwhile Akron, Canton & Youngstown once crossed on the flat, Columbus Grove (MP 143.0), a 35 mph speed restriction through Ottawa, from MP 149.1 to MP 150.6, the 6,970 ft. west side and 7,441 ft. east side, overlapping, sidings at Ottawa (MP 149.9), where a short segment of the former DT&I runs a little distance away on the east side before rejoining the CSX line, a turn north-northeast, Klemen (MP 151.5), and the junction where the former DT&I turns away north (i.e., on the west side) at XN Tower (MP 155.2).
There is a 35 mph speed restriction through Leipsic, from MP 155.9 to MP 156.5, the 12,350 ft. east side siding and flat crossing with the NS (former Nickel Plate) main line at Leipsic Junction (MP 156.8), a detector at MP 158.9, Belmore, a location where an erstwhile branch from Findlay once trailed in from the southeast, and the 6,926 ft. east side siding, the flat crossing (35 mph on the crossing) with the double track former B&O Chicago Line, with connectors (10 mph) in the northeast, northwest, southwest and southeast quadrants, and 7,187 ft. west side siding at Deshler (MP 164.8). Mulberry Street crosses the line (MP 164.7) just north of the junction where the southwest and southeast quadrants leave the Dayton line, Crossroads Park is within the southwest quadrant, and Maries Street (MP 164.76) crosses the line north of the park but south of the Chicago line. The depot is just northwest of the flat crossing, with the tower just northeast. There is a pond east of the southeast quadrant connector. There is a street crossing the line within the northwest and northeast quadrant connectors, and most of the town is north of that. Toledo Street makes an angled grade crossing, north of the connectors but south of the south end of the west side siding, with grain silos on the west side of the line, south of Toledo Street.