Cincinnati, Van Wert and Michigan Railroad

Cincinnati Northern Railroad

Company type	Railroad
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1894
Defunct	1938
Fate	Consolidated into Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (Big Four)
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Ohio, Michigan

The Cincinnati Northern Railroad was a railroad extending roughly from Franklin, Ohio (close to Cincinnati) northward to Jackson, Michigan. It was purchased by the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway in 1901 and subsequently became part of the New York Central Railroad. Today, much of its original track has been discontinued.

History

Plans initiated in the 1850s to establish a rail connection from Cincinnati heading north to Van Wert were interrupted by the economic downturn known as the Panic of 1857. Rail construction recommenced in the 1870s when the Van Wert, Paulding and Michigan Railway was formed in 1874 to construct a short spur linking to the Toledo, Wabash and Western Railway at Cecil. This was followed by the creation of the Paulding and Cecil Railway in 1879, which began operations in 1880.

Incorporated in 1878, the Celina, Van Wert and State Line Extension of the Columbus and North–Western Railway developed a narrow gauge route from Celina northward to the state boundary near Williams County. This line connected with the growing network of the Toledo, Delphos and Burlington Railroad (TD&B) and opened between 1879 and 1880, enhancing local rail access.

The Cincinnati, Van Wert and Michigan Railroad (CVW&M) was established in 1881 to finalize this narrow gauge corridor. It leased and eventually absorbed both the Celina, Van Wert and State Line and Van Wert, Paulding and Michigan railways, converting their tracks to standard gauge while extending service from Scott north to Paulding and southward to West Manchester. In 1886, CVW&M merged with Michigan’s Jackson and Ohio Railroad forming the Cincinnati, Jackson and Mackinaw Railroad (CJ&M), which also acquired additional lines such as the Paulding and Cecil Railway by 1887. The CJ&M completed a continuous rail line stretching from Addison, Michigan down to Carlisle, Ohio, securing rights to operate into Cincinnati through partnerships with other railroad companies.

Further expansion included CJ&M’s acquisition of a route between Allegan and Dundee, Michigan in 1887; however, this segment was sold under foreclosure in 1897 after extending northward to Jackson. Despite these expansions, financial difficulties plagued CJ&M leading to its reorganization as the Cincinnati and Michigan Railroad in 1892. It then merged with the Michigan and Mackinaw Railroad to become the Cincinnati, Jackson and Michigan Railway. Efforts to merge with the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad (CH&D) were thwarted due to regulations aimed at preventing monopolies.

Key strategic developments involved forming the Dayton and Cincinnati Terminal Railroad in 1894 with plans for a rail link between Cincinnati and Dayton that included constructing a tunnel beneath Walnut Hills. The company strengthened its infrastructure by acquiring an unfinished tunnel franchise through foreclosure in 1896. Renamed as Cincinnati Northern Railroad later that year, this terminal company purchased CJ&M at foreclosure in 1897. The Big Four obtained ownership of Cincinnati Northern in 1901, subsequently selling unused tunnel properties and land intended for a Cincinnati terminal to a Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary.

Officially consolidated into Big Four on June 30, 1938, most of the Cincinnati Northern’s former routes have been abandoned since. Remaining sections are currently operated by various short line railroads including Germantown Rail Siding (Carlisle-Germantown), R.J. Corman Railroad/Western Ohio Lines (Greenville-Ansonia), Chicago, Ft. Wayne and Eastern Railroad (Van Wert), Norfolk Southern Railway (Jackson and Bryan), and Pioneer Railcorp (Cecil).

References

• The Cincinnati Northern Model Railroad Club, Inc. CNMRRC.org