Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway
Encyclopedia
The Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Company (originally Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway Company) or CD&M was an interurban
electric railroad that operated passenger and freight service in northern Ohio
from 1903 to 1933.
service connecting Columbus
, Delaware
, Marion
, Worthington
, and Bucyrus
, Ohio
.
It also provided local street car
service in Marion and Delaware.
The CD&M provided local and interurban service on 60 miles (96.6 km) of track as The Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Railway Company. It operated service to Bucyrus through the Delaware, Marion and Bucyrus Railroad on an additional 20 miles (32.2 km) of track. At Bucyrus the railway met the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway for connecting service to Cleveland
.
The CD&M also generated electricity for Marion and sold power to the Middle West Utilities System. As a means of increasing off hours riders, the company developed Glenmary Park north of Worthington to attract interurban passengers with playing fields and picnic areas, and provided partial funding for Crystal Lake Amusement Park north of Marion, Ohio.
service north of Columbus, Ohio
. The CD&M Railway purchased the Columbus, Clinton and Worthington Street Railway. At the same time, a rival company, the Columbus, Delaware and Northern Railroad, acquired a right-of-way between Columbus and Marion
. The CD&M Railway bought its rival and the railroad began interurban service in 1903. In October 1904, the CD&M incorporated as a holding company
operating through its subsidiary the Columbus, Delaware, and Marion Electric Railroad.
In 1908, the company built the Columbus, Marion, and Bucyrus Railway to connect Columbus to the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway at Bucyrus
with plans for service to Cleveland
, Sandusky
, and Toledo
.
The Columbus Marion and Bucyrus operated passenger service from Columbus to Bucyrus and nightly through freight service between Columbus and Cleveland.
In 1909, both the CD&M Railway Company and its Bucyrus subsidiary went bankrupt. The Columbus, Marion and Bucyrus emerged from bankruptcy in 1914, and in 1917, the CD&M was reorganized as the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Company.
In 1931, the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway abandoned its rail lines, causing the CD&M to lose revenue from its Cleveland freight service in 1933
The company filed for bankruptcy in March 1933 and abandoned rail passenger service in August 1933. Passenger rail was replaced by bus service.
The CD&M Electric Company was merged with the Reserve Power Company to form Marion-Reserve Power Company in 1937.
The Ohio Railway Museum
in Worthington operates on about one mile of former Columbus, Delaware and Marion right-of-way. The museum's collection includes a preserved CD&M parlor car numbered 501. Until 1969, another 5.2 miles (8.4 km) segment of CD&M track, leading to a power plant, was used in Marion.
Beginning in 2006, the Marion County
Park District was working to establish a trail along the abandoned right of way.
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
electric railroad that operated passenger and freight service in northern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
from 1903 to 1933.
Railroad and service
The Columbus, Delaware and Marion Railway, or CD&M, provided interurbanInterurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
service connecting Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Delaware
Delaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
, Marion
Marion, Ohio
Marion is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Marion County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus....
, Worthington
Worthington, Ohio
-Dissolution of the Company:By August 11, 1804 the plat maps were completed, payments or notes promising payments collected and deeds prepared for all sixteen thousand acres of the Scioto Company's purchase...
, and Bucyrus
Bucyrus, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,224 people, 5,559 households, and 3,552 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,812.0 people per square mile . There were 5,955 housing units at an average density of 816.0 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
It also provided local street car
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
service in Marion and Delaware.
The CD&M provided local and interurban service on 60 miles (96.6 km) of track as The Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Railway Company. It operated service to Bucyrus through the Delaware, Marion and Bucyrus Railroad on an additional 20 miles (32.2 km) of track. At Bucyrus the railway met the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway for connecting service to Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
The CD&M also generated electricity for Marion and sold power to the Middle West Utilities System. As a means of increasing off hours riders, the company developed Glenmary Park north of Worthington to attract interurban passengers with playing fields and picnic areas, and provided partial funding for Crystal Lake Amusement Park north of Marion, Ohio.
History
The Columbus, Delaware, and Marion Railway was formed in 1901 to establish interurbanInterurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
service north of Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The CD&M Railway purchased the Columbus, Clinton and Worthington Street Railway. At the same time, a rival company, the Columbus, Delaware and Northern Railroad, acquired a right-of-way between Columbus and Marion
Marion, Ohio
Marion is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Marion County. The municipality is located in north-central Ohio, approximately north of Columbus....
. The CD&M Railway bought its rival and the railroad began interurban service in 1903. In October 1904, the CD&M incorporated as a holding company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
operating through its subsidiary the Columbus, Delaware, and Marion Electric Railroad.
In 1908, the company built the Columbus, Marion, and Bucyrus Railway to connect Columbus to the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway at Bucyrus
Bucyrus, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,224 people, 5,559 households, and 3,552 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,812.0 people per square mile . There were 5,955 housing units at an average density of 816.0 per square mile...
with plans for service to Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Sandusky
Sandusky, Ohio
Sandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
, and Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
.
The Columbus Marion and Bucyrus operated passenger service from Columbus to Bucyrus and nightly through freight service between Columbus and Cleveland.
In 1909, both the CD&M Railway Company and its Bucyrus subsidiary went bankrupt. The Columbus, Marion and Bucyrus emerged from bankruptcy in 1914, and in 1917, the CD&M was reorganized as the Columbus, Delaware and Marion Electric Company.
Decline and abandonment
The Columbus, Marion and Bucyrus Railway lost money during the late 1920s. The railway went bankrupt in 1930 and was absorbed into Columbus, Delaware, and Marion in 1931.In 1931, the Cleveland, Southwestern and Columbus Railway abandoned its rail lines, causing the CD&M to lose revenue from its Cleveland freight service in 1933
The company filed for bankruptcy in March 1933 and abandoned rail passenger service in August 1933. Passenger rail was replaced by bus service.
The CD&M Electric Company was merged with the Reserve Power Company to form Marion-Reserve Power Company in 1937.
The Ohio Railway Museum
Ohio Railway Museum
The Ohio Railway Museum is a railway museum located in Worthington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.-History:Established in 1945 and incorporated August 22, 1950, it is the fourth oldest organization involved with the preservation of railroad equipment and railroad history in North America that...
in Worthington operates on about one mile of former Columbus, Delaware and Marion right-of-way. The museum's collection includes a preserved CD&M parlor car numbered 501. Until 1969, another 5.2 miles (8.4 km) segment of CD&M track, leading to a power plant, was used in Marion.
Beginning in 2006, the Marion County
Marion County, Ohio
Marion County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 66,501. Its county seat is the city of Marion and is named for General Francis "The Swamp Fox" Marion, an officer in the Revolutionary War....
Park District was working to establish a trail along the abandoned right of way.
External links
- CD&M Route Map at Google Maps.
- Columbus, Delaware and Marion photos at davesrailpix.com
- Columbus Railroads: Interurban Railroads at columbusrailroads.com