Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in the southwest portion of the U.S. state
of Ohio
.
It connected Middletown
, Butler County
with Middletown Junction
, Warren County
, a distance of 14 miles.
The company's predecessor, the Middletown and Cincinnati Railway Company, was organized on February 28, 1890, by Middletown industrialist Paul Sorg and others who were dissatified with the service provided to Middletown by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad
and the Cincinnati and Springfield Railroad. The new line was charted to provide more accessible facilities and provide better connections to Cincinnati
.
The line was completed in December 1892. Beginning at a depot on Clinton Street in Middletown
, the line ran southeast through Lemon Township
near Oakland, crossed into Warren County east of Monroe
into Turtlecreek Township
and continued into Union Township
. At Hagemans Crossing, about twelve miles southeast of Middletown, the line crossed the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway, then a narrow gauge railroad. This part of the line was roughly the route of the Warren County Canal
. The line continued two miles southeast, crossing the Little Miami River
on a 365 foot truss bridge, into Hamilton Township
where it terminated on the Little Miami Railroad
at Middletown Junction
, between Kings Mills
and South Lebanon
. The route was very level, having a maximum grade of 0.46 percent.
The railroad was constructed largely on borrowed money and in 1894 it went into receivership
. On October 20, 1894, it was sold at auction to the original owners, who had lent it considerable sums. It was reincorporated on December 24, 1894, as the Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad Company. Following the Pennsylvania Railroad
's acquisition of the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway in 1896, the CL&N on June 3, 1902 bought the M&C for $400,000 and merged it into the CL&N.
Following the bankruptcy of the Pennsy's successor, the Penn Central company, the line became the property of Conrail in 1976. Conrail later sold the Middletown to Hagemans Crossing section to the Indiana and Ohio Railroad. The I&O operates freight service to Lebanon
and Mason
via the track and formerly operated an excursion train to Monroe
from Mason
. The track southeast of U.S. Route 42
at Hagemans Crossing has been abandoned, the rails lifted, and the right-of-way sold to the City of Lebanon
.
by the City of Lebanon
. The trail opened in the fall of 2005. The bridge is being used to link the trail to the Little Miami Bike Trail
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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 connected Middletown
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
, Butler County
Butler County, Ohio
Butler County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 368,130. Its county seat is Hamilton. It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 fighting Indians in northern Ohio. Butler's army marched out of Fort Hamilton, where the city of...
with Middletown Junction
Middletown Junction, Ohio
Middletown Junction was the point in northwestern Hamilton Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States, on the eastern bank of the Little Miami River where the Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad joined with the Little Miami Railroad about midway between Kings Mills and South Lebanon...
, Warren County
Warren County, Ohio
Warren County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. The population was 212,693 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Lebanon. Warren County was erected May 1, 1803, from Hamilton County, and named for Dr...
, a distance of 14 miles.
The company's predecessor, the Middletown and Cincinnati Railway Company, was organized on February 28, 1890, by Middletown industrialist Paul Sorg and others who were dissatified with the service provided to Middletown by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad
Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad
The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad was a railroad based in the U.S. state of Ohio that existed between its incorporation on March 2, 1846, and its acquisition by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in December 1917...
and the Cincinnati and Springfield Railroad. The new line was charted to provide more accessible facilities and provide better connections to Cincinnati
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...
.
The line was completed in December 1892. Beginning at a depot on Clinton Street in Middletown
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
, the line ran southeast through Lemon Township
Lemon Township, Butler County, Ohio
Lemon Township is one of thirteen townships in Butler County, Ohio, United States. Located in the northeastern part of the county, it includes most of the city of Monroe and now exists as six disconnected pieces because of annexations by Monroe and Middletown...
near Oakland, crossed into Warren County east of Monroe
Monroe, Ohio
Monroe is a city located in east central Butler and west central Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2007, the city population was 7,655, up from 4,008 in 1990....
into Turtlecreek Township
Turtlecreek Township, Warren County, Ohio
Turtlecreek Township is one of the eleven townships of Warren County, Ohio, United States. It is in the central part of the county and surrounds the county seat of Lebanon. Turtlecreek is the largest township in the county, originally containing sixty-three whole and seven fractional sections. ...
and continued into Union Township
Union Township, Warren County, Ohio
Union Township is one of the eleven townships of Warren County, Ohio, United States, located in the central part of the county. It was established January 3, 1815 and named Union as it was formed from parts of Deerfield and Turtlecreek Townships. The 2000 census found 4,668 people in the township,...
. At Hagemans Crossing, about twelve miles southeast of Middletown, the line crossed the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway, then a narrow gauge railroad. This part of the line was roughly the route of the Warren County Canal
Warren County Canal
The Warren County Canal was a branch of the Miami and Erie Canal in southwestern Ohio about in length that connected the Warren County seat of Lebanon to the main canal at Middletown in the mid-19th century. Lebanon was at the crossroads of two major roads, the highway from Cincinnati to Columbus...
. The line continued two miles southeast, crossing the Little Miami River
Little Miami River
The Little Miami River is a Class I tributary of the Ohio River that flows through five counties in southwestern Ohio in the United States. The Little Miami joins the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It forms parts of the borders between Hamilton and Clermont counties and between Hamilton and Warren...
on a 365 foot truss bridge, into Hamilton Township
Hamilton Township, Warren County, Ohio
Hamilton Township, one of the eleven townships of Warren County, Ohio, United States, is in the south central portion of the county. The 2000 census found 9,630 people there, up significantly from the 5,900 in 1990. 8,645 of the total in 2000 lived in the unincorporated portions of the township...
where it terminated on the Little Miami Railroad
Little Miami Railroad
The Little Miami Railroad, now defunct, was a railway of southwestern Ohio, running from the eastern side of Cincinnati to Springfield, Ohio. By merging with the Columbus and Xenia Railroad it created the first through rail route from the important manufacturing city of Cincinnati to the state...
at Middletown Junction
Middletown Junction, Ohio
Middletown Junction was the point in northwestern Hamilton Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States, on the eastern bank of the Little Miami River where the Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad joined with the Little Miami Railroad about midway between Kings Mills and South Lebanon...
, between Kings Mills
Kings Mills, Ohio
Kings Mills is an unincorporated community in the northeastern corner of Deerfield Township, Warren County, Ohio, United States, on the western shore of the Little Miami River...
and South Lebanon
South Lebanon, Ohio
South Lebanon is a village located in Union and Hamilton Townships in central Warren County in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 2,538, down from 2,696 in 1990...
. The route was very level, having a maximum grade of 0.46 percent.
The railroad was constructed largely on borrowed money and in 1894 it went into receivership
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
. On October 20, 1894, it was sold at auction to the original owners, who had lent it considerable sums. It was reincorporated on December 24, 1894, as the Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad Company. Following 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....
's acquisition of the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway in 1896, the CL&N on June 3, 1902 bought the M&C for $400,000 and merged it into the CL&N.
Following the bankruptcy of the Pennsy's successor, the Penn Central company, the line became the property of Conrail in 1976. Conrail later sold the Middletown to Hagemans Crossing section to the Indiana and Ohio Railroad. The I&O operates freight service to Lebanon
Lebanon, Ohio
The population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
and Mason
Mason, Ohio
Mason is an affluent city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States, 22 miles away from Cincinnati . As of the 2010 census, Mason's population was 30,712. Mason has experienced fast growth, with its historic Main Street remaining at the center of the community...
via the track and formerly operated an excursion train to Monroe
Monroe, Ohio
Monroe is a city located in east central Butler and west central Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of 2007, the city population was 7,655, up from 4,008 in 1990....
from Mason
Mason, Ohio
Mason is an affluent city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States, 22 miles away from Cincinnati . As of the 2010 census, Mason's population was 30,712. Mason has experienced fast growth, with its historic Main Street remaining at the center of the community...
. The track southeast of U.S. Route 42
U.S. Route 42
U.S. Route 42 is an east–west United States highway that runs northeast-southwest for 355 miles from Cleveland, Ohio to Louisville, Kentucky. The route has several names including Pearl Road from Cleveland to Medina in Northeast Ohio, the Cincinnati and Lebanon Pike in southwestern Ohio and...
at Hagemans Crossing has been abandoned, the rails lifted, and the right-of-way sold to the City of Lebanon
Lebanon, Ohio
The population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
.
Rail trail
The most southeasterly section, between Columbia Road and Middletown Junction has been converted to the Lebanon Countryside TrailLebanon Countryside Trail
The Lebanon Countryside Trail is a rail trail in Ohio.Largely used as a bicycle trail, it links the city of Lebanon, Ohio on the north to the Little Miami Scenic Trail at Middletown Junction on the south. The trail is about long...
by the City of Lebanon
Lebanon, Ohio
The population at the 2010 census was 20,033. As of the census of 2000, there were 16,962 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,440.6 people per square mile . There were 6,218 housing units at an average density of 528.1 per square mile...
. The trail opened in the fall of 2005. The bridge is being used to link the trail to the Little Miami Bike Trail
Little Miami Bike Trail
The Little Miami Scenic Trail, also known as the Little Miami Scenic River Trail and Little Miami Bike Trail, is a rail trail that runs though five southwestern counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The multi-use trail sees frequent use by hikers and bicyclists, as well as the occasional horseback...
.