Butler County Railroads
Compiled by Jim Blount
Reincorporations, bankruptcies, receiverships, failures, leases, mergers and name changes complicate tracing the history of railroads in Butler County. Following are the original names of railroads that have served the county. They are listed in chronological order:
1. Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad opened in 1851. Butler County's first railroad was at least five to six years in the making. The ceremonial opening was Sept. 18, 1851. From south to north, CH&D Butler County stops or stations included Muhlhauser, Jones Station, Fairsmith, Schenck, Lindenwald, Hamilton, North Hamilton, Old River Jct., New River Jct., Middletown Jct., Overpeck, Busenbark, Trenton, Middletown and Poasttown.
Robert M. Shoemaker, an experienced railroad builder, was hired in 1849 to construct the railroad. He had been chief engineer of the Mad River & Lake and the Little Miami railroads since 1838.
Prominent Hamilton and Middletown men were joined by business and civic leaders from Hamilton County (Cincinnati) and Montgomery County (Dayton). Butler Countians among the original backers were William Bebb, Lewis D. Campbell, John W. Erwin, E. R. Ruder, Charles K. Smith, Aaron L. Schenck, Francis J. Titus, Abner Enoch, Dr. Andrew Campbell, Samuel Dick, George W. Wren, Solomon Banker, John W. Millikin, Alex P. Miller, O. S. Campbell, Samuel Snively, William Hunter, Sigsimund Wurmser, O. S. Caldwell, Taylor Webster, James McBride and John Woods.
Among those playing key roles in the formative years were Engineer Shoemaker; Bebb, Ohio governor, 1846-49; Woods, state auditor, 1845-51; and Stephen S. L'Hommedieu, an influential Cincinnati banker and publisher.
The CH&D eventually connected north to Toledo and Detroit after the Dayton & Michigan was leased to the CH&D in 1863.
In 1865, the CH&D allied with the Atlantic & Great Western (later the Erie Railroad), providing access to New York and other eastern points, and the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, linking Cincinnati and St. Louis through Indiana and Illinois.
In 1869 the CH&D acquired the Cincinnati, Richmond & Chicago (formerly the Eaton & Hamilton), with connections to Richmond, Indianapolis and Chicago.
In 1872, the CH&D took over operation of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis (originally the Junction Railroad), extending west from Hamilton to Oxford and Indianapolis.
In 1886, the CH&D sold the Hamilton-Richmond route (the former Eaton & Hamilton) to the Cincinnati & Richmond, part of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
In 1891 the CH&D gained control of the Cincinnati, Dayton & Ironton and the Cincinnati, Dayton & Chicago.
July 12, 1895, the Cincinnati & Dayton Railway Co., formerly the Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton, became part of the CH&D. The LC&D ran between Hamilton and Middletown and never reached the cities in its name.
In 1902 the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis (under CH&D control) combined with the Indiana, Decatur & Western (a line extending west to Springfield, Ill.) and was renamed the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western.
Starting in 1904, the CH&D was involved in a series of complicated financial maneuvers. In 1904 the CH&D acquired most of the stock of the Pere Marquette Railroad, and controlled the Pere Marquette until 1907. In 1905, the Erie briefly acquired the CH&D.
In July 1909 the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad agreed to purchase the CH&D in about seven years. The B&O purchased the CH&D at auction June 7, 1917, and the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton became part of the Baltimore & Ohio. Punsters had suggested that the CH&D abbreviation stood for "Cold, Hungry & Dirty."
Dec. 31, 1962, the Interstate Commerce Commission approved the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad acquiring stock control of the B&O. The combined railroads became the Chessie System in 1963 and, after a merger with other roads, became CSX Corp. Nov. 1, 1980.
The Baltimore & Ohio name was dropped April 30, 1987, as the B&O was merger into the C&O. The C&O markings began disappearing Sept. 2, 1987, when the C&O was merged into CSX Transportation.
Effective June 1, 1999, Conrail property and rolling stock was split between CSX and Norfolk Southern.
2. Eaton & Hamilton Railroad Co. -- also known in its formative stages as the Hamilton & Eaton and the Cincinnati, Hamilton, Eaton & Richmond -- was chartered in Ohio Feb. 8, 1847.
In May 1852 the E&H operated 13 miles between Hamilton and Somerville. In May 1853 it connected to the Richmond & Miami, which had built east from Richmond, Ind. Dec. 1, 1854, the E&H and the Richmond & Miami merged under the Hamilton & Eaton name. In 1866 the railroad reorganized as the Cincinnati, Richmond & Chicago RR.
Feb. 16, 1869, the CR&C was leased by the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad. From south to north it had Butler County stops or stations at Hamilton, New River (New Miami), Seven Mile, Collinsville and Somerville.
In 1886 the Cincinnati & Richmond Railway Co. purchased the Hamilton-to-Richmond line from the CH&D. Feb. 18, 1888, the Cincinnati & Richmond -- a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad -- completed a new line between Cincinnati and Hamilton. From south to north, Butler County lines included Crescentville, Rialto, Port Union, Flockton, Mosler and Hamilton.
June 1, 1968, the Pennsylvania and the New York Central merged to form the Penn Central Transportation Co.
April 1, 1976, operation of six bankrupt railroads. including the Penn Central, was assumed by Conrail, the Consolidated Rail Corp., formed by Congress.
Also April 1, 1976, the Norfolk & Western Railway purchased 98 miles of track between Cincinnati and New Castle, Ind., from Penn Central, including the original route of the Eaton & Hamilton.
In December 1980 N&W and the Southern Railway announced plans to consolidate in June 1982 as the Norfolk Southern Corp.
3. Junction Railroad also was known at various times as the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis and the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western.
From east to west in Butler County, the Junction had stops or stations at Hamilton, Edgewood, Belt Jct., Midway, Hanover, McGonigle, Woods, Ogleton, Oxford, McDonald and College Corner. Indiana points included liberty, Connersville, Rushville and Indianapolis. Later it extended west to Dana, Ind., and Tuscola, Decatur and Springfield in Illinois.
The Junction Railroad was incorporated Feb. 18, 1848, in Ohio, and March 8, 1849, in Indiana. Construction started in September 1853 on the 19.5-mile mainline between Hamilton, Oxford and College Corner at the Ohio-Indiana line.
An engineering challenge was bridging the Great Miami River and climbing the steep Rossville hill (between present South C and South D streets). In 1853 John S. Earhart designed a high bridge about 700 feet in length and a 665-foot, 17-arch viaduct, known as the Arches.
June 4, 1859, the railroad opened between Hamilton and Oxford. It was completed to Connersville in 1866 and reached Indianapolis in 1869.
The Junction was sold to the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad and renamed the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis (CH&I).
Aug. 1, 1902, the CH&I combined with the Indiana, Decatur & Western (extending to Springfield, Ill.) under a new name, the Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western (CI&W).
In 1917, with its parent company (the CH&D, the CI&W was purchased by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. It later became part of the Chessie System and CSX.
4. Four Mile Valley Railroad was planned in the early 1850s to connect Hamilton with Oxford and points west. It was projected as paralleling Four Mile Creek from Hamilton northwest through Darrtown to Oxford, a longer but easier route to build than that of the Junction Railroad. In February 1853 the Cincinnati & Fort Wayne Railroad was chartered in Indiana. It planned to build between Fort Wayne and Richmond. Both companies had the same officers and planned to operate as one system, but organized as two to comply with existing Ohio laws.
The Four Mile spent about $120,000 in grading the route between Hamilton and Darrtown, but no rails were laid.
5. Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern, the first railroad to enter Middletown, had a series of official and unofficial names. To emphasize it was a shorter route between Cincinnati and Dayton than the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton, the CD&E was promoted as the Bee Line, the Straight Line, the Short Line and the Dayton & Cincinnati Shortline. In its early years, it also was known as the Cincinnati & Springfield Railway and the Columbus, Springfield & Cincinnati Railroad. From south to north, Butler County stops and stations were Gano, West Chester, Maud, Hughes, Kyles, Monroe and Middletown.
Dec. 6, 1866, Middletown leaders passed enabling legislation that permitted the Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern (CD&E) to enter the city. Short Line freight service to and from Middletown started in June 1872. Passenger service began July 4, 1872. That same day was the effective date of the Short Line lease to the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway (CCC&I). The lease had been drafted and approved in 1871.
From 1882 to 1968, the Short Line was part of the New York Central System under several corporate names.
In June 1889 the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway (CCC&St.L) was incorporated in Ohio. Later that month, several companies -- the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway, the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis & Chicago Railway and the Indianapolis & St. Louis Railway -- were combined with the CCC& St. L, but commonly known as "The Big Four."
The New York Central Railroad Co. was incorporated Jan. 1, 1915, as a consolidation of several lines.
June 1, 1968, the New York Central System and the Pennsylvania Railroad merged as Penn Central, which filed for bankruptcy two years later. Conrail, a railroad created by Congress to take over bankrupt companies, assumed control of Penn Central April 1, 1976.
In 1998 the U. S. Surface Transportation Board approved the division of Conrail among the Norfolk & Southern and CSX. The division was effective June 1, 1999, and the Norfolk Southern acquired the Short Line route through eastern Butler County.
6. Middletown & Cincinnati Railroad Company was organized by Middletown business leaders to provide the city with a third rail outlet and competitive shipping rates. Paul J. Sorg spearheaded the campaign that led to incorporation of the Middletown & Cincinnati Railway Co. March 7, 1890, with Sorg as its president. It was renamed the Middletown & Cincinnati Railroad Co. in 1894.
Theodore C. Simpson, a Sorg business associate, directed building the railroad in 1892. The 11.6-mile line extended southeast from Middletown to a connection with the Cincinnati, Lebanon & Northern at Hageman Corner, north of Mason and southwest of Lebanon in Warren County. At Hageman, the CL&N provided a southern connection to Cincinnati.
Dayton could be reached by the CL&N's connection with the Dayton, Lebanon & Cincinnati. The M&C continued southeast beyond Hageman to Middletown Jct. (between Kings Mills and South Lebanon), where it connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad's Cincinnati-Columbus mainline, originally the Little Miami Railroad.
The Pennsylvania Railroad acquired full control of the Middletown & Cincinnati June 1, 1902.
The M&C became part of the Penn Central June 1, 1968, and passed to Conrail Aug. 1, 1976. Later, the M&C was acquired by the Indiana & Ohio Railway.
Cincinnati, Lebanon & Northern Railroad Co. incorporated July 14, 1885, to operate from Cincinnati north through Mason and Lebanon to Waynesville. About 1.2 miles of its track was in Butler County. It passed through the southeast corner of West Chester Township (formerly Union Twp.).
The 36.2-mile CL&N provided an outlet for the Middletown & Cincinnati Railroad Company at Hageman Junction.
The CL&N and the Dayton, Lebanon & Cincinnati combined formed a 54.2-mile link between Cincinnati and Dayton.
7. Hamilton Belt Railway Co. was Butler County's shortest railroad, 2.9 miles. The industrial line was incorporated April 30, 1896, to "operate within the commercial limits of Hamilton."
It looped from a connection with the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis (originally the Junction Railroad) near Millville and Edgewood avenues to North B Street near Gordon Avenue and then along North B Street and the Great Miami River to near Wayne Avenue.
Its purpose was the serve industries along its route with the Champion paper mill its prime customer. In November 1898 Champion shipped its first boxcar of paper from the B Street mill.
Later it was known as the Hamilton Belt Line Railroad, whose board of directors included officers of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton and Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis railroads and Hamilton businessmen, Peter G. Thomson of Champion; Robert N. Shotts, a lawyer; Conrad M. Semler of the Semler Milling Co.; and John A. Weigel of the Stengel Manufacturing Co.
The original Belt Line ended at the Semler mill at 234 North B Street. Now the track ends at Smart Papers, formerly Champion's Hamilton Mill.
Jan. 1, 1926, the Interstate Commerce Commission authorized the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to take over operations of the Belt Line.
Oct. 1, 1998, the Great Miami & Western Railway assumed switching operations at Champion, receiving and feeding cars to CSX via the Belt Line.
8. Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad never reached any of the cities in its name. Its tracks ran between Middletown and Hamilton.
Stations or stops on a 1887 timetable, from south to north, were Hamilton, Fairgrounds, Sheleys, Woodsdale, Rockdale, LeSourdsville, Excello, Amanda and Middletown, a total of 13.9 miles.
The LC&D -- built parallel to the Miami-Erie Canal between Hamilton and Middletown -- also was known as the "Long, Crooked & Dirty," the "Grape Vine" and the "Pumpkin Vine" for its curving route, and later the "Thermos Bottle Line."
Mystery surrounds the start of the LC&D and the people and companies involved. There were several incorporations in 1886 and 1887 related to the railroad, including the Middletown & State Line Railway, the Middletown & Southwestern and the Cincinnati & Southern Ohio River Railway. The proposed 147.5-mile route was from Middletown south to Hamilton, then southwest through the Indiana cities of Aurora and Madison to Jeffersonville, across the Ohio River from Louisville, Ky.
Construction started between Hamilton and Middletown in the summer of 1886 and the first train operated April 1, 1887.
Two days before the first run, March 30, 1887, the Cincinnati & Dayton Railway Co. incorporated. Feb. 3, 1888, the LC&D was sold to the Cincinnati & Dayton. July 12, 1895, the Hamilton-Middletown line became part of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad. The former LC&D continued to operate after the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad acquired the CH&D.
Oct. 1, 1927, the B&O and the Hamilton Coke & Iron Co. agreed to operate hot metal trains from blast furnaces in New Miami to open hearth furnaces at the American Rolling Mill Co. (later Armco and AK Steel) plant in Middletown. Track laying between New Miami and Woodsdale Jct. started Oct. 10, 1928. At Woodsdale Jct. the new line connected to the former LC&D and used that right-of-way into Middletown.
The hot line opened June 25, 1928.
Although owned by the B&O, the 11.3-mile line was commonly known as the Armco Hot Line. It carried specially built "thermos bottle cars" that contained white-hot molten iron until 1991.
Dec. 14, 1934, the B&O-owned Toledo & Cincinnati Railroad asked government permission to abandon the LC&D tracks between a point west of the Butler County Fairgrounds and Woodsdale Jct. Between 1940 and 1975, tracks were removed between Hamilton and Woodsdale Jct.
The LC&D's southern terminus was its connection to the Pennsylvania Railroad south of High Street at 10th Street in Hamilton.
9. Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad -- with tracks through western Butler County -- conducted business under several names. In the planning stages, 1900-03, it was the Cincinnati, Richmond & Muncie Railroad (CR&M) and the Chicago & Cincinnati Railroad (C&C). The CR&M abbreviation suggested a nickname, "Crooked, Rough and Muddy."
June 1, 1903, the same day track laying began in Butler County, it was part of a consolidation named the Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad (CC&L).
From Cincinnati to Chicago, it served Richmond, Muncie, Peru, Merrillville and Hammond in Indiana. There were three stops or stations in Butler County -- Shandon, Okeana and Newkirk -- between Fernald in Hamilton County and Peoria, Ind.
Feb. 7, 1904, service began through Butler County. Service over the 284.5 miles between Cincinnati and Chicago started April 7, 1907.
June 23, 1910, after more than two years in receivership, the CC&L was sold to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. of Indiana, effective July 2, 1910. The line was transferred Oct. 1, 1934, from the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. of Indiana to its parent company, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad.
In July 1978 the former CC&L route between Cheviot (west of Cincinnati) and Fernald (near the southern Butler County line) was abandoned.
Other Butler County Railroad Names & Nicknames
Armco Hot Line. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. See Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, Junction Railroad, Hamilton Belt Railway Co. and Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
Bee Line. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern.
Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad and Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Co. of Indiana. See Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad and Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad
Chessie System. See Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Chicago & Cincinnati Railroad. See Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad.
Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad and the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern Railroad.
Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern Railroad.
"Cold, Hungry and Dirty" Railroad. See Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Columbus, Springfield & Cincinnati Railroad. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern.
Conrail. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern Railroad; Eaton & Hamilton Railroad; and Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
"Crooked, Rough and Dirty" Railroad. See Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad.
CSX. See Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad; Junction Railroad; and Hamilton Belt Railway.
Cincinnati & Fort Wayne Railroad. See Four Mile Valley Railroad.
Cincinnati, Hamilton, Eaton & Richmond Railroad. See Eaton & Hamilton Railroad.
Cincinnati, Hamilton & Indianapolis Railroad. See Junction Railroad and Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western Railroad. See Junction Railroad and Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Cincinnati, Lebanon & Northern Railroad. See Middletown & Cincinnati Railroad.
Cincinnati, Richmond & Chicago Railroad. See Eaton & Hamilton Railroad.
Cincinnati, Richmond & Muncie Railroad. See Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad.
Cincinnati & Richmond Railroad. See Eaton & Hamilton Railroad and Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad..
Cincinnati & Southern Ohio River Railway. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
Cincinnati & Springfield Railroad. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eaton Railroad.
Dayton & Cincinnati Shortline Railroad. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern Railroad
Dayton, Lebanon & Cincinnati Railroad. See Middletown & Cincinnati Railroad Co.
Dayton & Michigan Railroad. See Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Grape Vine Railroad. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad and See Armco.
Great Miami & Western Railway. See Hamilton Belt Railway Company.
Hot Line Railroad. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
"Long, Crooked & Dirty" Railroad. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
Middletown & Cincinnati Railway Co. See Middletown & Cincinnati Railroad Co.
Middletown & Southwestern Railroad. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
New York Central Railroad. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern Railroad.
Ohio & Indiana Railway. See Middletown & Cincinnati Railroad Company.
Penn Central Railroad. See Eaton & Hamilton Railroad and Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern Railroad.
Pennsylvania Railroad. See Eaton & Hamilton Railroad; Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern Railroad; and Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Pere Marquette Railroad. See Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.
Pumpkin Vine Line. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
Richmond & Miami Railroad. See Eaton & Hamilton Railroad.
Short Line. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern.
Straight Line. See Cincinnati, Dayton & Eastern.
Thermos Bottle Line. See Louisville, Cincinnati & Dayton Railroad.
Related Railroad Business: American Frog & Switch
American Frog & Switch Co., 1028 Main Street, Hamilton, prospered for nearly 50 years during a boom in American railroading and two world wars.
Its products were standard steel frogs and switches, track supplies and other railroad specialties. (In railroading, a frog is a device placed at the intersection of two tracks. It permits a train to cross a perpendicular track.)
The one-story, 40,000 square foot plant was on the northwest side of Main Street between Lawn Avenue and the Belt Line Railroad at Haldimand and Cereal avenues, Its property, which originally extended 1,000 feet along Main Street, ran northeast to Park Avenue. The original factory measured 100 by 300 feet, and was served by a spur from the Belt Line Railroad.
AF&S was organized May 31, 1901, by Hamilton and Cincinnati businessmen. It was incorporated in June 1901.
Local owners sold the business in 1934 to Taylor-Wharton Iron & Steel Co., High Bridge, N. J.
The "shop accomplished vital war production during World War II," a newspaper reported. "Besides work for trackage at domestic war plants, required specialties were rushed to foreign countries for use of allies in running of new rail lines and repair of damaged ones."
When the war ended in 1945, American railroads went into decline and with them the markets served by AF&S.
Between 1945 and 1949, some of the property fronting on Park Avenue was sold and houses built on the land, reducing the company's holding to only seven acres.
In April 1949, officials announced the factory would close May 6, 1949, production would be moved elsewhere, costing 42 jobs, and the property would be sold.
Within a few months, the shop was demolished and the land occupied by a strip shopping center, bank and other businesses.