Pittsburg and Steubenville Railroad

Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad
Company type	Railroad
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1848
Fate	Integrated into Pennsylvania Railroad network
Headquarters	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Area served	Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
Products	Rail transport services

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Pittsburg and Steubenville Railroad, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 24 July 2025

The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, commonly called the Pan Handle Route (later shortened to Panhandle Route), was integrated into the Pennsylvania Railroad network. Its principal line extended from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, passing through West Virginia's Northern Panhandle to Bradford, Ohio, where it divided—one branch heading north toward Chicago, the other south via Indianapolis reaching East St. Louis.

Pittsburgh to Columbus (1848–1869)

In 1848, the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad received its charter in Ohio with plans to construct a westward line from Steubenville to the Indiana border through Mount Vernon, including a branch line to Columbus. Construction commenced in late 1851 along multiple points of the proposed route simultaneously.

The inaugural section, stretching from Steubenville to Unionport, became operational in December 1853. Subsequent expansions reached various Ohio communities such as Cadiz Junction and Newark by April 1855; however, initially, no rail connections existed at Newark linking to other lines.

By December 1854, an arrangement was established with the Central Ohio Railroad permitting use of its tracks between Newark and Columbus; this segment opened in April 1857 with financial support from the Columbus and Xenia Railroad, facilitating continuous service to Cincinnati. By 1864, the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad had acquired a 50% stake in the Newark–Columbus section.

Meanwhile, Pennsylvania chartered the Pittsburgh and Steubenville Railroad in 1849 to build westward from near Pittsburgh toward the Steubenville and Indiana line at what was then Virginia’s border (now West Virginia). The Pennsylvania Railroad formed the Western Transportation Company in 1856 to oversee construction and operation of this stretch.

To circumvent resistance from Wheeling officials, right-of-way across the Virginia Panhandle was privately obtained in 1853. The Edgington and Wells Railroad briefly operated in 1854 but ceased operations due to its isolation from connecting routes.

The Holliday's Cove Rail Road was chartered in 1860 with the primary objective of constructing the Steubenville Railroad Bridge over the Ohio River near Weirton.

The complete Pittsburgh & Steubenville line opened on October 9, 1865, running from Pittsburgh to Wheeling Junction on the eastern side of the Steubenville Bridge. This bridge provided a link to the Steubenville and Indiana line across the river. Simultaneously, a connection linked this route with the Pennsylvania Railroad through Pittsburgh’s Monongahela River Bridge (also known as Panhandle Bridge) and Grant's Hill Tunnel.

Between its inauguration and 1868, operations were conducted by Western Transportation Company under the name Pittsburgh, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad.

Following foreclosure proceedings in November 1867, ownership shifted to Panhandle Railway, which merged with both Steubenville and Indiana Railroad and Holliday's Cove Rail Road on April 30, 1868. This consolidation formed the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway; shortly thereafter, Western Transportation Company was dissolved.

Columbus to Indianapolis (1847–1867)

The Terre Haute & Richmond Railroad was chartered in 1847 with plans to traverse Indiana via Indianapolis. On May 25, 1850, investors east of Indianapolis established the Terre Haute & Richmond Railroad (East of Indianapolis), which was renamed Indiana Central Railway on January 20, 1851. Ohio legislation authorized a merger between Dayton and Western Railroad and Indiana Central for joint operations. By October 1853, the track connecting Indianapolis to Ohio’s border was completed, linking with Dayton and Western. Joint service between Indianapolis and Dayton, Ohio commenced on August 1, 1854. In 1859, track gauge was altered from standard gauge to broader Ohio gauge (4ft10in) to facilitate direct interchange with the Little Miami Railroad and Columbus and Xenia Railroad at Dayton.

Chartered on February 23, 1849, the Columbus, Piqua & Indiana Railroad (CP&I) aimed to construct a westbound route from Columbus through Urbana, Ohio, Piqua, Ohio, and Greenville, Ohio into Indiana. In 1851, its alignment shifted northward to connect with the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Railroad at Union City, Indiana, improving access toward Indianapolis. The line extended to Plain City by June 1853; Urbana by September 1854; and reached Piqua in October 1854—the same year it converted its gauge to Ohio gauge for compatibility with adjoining lines. After overcoming financial difficulties, CP&I completed its full route to Union City on March 25, 1859. Following foreclosure in August 1863, it reorganized as the Columbus and Indianapolis Railroad by October.

The Richmond and Covington Railroad was chartered in March 1862 by Indiana Central Railway alongside CP&I to build a branch from Bradford extending westward to Indiana’s border near New Paris. Opening early in 1863 led to termination of Indiana Central’s joint contract with Dayton and Western. On January 10, 1864, Indiana Central joined with Columbus and Indianapolis (C&I) and Richmond and Covington in a joint operational agreement called the Great Central Line, running between Columbus and Indianapolis under Indiana Central’s management. C&I acquired Richmond and Covington in September of that year. Finally, on October 19, Indiana Central Railway merged into Columbus and Indianapolis Railroad forming the Columbus and Indianapolis Central Railway, operating a main corridor from Columbus to Indianapolis plus a branch from Bradford to Union City.

Richmond to Chicago (1848–1865)

In 1848, the New Castle and Richmond Railroad was established in Indiana with the purpose of constructing a rail line from New Castle eastward to Richmond, later extending northwest toward Lafayette. By 1853, the company was renamed the Cincinnati, Logansport and Chicago Railway to represent its broader ambitions. The segment between New Castle and Richmond commenced operations in December 1853. This route was operated in partnership with the Richmond and Miami Railroad and the Eaton and Hamilton Railroad, providing a southwest connection to Hamilton, Ohio, which linked further to Cincinnati through the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad by 1854.

Two railroads incorporated in 1853—the Cincinnati, Cambridge and Chicago Short Line Railway and the Cincinnati, New Castle and Michigan Railroad—combined in 1854 to create the Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad. This new entity absorbed the Cincinnati, Logansport and Chicago Railway within the same year. The complete Richmond to Logansport line opened in 1857 but faced foreclosure in 1860, after which it reorganized as the Cincinnati and Chicago Air-Line Railroad. Some grading work extending toward the Ohio border was later sold off to local rail companies.

The Chicago and Cincinnati Railroad, chartered in 1857, constructed a line from Logansport northwest to Valparaiso, which opened in 1861. This provided a connection to Chicago via the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railway. In 1861, the Air-Line completed a bridge over the Wabash River at Logansport, enabling linkage with the Chicago and Cincinnati line. Collaborative operations between Richmond and Chicago ran continuously from 1862 until 1865.

Realignments towards Chicago and mergers (1857–1869)

The Galena and Illinois River Railroad was chartered in 1857 with intentions to connect Galena through Chicago toward Indiana. In 1863, this charter was taken over by the Chicago and Great Eastern Railway, which inaugurated a route from Chicago southeast to La Crosse, Indiana, by 1865. At that time, it discontinued the older northwest track from La Crosse to Valparaiso. That same year, it absorbed both the Cincinnati and Chicago Air-Line Railroad and the Chicago and Cincinnati Railroad, consolidating significant regional lines.

The Marion and Mississinewa Valley Railroad began construction from Union City northwestward to Marion in 1852; its successor companies merged into the Union and Logansport Railroad by 1863. This entity acquired incomplete lines to further extend its network.

The Logansport and Pacific Railroad underwent several reorganizations before becoming the Toledo, Logansport and Burlington Railroad, reaching near Effner at the Illinois state boundary by 1859. Its extension became part of a transcontinental corridor that bypassed Chicago and later evolved into the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway.

In 1867, three railroads—the Columbus and Indianapolis Central Railway, Union and Logansport Railroad, and Toledo, Logansport and Burlington Railway—merged to form the Columbus and Indiana Central Railway. This consolidated company opened a principal route stretching from Union City to Marion.

The Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway (CC&IC) was created in 1868 through the merger of the Columbus and Indiana Central Railway with the Chicago and Great Eastern Railway. This merger established main lines linking Columbus with Chicago and Indianapolis while incorporating branches toward Richmond and Effner. Toward the end of 1868, Erie Railway expressed interest in leasing CC&IC but was ultimately outbid by the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway, which secured a lease agreement in February 1869.

Expansion (1869–1890)

On December 1, 1869 (effective retroactively from February 23, 1870), the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway entered into a lease agreement for the Little Miami Railroad, which included the Columbus and Xenia Railroad, Dayton and Western Railroad, Dayton, Xenia and Belpre Railroad, as well as the Richmond and Miami Railway branch extending to Richmond, Indiana. This lease arrangement provided the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) with a strategic route into Cincinnati.

By 1870, the completion of the St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute Railroad along with the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Rail Road extended PRR’s network to reach East St. Louis through PC&StL via Indianapolis.

Following the insolvency of the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway in 1883, consolidation led to the creation of the Chicago, St. Louis and Pittsburgh Railroad. This entity operated under PC&StL’s control until April 1883 before merging in 1884. On September 30, 1890, it combined with PC&StL, Cincinnati and Richmond Railroad, and Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad to establish the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway (PCC&StL), thereby broadening PRR’s market footprint in the region.

20th century

In 1891, PCC&StL acquired ownership interests in the Little Miami Railroad. On January 1, 1917, PCC&StL consolidated with the Vandalia Railroad, Pittsburgh, Wheeling and Kentucky Railroad, Anderson Belt Railway, and Chicago, Indiana and Eastern Railway to form the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad.

The PRR leased PCC&StL starting January 1, 1921, which enhanced corporate synergy and operational cohesion. Eventually, on April 2, 1956, PCC&StL was fully integrated into PRR’s Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad, streamlining PRR’s organizational framework.

Current use

Portions of this historic rail corridor have been adapted for modern transportation purposes. The easternmost segment from Pittsburgh Union Station through the Panhandle Tunnel to Station Square now serves as part of the Pittsburgh Light Rail system. From Station Square to the Sheraden neighborhood, it functions as Norfolk Southern's Mon Line. The section between Sheraden and Carnegie has been transformed into a dedicated bus corridor known as the West Busway.

Rail infrastructure remains intact from Carnegie to Walkers Mill under the ownership of Pittsburgh and Ohio Central Railroad; however, this segment has been out of service since 2015 with proposals underway to convert it into the Panhandle Trail. The track between Walkers Mill and Weirton was dismantled by Conrail in 1996 and repurposed as a recreational trail for cycling and walking. Active rail lines persist from Weirton to Columbus: Weirton to Mingo Junction accommodates multiple rail operations while Mingo Junction to Columbus is managed by the Columbus and Ohio River Railroad. Additionally, a section within Piqua, Ohio has been developed into a linear park.

The stretch between Logansport and Chicago is no longer in use; however, segments have been redeveloped into recreational trails such as Chicago's South Side Major Taylor Trail and the Pennsy Greenway connecting Lansing, Illinois to Schererville, Indiana—exemplifying adaptive reuse consistent with shifting transportation infrastructure needs.

Branches

External links