Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, Bellefontaine Railroad |
| Founded | May 16, 1868 |
| Defunct | July 1, 1889 |
| Fate | Merged to form Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway |
| Headquarters | Cleveland , United States |
Key people | Cyrus Ball, Albert S. White |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway (CCC&I) originated in 1868 as a result of the consolidation between the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad (CC&C) and the Bellefontaine Railroad. The Bellefontaine Railroad itself was created through the 1864 union of the Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad and the Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Cleveland Railroad. Prominent individuals involved in its establishment included Cyrus Ball and Albert S. White.
Genealogy
The railroads that preceded the CCC&I include:
- Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway
- Bellefontaine Railroad (1868)
- Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad (1864)
- Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Cleveland Railroad (1864)
- Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad (1855)
- Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad (1868)
- Springfield, Mt. Vernon and Pittsburgh Railroad (1862)
- Bellefontaine Railroad (1868)
History
Formed on May 16, 1868, the CCC&I united the Bellefontaine Railroad with the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad. At inception, it operated a fleet of 83 locomotives—comprising 47 from CC&C and 36 from Bellefontaine—and commenced production of engines at its facilities in Cleveland and Galion, Ohio, while still acquiring locomotives externally.
A major objective was to establish a direct rail link to Cincinnati, a connection not previously secured by its forerunners. By 1871, the CCC&I managed the Cincinnati and Springfield Railroad route connecting Cincinnati to Dayton, Ohio, utilizing 16 locomotives. Additionally, it leased the Cincinnati, Sandusky and Cleveland Railroad between Dayton and Springfield, Ohio, thus creating an uninterrupted line stretching from Cleveland through Columbus to Cincinnati.
On July 23, 1882, the CCC&I expanded by purchasing the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad (I&SL) through a judicial sale; this acquisition included control over the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute railroad leased by I&SL. Despite this purchase, I&SL maintained its separate operational structure.
Subsequently, on July 1, 1889, the CCC&I combined with railroads from Indiana and Illinois to form the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway, commonly referred to as the Big Four Route. At the time of this merger, CCC&I operated 161 locomotives while I&SL had 47. The Big Four eventually became part of the New York Central Railroad system.
See also
Resources
- Steiner, Rowlee. "A Review of Columbus Railroads", 1952, unpublished manuscript of 125 pages accessible at the Ohio Historical Society library located at 1982 Velma Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43211
- Articles with short description
- Companies affiliated with the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway
- Defunct Ohio railroads
- Defunct Indiana railroads
- Transportation in Indianapolis
- Predecessors of the New York Central Railroad
- Railway companies established in 1868
- Railway companies disestablished in 1889
- Rail transportation in Cleveland