Cincinnati Streetcars, Interurbans, and Railroads

Site Navigation Main Entrance About This Site Map Streetcars Interurban Railways Railroads Other Links Acknowledgements

Site Notes 5/3/08 Many photo galleries have been updated, some of which now include historical photos. I have also added a few links, including one to http://www.cincystreetcar.com a site which supports bringing streetcars back to Cincinnati. Similar to plans presented in the past, they propose a downtown and Over-the-Rhine loop running on Walnut and Main Streets from the Reds stadium to Central Parkway. In Over-the-Rhine, it would run along Elm and Race Streets to McMicken. Extensions to UC and the nearby hospitals, as well as other neighborhoods are planned for the future. There has been no shortage of plans to bring streetcars or light-rail to Cincinnati. Note that streetcars (aka Trolleys) are not quite the same as light rail, but they do have many of the same characteristics. In Cincinnati, the early bus lines replaced streetcar lines almost exactly. In older neighborhoods, many of today's bus stops are at the same location as earlier streetcar stops. Some routes have the same route number and even use old streetcar loops in which to turn around, such as route 69 to Madisonville. Light rail is a bit more like the interurbans in that there are not so many stops, the route is longer, and speeds outside the city center tend to be a bit higher. Light rail systems usually try to get out of the street and on to a private right-of-way where possible. Unlike the interurbans however, they are usually double-track lines that can be quite similar to heavy commuter rail or rapid transit lines where the space is available. Differences and similarities aside, so far no plans have come close to construction. Even if this latest one is built and put in service, one wonders if it will survive. Hopefully, it will start the rejuvenation of Over-the-Rhine its supporters expect, leading to increased ridership and support for extension to other neighborhoods. If that doesn't happen, ridership will likely be too low and the proposed extension to UC and Uptown (which would likely generate a great deal of traffic) may never get built. Such a situation would be unfortunate at the very least. About this Site Background The growth and development of cities throughout the world is profoundly influenced by the available modes of transportation at the time. Until the 19th Century, walking was the only way to get around town. Horses and carriages were generally only used for travelling between cities or by the wealthy. For the vast majority of folks, walking was the only way to get around on a daily basis. Since most people don't want to commute more than about 30 minutes (which is still true today), this limited the size of the walking city to about two miles across. The historical center of most European cities, as well as many east coast cities in the United States were first developed in this walking age. The centers of London, Paris, New York, Boston, and Charleston all grew in this time. It wasn't until the introduction of the railroads that things started to change. At first, railroads didn't affect the size of cities much. They linked the city with the countryside, spurring the growth of many country towns where farmers brought their produce to be shipped to the city by train. Here in Ohio, any town with a population over 5,000 had a railroad connection of some sort. Towns such as Loveland, Montgomery, Springdale, Sharonville, and Newtown started in this way. In the big cities though, the change was increasing industrialization of certain areas of the city where the railroads had their yards and other support facilities. With the exception of some wealthy railroad commuter suburbs like Hartwell and Glendale, most people still had to live within walking distance of work and their everyday needs, as the railroad was too expensive to take on a daily basis. Although the railroads themselves didn't start to change the growth pattern of cities significantly in themselves, some of their spin off technologies did. The development of steel rails and steam engines allowed for the construction of horsecar (essentially a small trailer with seats pulled by a team of horses) and cable car lines, as well as Cincinnati's famous inclines. These allowed more than just the very wealthy, who could afford to take a horse carriage from neighborhoods like Clifton or East Walnut Hills to downtown, to start moving farther away from the increasingly crowded and polluted central city. It wasn't until the development of reliable electric traction motors that the spreading out of cities began in earnest. In the late 1800's, slow and unreliable horsecar lines began converting to electric streetcars. While horsecar lines in some cities reached several miles from downtown, such as Chicago, the hills of Cincinnati meant that they couldn't operate very effectively. Cable cars work great in hilly terrain like Cincinnati and San Francisco, and even Chicago had an extensive system, they were still slow and prone to breakdown. Electric streetcars were much faster (at that time), and more reliable, so except in a few rare cases they replaced all the horsecar and cable car lines. The streetcar systems which developed allowed cities to grow from two miles across to nearly 10 miles. Nearly every neighborhood within the boundaries of the City of Cincinnati, but outside downtown, Over-the-Rhine, West End, and Queensgate, grew during the streetcar era. At the same time, the interurbans took streetcar technology and applied it to longer-distance travel. They linked the city with the country much as the railroads, but they provided much more frequent and less expensive service. Unfortunately, just as quickly as the interurbans sprang up, they quickly disappeared due to competition from private automobiles and paved public highways. By the time of the Great Depression, most were gone. The streetcars hung on for another two decades, but most of them disappeared by the 1950's. Today, all cities in the United States, and more and more around the world, are completely dependent on the automobile, and to a lesser extent the diesel bus. The many neighborhoods and towns that grew up around the streetcars, interurbans, and railroads in most cases no longer have the transportation that they grew around. They have to function in a car-oriented society, and while some have been able to survive, many of these older neighborhoods are failing or at least dysfunctional in some respect. Few people today remember the streetcars, let alone the interurbans. Today's mainline railroads are seen more as an annoyance when a large freight train holds up traffic, and their role as the lifeblood of small towns and big cities is mostly forgotten. I hope by documenting as much of the history of these rail systems as I can, that more people will understand and appreciate the significant impact they had on the growth of not only Cincinnati, but nearly every city in the United States. Other Resources Many large cities around the country have web sites with information about former transit systems. It's not difficult to find maps, photos, detailed history, and commentary on the Chicago L, the New York Subway, or the Pacific Electric in Los Angeles. For smaller cities like Cincinnati, information can be pretty hard to come by. There are many very small systems in cities you wouldn't expect which are almost completely forgotten. The surface lines of Charleston, South Carolina aren't documented at all on the web, and the trolley line which connected Southern Pines with Pinehurst, North Carolina is a complete mystery. Aside from a few short descriptions, photos or maps are virtually nonexistant. This is something I am supplying, at least for Cincinnati. Most of the information on Cincinnati's transit history is in books and journals, which are inaccessible on the internet. Wagner & Wright's Cincinnati Streetcars is a very valuable 10 volume collection that has numerous historical information and photographs. Most of the pictures have been redistributed around the internet. Much of the information, however, is not published on the web. Also, most of these volumes are out of print, and some can be rather difficult to find. The Cincinnati Historical Society Library in Union Terminal has all volumes, but they can't be checked out. Information on the interurbans is spotty. George Hilton and John Due's The Electric Interurban Railways in America is an excellent book about the interurban industry. It has been recently republished, and is readily available. However, aside from what I have quoted in the information section, there isn't much else in that book about the specific interurbans in Cincinnati. Some books have been published on individual interurbans, however. David McNeil has published books on the Cincinnati Georgetown & Portsmouth, Cincinnati & Columbus, the Cincinnati & Lake Erie, and the Cincinnati Milford & Blanchester. Some of them can be rather difficult to find. These are excellent resources, containing maps, pictures, history, news events, and numerous business records (especially for the CG&P). Nothing has been written specifically about the Cincinnati Lawrenceburg & Aurora, the Cincinnati & Hamilton, or the three Interurban Railway & Terminal lines as far as I can determine. There is an excellent book about local railroads. The Railroad and the City by Carl Condit provides very useful information about the history of all Cincinnati's railroads, and how they've affected growth throughout the region. There is also some information on the interurbans. This book is over 25 years old now, so the latest railroad mergers by CSX and Norfolk Southern are not dealt with. It is still an excellent resource. The Map The map on this site is something I put together from many drives around town, maps that I've seen in books, and information from other knowledgeable folks. Let me start by saying that this map does not represent the system as it would have appeared at any one point in time. It's more a map of where there have ever been streetcar lines, as if you took all the maps ever made and overlaid them. The purpose behind this is for people who (like me) are curious about whether there are/were tracks buried under the road they're driving on, or if the trolley poles holding up the traffic lights were actually for streetcars (there's a handful that weren't). This map also shows interurban and mainline railroads. Again, this shows all alignments that I know of, and while I have tried to differentiate between active and abandoned railroads, I cannot be certain that lines aren't abandoned or just infrequently used. Of course, all the interurbans and streetcars are gone. Other transit infrastructure such as tunnels, major viaducts, canals, and major passenger and freight stations have also been added. Most of that information has been gathered from 1912 USGS topographic maps. Therefore, some later changes may have been missed, but the overall pattern is certainly right. While I have tried to make everything as correct as possible, I cannot make any guarantees about accuracy. Pictures While exploring around town looking for information I took pictures of my on-site reconnaissance. There are hundreds of photos from all over the area, most starting around the year 2001. A few pictures depict scenes that have already changed, removing traces of transit history that were once obvious. While most railroad aficionados take pictures of locomotives and other train movements, my focus is on rights-of-way, and other examples of the physical plant. These are the things that most people see, but tend to ignore. What may be the obvious remains of a railroad line one day, can be reduced to a mere memory after road construction or another building project. Someone could be living right on top of a line that was once an immensely important transit route for a community and not even know it. Photographs help bring to life some of the history that surrounds us. I welcome any feedback, corrections, links, pictures, or questions you have, don't hesitate to e-mail me. Map of Cincinnati's Streetcars, Interurbans, and Railroads Click on the map to see a larger version and choose what area you want to zoom in on Streetcars Information Cincinnati Route data from 1925 Photographs Revealed Tracks Routes and Rights of Way End of Line Loops Trolley Poles Substations, Carbarns, and Powerhouses Interurban Railways CL&A - Cincinnati Lawrenceburg & Aurora, Anderson Ferry - Aurora, IN, branch to Harrison Information Photographs C&LE - Cincinnati & Lake Erie, Winton Place - Detroit, MI Information Photographs Cincinnati & Hamilton, Hartwell - Hamilton Information Photographs IR&T - Interurban Railway & Terminal: Rapid Railway, Kennedy Heights - Lebanon Information Photographs IR&T - Interurban Railway & Terminal: Suburban Traction Co., Columbia - Bethel Information Photographs IR&T - Interurban Railway & Terminal: Cincinnati & Eastern Electric Railway, Columbia - New Richmond Information Photographs C&C - Cincinnati & Columbus, Norwood - Hillsboro Information Photographs CM&B - Cincinnati Milford & Blanchester, Madisonville - Blanchester Information Photographs CG&P - Cincinnati Georgetown & Portsmouth, Columbia - Russellville, branches to Batavia and Felicity Information Photographs L&F - Lebanon & Franklin, Lebanon-Franklin Photographs Railroads Cincinnati & Westwood, South Fairmount - Westwood Information Photographs   CCC&St. L - Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis (The Big Four) Now operated by Indiana & Ohio or Norfolk Southern Photographs C&O - Chesapeake & Ohio Now operated by CSX Photographs CH&D - Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Now operated by CSX Photographs CS - Cincinnati Southern Leased by Norfolk Southern B&O - Baltimore & Ohio Now operated by CSX Photographs NYC - New York Central (Successor to the CCC&St. L) Now operated by Indiana & Ohio or Norfolk Southern PRR - Pennsylvania/Little Miami Railroad Now operated by Indiana & Ohio or Norfolk Southern Photographs N&W - Norfolk & Western Now operated by Indiana & Ohio or Norfolk Southern Photographs CL&N - Cincinnati Lebanon & Northern Now operated by Indiana & Ohio Photographs L&N - Louisville & Nashville Now operated by CSX Photographs   Cincinnati Machine complex pictures Other Transit Items Inclines Subway Other Links to Other Transportation Sites (All links from here on open in a new window) Cincinnati/Ohio Transportation Related Sites American Memory: Railroad Maps of Ohio Site with some high-quality scans of old railroad maps from the 19th century. Cincinnati Streetcar "This is a site created by a dedicated group of Cincinnati's young professionals to support the Cincinnati Streetcar." Cincinnati-Transit.net A large and very thorough site "Dedicated to the history of and future plans for the city's transportation infrastructure." Cincinnati Transit List and brief history of Cincinnati's streetcar and interurban lines, and when they were abandoned/converted to trolley buses. Cincinnati Transit Historical Association "The CTHA is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving transit information, photographs, ephemera and memorabilia relating primarily to the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana region." Dave's Electric Railroads Numerous historical photos of streetcars and trolley buses from throughout the country. Cincinnati Street Railway Cincinnati & Lake Erie Ohio Electric Includes CG&P, CM&B, and the C&LE predecessor Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton. Dayton Trolley Transit Small site with history, maps, and pictures of Dayton's trolleybus system. DuckCreek.org "Pre-Interstate Urban Archaeology, Duck Creek Road Cincinnati and Norwood, Ohio." This site has a ton of information and pictures of this road that has been mostly obliterated by I-71. Hobo's Guide to the Pennsy "This page, and those below it, represent a community effort to document the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad, including all of her branches and ancestor lines." Interurban Railways in Ohio List and brief history of Ohio's interurban railroads. Kings Mills Trolley Station A description of Daniel Bingamon's home, which used to be the town's IR&T Rapid Railway station. Light Rail Cincinnati The Alliance for Regional Transit (ART) expects to make the civic case for higher-level transit, including light rail, in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Area. NOAA Historical Map and Chart Project This site has very detailed topographic maps of Cincinnati from 1912. Search for "Cincinnati" as the keyword. The maps are listed by number. See here for a list of which maps show what neighborhoods. PUCO Interactive Railroad Map This huge map by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio picks up where mine leaves off. It shows all the abandoned railroads and interurbans in Ohio. The Railroads of Cincinnati Information and maps of Cincinnati's current railroads. Rails and Trails A neat site with old USGS maps of Cincinnati "devoted to transportation history and the conversion of abandoned roadbeds into rail-trails" A Trip on the Mill Creek A short gallery showing railroad bridges along Casey Walter's kayaking trip down the Mill Creek. Other Transportation Sites Chicago "L".org "The internet's largest resource for information on Chicago's rapid transit system." Forgotten-NY Enormous site about everything from NYC subways and trains to lamp posts and alleys. North Shore Line Very extensive site on the Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee Railroad. Old Railroad Museums Collection of links to railroad museums around the country. The Transit Stations of Arthur Gerber Information and pictures of this architect's designs for North Shore Line stations. This site includes a submission from yours truly. My Other Site Architecture Resume and Portfolio Includes some transit related projects: Mt. Adams Incline from a new Broadway Commons Park Cincinnati Area Transit System (CATS) North Shore Line Ravinia Station rendering North Shore Line Beech Street Station rendering Acknowledgments Many thanks to: Jim Barrie, Daniel Bingamon, David H. Fritze, Jim Hetzer, Tim Hoeflich, J.E. Landrum, Phil Lind, Patrick McDermott, Jake Mecklenborg, Tom Morrow, Bill Myers, Rick Myers, Mike Oestreich, Cliff Scholes, Dick Segerer, Jeff Wood, and anyone else I forgot to mention, for providing helpful information and other contributions to this site. References Cincinnati-Transit.net Cincinnati Transit Condit, Carl W. The Railroad and the City: A Technological and Urbanistic History of Cincinnati. Columbus: Ohio State University Press, 1977. Hilton, George W. and John F. Due, The Electric Interurban Railways in America. Stanford University Press, 1960. History of the Cincinnati Street Railway (Site no longer online) Interurban Railways in Ohio McNeil, David. Cincinnati and Columbus Traction Co.: Hillsboro Short Line, The Swing Line. 1996. McNeil, David. Cincinnati, Milford & Loveland Traction Company: The Kroger Line. 2002. McNeil, David. Life Along the Trolley Line. 1989. McNeil, David. Railroad with Three Gauges: The Cincinnati, Georgetown & Portsmouth Railroad and Felicity & Bethel Railroad. 1986. NOAA Historical Map and Chart Project Ordinance No. 322-1925 Council of the City of Cincinnati PUCO Interactive Railroad Map The Railroads of Cincinnati Rails and Trails Wagner, Richard and Roy Wright. Cincinnati Streetcars. Vols. 1-10.   This web site was made on a Mac with Adobe GoLive The map was made from GIS data with PowerCADD and Adobe Photoshop All images © 2001-2008, Jeffrey Jakucyk unless otherwise noted.