Toledo, St. Louis and Kansas City Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Toledo, St. Louis and Kansas City Railroad |
| Founded | June 1886 |
| Defunct | December 28, 1922 |
| Fate | Purchased by New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad |
| Successor | New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad |
| Headquarters | Toledo , United States |
Area served | Northwestern Ohio, north central Indiana, south central Illinois |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad (abbreviated as TStL&W), commonly referred to as the Clover Leaf, served regions in northwestern Ohio, north central Indiana, and south central Illinois during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
History
The TStL&W traces its roots back to the Toledo, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railroad, which was created in February 1881 through the merger of multiple narrow gauge railroads linking Toledo, Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio, and St. Louis, Missouri. Due to financial challenges, the Cincinnati portion was eliminated, leading to a reorganization in June 1886 under the name Toledo, St. Louis and Kansas City Railroad. Over subsequent years, its tracks were converted to standard gauge ().
Its component lines included:
- Toledo, Dupont and Western Railway (Ohio)
- Bluffton, Kokomo and Southwestern Railroad (Indiana)
- Toledo, Charleston and St. Louis Railroad (Illinois)
In 1900, the company underwent another reorganization becoming the Toledo, St. Louis and Western Railroad. At that time, it operated roughly 451 miles of track extending from Toledo to East St. Louis. On December 28, 1922, the Clover Leaf was purchased by the larger New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad (nicknamed the "Nickel Plate"), which eventually merged into Norfolk Southern.