Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation, Electric power |
| Predecessor | Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway Company |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Defunct | 1933 |
| Fate | Filed for bankruptcy and ceased passenger rail services; transitioned to bus transportation; merged with Reserve Power Company in 1937 to form Marion-Reserve Power Company |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio , United States |
Area served | Northern Ohio (Columbus, Delaware, Marion, Worthington, Bucyrus) |
| Products | Interurban passenger and freight transportation, electric power production and supply |
The Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Company—initially known as the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway Company and commonly abbreviated as CD&M—was an interurban electric railway that operated passenger and freight transportation services across northern Ohio from 1903 until 1933.
Railroad and service
The CD&M provided connections among the Ohio cities of Columbus, Delaware, Marion, Worthington, and Bucyrus, offering both interurban transit and local streetcar operations within Marion and Delaware.
Originally functioning as the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Railway Company, the line utilized of track and extended its reach to Bucyrus through the Delaware, Marion and Bucyrus Railroad, adding another of track. At Bucyrus, passengers could transfer to the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway for travel onward to Cleveland.
In addition to its transportation role, CD&M also produced electrical power for the city of Marion and supplied electricity to the Middle West Utilities System. To enhance ridership during non-peak hours, the company developed recreational areas such as Glenmary Park near Worthington and contributed funding toward Crystal Lake Amusement Park close to Marion.
History
Established in 1901 with the goal of creating interurban service north of Columbus, CD&M acquired the Columbus, Clinton and Worthington Street Railway. It further expanded by purchasing its competitor, the Columbus, Delaware and Northern Railroad, thereby securing the route between Columbus and Marion. Interurban operations commenced in 1903. By October 1904, CD&M reorganized into a holding company structure overseeing operations through its subsidiary, the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Railroad.
In 1908, CD&M developed the Columbus, Marion and Bucyrus Railway to link Columbus with Bucyrus, with ambitions to further extend service toward Cleveland, Sandusky, and Toledo. This subsidiary managed passenger transport between Columbus and Bucyrus as well as overnight freight shipments between Columbus and Cleveland.
Both CD&M and its Bucyrus subsidiary faced bankruptcy in 1909. The Columbus, Marion and Bucyrus Railway emerged from financial distress in 1914; by 1917, CD&M had reorganized under the name Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Company.
Decline and abandonment
During the late 1920s, the Columbus, Marion and Bucyrus Railway experienced financial difficulties culminating in bankruptcy in 1930. It was subsequently merged back into CD&M in 1931. That same year saw the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway discontinue its operations, which resulted in CD&M losing its freight business to Cleveland by 1933. CD&M filed for bankruptcy protection in March 1933 and halted passenger rail services by August of that year, transitioning instead to bus transportation.
In 1937, a merger between CD&M Electric Company and Reserve Power Company created the Marion-Reserve Power Company.
Today, approximately one mile of former CD&M track is preserved by the Ohio Railway Museum in Worthington, which also maintains a CD&M parlor car (#501). A segment of track measuring 5.2 miles that served a power plant in Marion remained operational until 1969.
Beginning in 2006, efforts by the Marion County Park District initiated development of a recreational trail along the defunct CD&M right-of-way.
External links
- CD&M Route Map at Google Maps
- Columbus, Delaware and Marion photos at davesrailpix.com
- Columbus Railroads: Interurban Railroads at columbusrailroads.com