Pennsylvania, Ohio and Detroit Railroad
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway; Cleveland, Akron and Cincinnati Railway; Manufacturers Railway; Pennsylvania-Detroit Railroad; Toledo, Columbus and Ohio River Railroad; Ohio River and Western Railway (segment) |
| Founded | January 1, 1926 |
| Defunct | May 31, 1956 |
| Fate | Merged into Connecting Railway |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Ohio, Michigan |
| Parent | Pennsylvania Railroad |
The Pennsylvania, Ohio and Detroit Railroad was a rail company functioning in Ohio and Michigan between 1926 and 1956. Established to simplify the corporate framework of the Pennsylvania Railroad, it merged multiple subsidiaries into one organization that was leased back to the PRR. In 1956, the PO&D was integrated into the Connecting Railway to enhance operational consolidation.
History
The PO&D was created on January 1, 1926, by combining the following railroads:
- Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway, connecting Cincinnati and Dayton; under PRR lease since 1921
- Cleveland, Akron and Cincinnati Railway, linking Cleveland with Columbus and Cincinnati; leased by PRR affiliates since 1912
- Manufacturers Railway, based in Toledo; previously not leased to PRR
- Pennsylvania-Detroit Railroad, running from Toledo to Detroit; leased by PRR since 1923
- Toledo, Columbus and Ohio River Railroad, covering routes from Toledo to Marietta and Sandusky to Columbus; leased by PRR affiliates since 1900
On December 7, 1928, the PO&D took ownership of a segment of the Ohio River and Western Railway stretching from Zanesville to Lawton, which had been operated by PRR since 1924. The merger into the Connecting Railway on May 31, 1956, represented the ultimate phase in streamlining PRR's subsidiary operations for greater efficiency.