Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad (M&C) is a defunct railroad of southern Ohio
that was later absorbed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
(B&O).
The M&C was founded as the Belpre and Cincinnati Railroad (B&C) in 1845 to connect to the B&O between Parkersburg, West Virginia
and Belpre, Ohio
because the government of Virginia
would only allow the B&O to build to the Ohio River
at Wheeling, West Virginia
. To continue to the west on the B&O, one had to take a steamboat down river to Parkersburg.
The destination of the B&C was changed to Marietta, Ohio
, with plans for a later connection to Wheeling which never happened, and the name of the railroad changed in 1851. The right-of-way extended from Marietta up river to Bellaire, Ohio
for a connection to the B&O. The M&C reached Cincinnati, Ohio
by 1857, at which time the company was bankrupt. The first through-train from Cincinnati ran on April 9, 1857.
The railroad never went up-river from Marietta. The Pennsylvania Railroad
(PRR) later purchased the right-of-way south of Bellaire. With help from the B&O and the Baltimore City Council, the Union Railroad connected Marietta to Belpre in 1860. It also was later absorbed by the B&O. This section of track is still in operation (2004) with unit coal trains providing most of the traffic. B&O was also eventually able to build to Parkersburg, then created trackage from Belpre to Canaanville, Ohio
to connect with the Marietta & Cincinnati there. This section was known as the B&O Short Line.
By 1876, the "Old Line" from Canaanville to Marietta fell into disuse, since it duplicated the B&O Short Line and was dangerous, steep and difficult to maintain, with many trestles and tunnels, and was eventually sold to the Toledo and Ohio Central Extension Railroad. This section was known for its many accidents. The name was later changed to Marietta, Columbus and Cleveland Railroad (MCC) and operated to about 1917. The east end then operated as the Marietta and Vincent Railroad Company until abandoned in 1924.
The rest of the line from Canaanville westward was acquired and operated for many years by B&O Railroad. The section from eastern Vinton County
to Belpre was abandoned in the 1980s and the right-of-way sold off. Today, the portion from Mineral, Ohio
to the end of the now-operating line south of Zaleski, Ohio
is the Moonville Rail-Trail
.
One of the main driving forces of the M&C was William P. Cutler
. He also was a backer of the Union Railroad and the MCC, among other local railroads. Cutler served as General Manager and as President of the M&C for many years.
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...
that was later absorbed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O).
The M&C was founded as the Belpre and Cincinnati Railroad (B&C) in 1845 to connect to the B&O between Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
and Belpre, Ohio
Belpre, Ohio
Belpre is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. It is part of the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,441 at the 2010 census....
because the government of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
would only allow the B&O to build to the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
at Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. To continue to the west on the B&O, one had to take a steamboat down river to Parkersburg.
The destination of the B&C was changed to Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, with plans for a later connection to Wheeling which never happened, and the name of the railroad changed in 1851. The right-of-way extended from Marietta up river to Bellaire, Ohio
Bellaire, Ohio
Bellaire is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,278 at the 2010 census. The village is located along the Ohio River...
for a connection to the B&O. The M&C reached Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
by 1857, at which time the company was bankrupt. The first through-train from Cincinnati ran on April 9, 1857.
The railroad never went up-river from Marietta. The Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
(PRR) later purchased the right-of-way south of Bellaire. With help from the B&O and the Baltimore City Council, the Union Railroad connected Marietta to Belpre in 1860. It also was later absorbed by the B&O. This section of track is still in operation (2004) with unit coal trains providing most of the traffic. B&O was also eventually able to build to Parkersburg, then created trackage from Belpre to Canaanville, Ohio
Canaanville, Ohio
Canaanville is an unincorporated community in Athens County, Ohio, United States. It has an elevation of and is located at .According to the Centennial Atlas of Athens County , the community originally called Canaanville was slightly to the west, west of where Ohio State Route 690 now intersects...
to connect with the Marietta & Cincinnati there. This section was known as the B&O Short Line.
By 1876, the "Old Line" from Canaanville to Marietta fell into disuse, since it duplicated the B&O Short Line and was dangerous, steep and difficult to maintain, with many trestles and tunnels, and was eventually sold to the Toledo and Ohio Central Extension Railroad. This section was known for its many accidents. The name was later changed to Marietta, Columbus and Cleveland Railroad (MCC) and operated to about 1917. The east end then operated as the Marietta and Vincent Railroad Company until abandoned in 1924.
The rest of the line from Canaanville westward was acquired and operated for many years by B&O Railroad. The section from eastern Vinton County
Vinton County, Ohio
Vinton County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 13,435. , the least populous in the state. Its county seat is McArthur. The county is named for Samuel Finley Vinton, a 19th-century United States Congressman from...
to Belpre was abandoned in the 1980s and the right-of-way sold off. Today, the portion from Mineral, Ohio
Mineral, Ohio
Mineral is an unincorporated community in Waterloo Township, Athens County, Ohio, United States. Centered on State Route 356, it was established as a coal-mining community. It is located on Mud Lick Run, which flows into nearby Hewitt Fork, a tributary of Raccoon Creek. The B&O Railroad once ran...
to the end of the now-operating line south of Zaleski, Ohio
Zaleski, Ohio
Zaleski is a village in Vinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 375 at the 2000 census; it is estimated to have risen to 399 by 2009.-History:Six Native American mounds, built by the prehistoric Adena culture, were once located at Zaleski...
is the Moonville Rail-Trail
Moonville Rail-Trail
right|thumb|King Switch TunnelThe Moonville Rail-Trail is a sixteen-mile rail-trail in southeast Ohio, located in Vinton and Athens Counties. It is largely embedded in the Zaleski State Forest and passes close to Lake Hope State Park...
.
One of the main driving forces of the M&C was William P. Cutler
William P. Cutler
William Parker Cutler was a U.S. Representative from Ohio.Born in Marietta, Ohio, Cutler was the son of Ephraim Cutler, and grandson of Manasseh Cutler...
. He also was a backer of the Union Railroad and the MCC, among other local railroads. Cutler served as General Manager and as President of the M&C for many years.