Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (1990)

Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway

Company type	Private
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1880
Founder	Jay Gould (initial operations)
Headquarters	Brewster, Ohio , United States
Area served	Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland
Products	Freight rail transport (stone, agricultural products, chemicals, forest products, steel products, petroleum derivatives, paper)
Parent	Wheeling Acquisition Corporation (since 1990)

The Initial Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (1880–1949)

The Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (1916–1988) commenced standard gauge operations in 1880 under the direction of investor Jay Gould. Its primary route linked Wheeling, Zanesville, and Cleveland, predominantly transporting freight such as coal, iron ore, and assorted goods. Passenger services were discontinued by 1940. Since 1914, Brewster, Ohio, has functioned as the company’s headquarters. Growth included extending lines from Huron to Massillon, Ohio, with docks established at Huron on Lake Erie in 1884 to facilitate iron ore shipments.

A related narrow gauge line of three-foot width, the Connotton Valley Railway, was constructed extending northward from Canton to Cleveland and southward toward Coshocton and Zanesville. This line was converted to standard gauge in 1888 and subsequently became known as the Cleveland, Canton & Southern Railroad before its 1899 incorporation into WLE as the Cleveland Division. At its height, WLE’s operations spanned from the Pittsburgh area to Lake Erie points at Huron and Toledo, although its main routes remained within Ohio. The network intersected at Harmon near Brewster—home to corporate offices and locomotive maintenance facilities—earning the moniker "The Iron Cross."

While the mainline never directly reached Wheeling, a branch line constructed in 1891 from Steubenville to Martins Ferry provided an indirect connection via the Wheeling Bridge and Terminal Company subsidiary. Beginning in 1910, WLE’s Brewster shops began producing locomotives, manufacturing fifty steam engines and establishing themselves as one of the nation’s leading locomotive builders. Despite facing early financial difficulties, the company ultimately secured steady growth and increased market presence.

Transition Through Nickel Plate Road, Norfolk and Western, and Norfolk Southern (1949–1990)

In 1949, the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad—commonly called the Nickel Plate Road (NKP)—leased the W&LE system, operating it under the name "Wheeling and Lake Erie District." NKP merged with the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) in 1964, incorporating W&LE into N&W’s network. Later, following the merger of N&W with Southern Railway forming Norfolk Southern, W&LE remained largely intact until full integration into Norfolk Southern by 1988, which ended its independent subsidiary status.

Formation and Expansion

In 1990, Norfolk Southern divested significant rail lines across Ohio and Pennsylvania—including much of the original W&LE network along with the Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad—and also leased the Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad. A consortium of private investors created the Wheeling Acquisition Corporation to purchase these assets, officially rebranding them as the "Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway" on May 1, 1990.

By 1994, W&LE further grew through acquisition of the former Akron and Barberton Belt Railroad along with portions of Conrail’s “Cluster” railroads surrounding Akron, Ohio. These properties were consolidated into the Akron Barberton Cluster Railway, which operates as a subsidiary of W&LE. This transaction included locomotives and rolling stock previously owned by Norfolk Southern, enhancing W&LE’s operational capabilities.

Trackage Rights

From its beginning, W&LE obtained trackage rights on Norfolk Southern lines to access limestone quarries near Bellevue, Ohio, along with rights over CSX Transportation from Connellsville, Pennsylvania to Hagerstown, Maryland. These privileges originate from the 1950s Alphabet Route, in which W&LE participated. Additional trackage rights include the corridor from Wellington to Berea on CSX and the segment from Berea to Cleveland Flats on Norfolk Southern.

The firm once possessed the Huron Branch—an original W&LE track connecting Norwalk and Huron docks—but it was never utilized beyond Norwalk city limits and was subsequently dismantled. Until 2019, W&LE accessed Huron Docks under trackage rights on Norfolk Southern’s former Nickel Plate Road mainline; however, operations ceased after those rights expired.

W&LE also holds trackage rights reaching Lima, Ohio. Initially, the company operated over CSX lines between Carey and Upper Sandusky en route to Lima. Presently, W&LE uses trackage rights from New London to Crestline via CSX and then proceeds westward along RailAmerica's Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad (CF&E) toward Lima. These arrangements were established following Conrail’s network division.

W&LE Routes

Branch lines extend southward to Benwood, West Virginia and eastward toward Connellsville, Pennsylvania, where connections are made with the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad at Owensdale, Pennsylvania. W&LE owns a total of 575 miles of track and possesses trackage rights over an additional 265 miles, summing to 840 miles (1350 km).

Brewster Subdivision

Covering 40 miles across Medina, Wayne, and Stark Counties in northeastern Ohio, the Brewster Subdivision experiences the greatest traffic among W&LE routes. Its western endpoint is Spencer, Ohio—a critical junction where the Akron, Brewster, Carey, and Hartland Subdivisions intersect—establishing Spencer as a pivotal operational center for the company.

During the Norfolk & Western era in the 1970s, sidings equipped with remotely controlled switches were spaced roughly every 10 miles; these were removed after W&LE regained control of the line. Presently, train movements are coordinated through track warrants issued by headquarters located in Brewster.

In 2010, operational improvements included installing a 6,900-foot siding at Creston between Brewster and Spencer. This addition allows trains to pass without complex switching on lighter-weight tracks. The siding is outfitted with radio-controlled (DTMF) switches and indicator signals that enhance traffic management and reduce delays.

Eastward from Creston, the line traverses rural landscapes and small communities such as Smithville, Orrville, Dalton, and Kidron before arriving at Brewster. The Brewster Yardmaster manages train operations using DTMF-controlled switches at "Shorbs" (the western yard entrance) and "Baymere" (the eastern yard entrance). The subdivision features a diamond crossing with RJ Corman at "Justus" and connects to the Cleveland Subdivision at "Harmon" switch before terminating at Junction 138—the starting point of the Rook Subdivision.

W&LE Operations over Parallel Routes

W&LE has discontinued or substituted some of its original W&LE and AC&Y tracks by utilizing trackage rights on adjacent parallel routes. For instance, on the Carey Subdivision between Greenwich and New London, Ohio, W&LE operates over CSX tracks to link its eastern and western sections, thereby removing two level crossings. Likewise, on the Rook Subdivision between Bowerston and Jewett, Ohio, W&LE runs on Ohio Central Railroad tracks, which eliminates approximately 12 miles of duplicate routing.

Segments of Original W&LE Track Managed by Other Railroads

Certain stretches originally belonging to W&LE are now under the operation of different railroads. Westward of Bellevue, Ohio, W&LE did not reacquire the Norfolk Southern (NS) Toledo District line. After W&LE commenced operations, NS dismantled the at-grade crossing that connected W&LE’s Hartland District to the NS Toledo District. However, W&LE retains trackage rights on this route for interchange purposes with Canadian National Railway, rights obtained following the 1999 division of Conrail. Furthermore, the former Cleveland Division south of Harmon was sold by NS to Ohio Central Railroad in 1988.

Locomotive Inventory

The Wheeling and Lake Erie roster mainly consists of second-generation Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) locomotives, many of which have been rebuilt to extend their operational life as of June 2025.

Model	Number	Year Built	Status	Notes
EMD GP35-3	100-112, 200	1964-1965	One unit (#110) currently undergoing rebuild; others remain active.	Originally units from Southern, Norfolk and Western, and Central of Georgia; upgraded with EMD Dash 3 technology. Unit #200 features an Ohio Bicentennial paint scheme.
EMD GP40-3	300-303, 701, 4005	1965-1971	All units operational.	Initially New York Central, Penn Central, Rio Grande, and Rock Island locomotives; rebuilt with Dash 3 systems. Unit #701 has been equipped with Positive Train Control since 2020.
EMD GP9R	4602	1957	Active service.	Formerly Central Vermont and Grand Trunk Western locomotive rebuilt into GP9R in 1989; acquired by W&LE in 2003.
EMD SD40-3	3016, 3034, 3046, 3048, 3049, 3067, 3068, 3073, 3102, 4000, 4001, 4003, 4016, 4018, 4025	1966-1971	Several units stored; remainder in use.	Originally from Union Pacific, Grand Trunk Western, and Missouri Pacific; all rebuilt with Dash 3 upgrades.
EMD SD40T-2	5411-5413	1978-1980	All units active.	Unit #5411 built for Southern Pacific; #5412 and #5413 still carry Denver & Rio Grande Western markings.
EMD SD40-2	1776, 6348, 6350, 6353, 6354, 6383, 6386, 6967, 6981-6997, 7001-7026	1966-1986	Some units stored; others operational.	Various heritage units rebuilt by W&LE and collaborators. Unit #1776 displays a red-white-blue livery celebrating the U.S. Semiquincentennial; #7023 honors W&LE’s 30th anniversary.
EMD SW1500	1501-1502	1966-1967	Both units active on Akron Barberton Cluster Railway.	Previously owned by Illinois Terminal Railroad.

Freight Operations

Wheeling and Lake Erie primarily hauls commodities such as stone, agricultural products, chemicals, forest goods, steel products, petroleum derivatives, and paper materials. The railroad manages approximately 140,000 carloads annually. The Brewster Subdivision specializes in transporting stone along with liquefied petroleum gas tank cars and lumber among other freight types. Meanwhile, the Carey Subdivision predominantly handles stone shipments to and from the National Lime and Stone Company Quarry located in Carey—the westernmost point along this line.

External links

• Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway