Eaton and Hamilton Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Cincinnati, Richmond and Chicago Railroad; Richmond and Miami Railway |
| Founded | 1881-12-22 |
| Fate | Consolidated into Cincinnati and Richmond Railroad in 1890 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Indiana, Ohio |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The Cincinnati and Richmond Railroad operated as a component of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway network.
History
On January 19, 1846, the Richmond and Miami Railroad received its charter in Indiana to construct a route from Richmond heading southeast toward the Ohio border. Subsequently, the Eaton and Hamilton Railroad was chartered on February 8, 1847, in Ohio to extend the line southeast to Eaton and further south to Hamilton. The E&H commenced service on July 1, 1852, operating from the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad north of Hamilton (with trackage rights into Hamilton) reaching Eaton; the remainder of both the E&H and R&M lines opened on May 1, 1853, crossing the state boundary at Neels, Ohio. With the inauguration of the Cincinnati, Logansport and Chicago Railway in December 1853 connecting Richmond northwest to New Castle, Indiana, these three railroads coordinated their operations. On February 1, 1854, the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad joined the collaboration by providing a southern connection to Cincinnati. The Richmond and Miami was absorbed by the Eaton and Hamilton on December 1, 1854. This cooperative operation concluded on December 1, 1856.
The Indiana segment underwent foreclosure sale on January 25, 1862, followed by reorganization on April 30 as the Richmond and Miami Railway. The E&H assumed operation of the R&M starting October 1. A branch line extending eastward from near Richmond, Indiana to New Paris at the Ohio border was launched on May 1, 1863. The Dayton and Western Railroad leased this branch on March 11 and secured trackage rights into Richmond. (The following day saw the Columbus and Xenia Railroad lease the D&W.)
Operations of the R&M by E&H resumed on November 1, 1864 under a lease agreement dated November 26. The E&H was sold on March 17, 1866 and subsequently reorganized as the Cincinnati, Richmond and Chicago Railroad on April 30; it remained under control of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad, which continued managing the R&M. On February 18, 1869, the CH&D fully leased the CR&C. Shortly thereafter, on March 31, 1869, the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad, part of the Erie Railway system, leased both CH&D and CR&C.
The Cincinnati and Richmond Railroad was established on December 22, 1881 to independently construct a southern extension from Hamilton. This segment commenced operations in 1888 running southeast to connect with the Little Miami Railroad at Rendcomb Junction, located east of Cincinnati. On April 1, 1890, the CR&C and R&M consolidated into the C&R.
Today, much of this route is incorporated into the Norfolk Southern Railway’s New Castle District, while its southernmost portion forms part of the Indiana and Ohio Railway’s Oasis Subdivision.