Click on Photos to view larger
* Left photo: Poster promoting Dining Car * Right photo: Map of C. H. & D. Railway and connections
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 Wood. 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. In
1863, the Dayton & Michigan was leased to the CH&D. 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.
Left photo: C. H. & D. Steam unknown number * Right photo: C. H. & D. J1211
----------------------------------------------------------------
C. H. & D. Depots
Left photo: Hamilton, O. Depot * Right photo: North Side Cincinnati, O. Depot
Left photo: Oxford, O. Depot * Right photo: 1913 Flood Cincinnati, O. near depot
|