Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad: B&O's Cincinnati Link

Published: January 28, 2025

The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad (M&C) was a vital artery that played an essential role in the expansion of rail transportation west of the Ohio River.

It became an important component of the Baltimore & Ohio although it took a number of years for the system to be seamlessly integrated into B&O's network.

Interestingly, the M&C initially carried no ties to the B&O. It was formed in 1851 and was later folded into another B&O subsidiary, the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern.

As part of the modern B&O, the former M&C was part of its Ohio Division running through the state's southern region and operated as part of its Philadelphia-Baltimore-St. Louis main line. In 1985, the newly formed CSX elected to downgrade the route and eventually abandoned much of the former M&C.

System Map (1881)

Origins

The need for improved transportation in Ohio and the broader Midwest was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad.

In the early 19th century, the financial and transportation landscapes of the region were limited, primarily dependent on rivers and rudimentary roads, which were often impassable for parts of the year due to seasonal conditions.

In the 1830s and 1840s, the growing demand for efficient land transportation spurred visions of a comprehensive railroad network. It was against this backdrop that the Belpre and Cincinnati Railroad (B&C) was chartered on March 8, 1845 to connect Cincinnati to either Parkersburg, Virginia, or Harmar, Ohio via Athens and Chillicothe.

In addition, it would connect with the Little Miami Railroad between Plainville (near Cincinncati) and the mouth of Obanon Creek. On March 21, 1851 the system's eastern terminus was changed to Marietta, an historic and growing Ohio River town located just upriver from Parkersburg.

Construction and Expansion

The construction of the M&C began with ambitious goals. The route needed to traverse challenging topography, including rolling hills and dense forests of the western Appalachian foothills.

Despite these obstacles, work commenced in earnest in 1847. Progress was fraught with financial difficulties, which were common among many early railroad endeavors. Raised funds often fell short, leading to frequent suspensions of work.

Its funding came primarily from the towns it would connect such as Athens, Cincinnati, Marietta, and Chillicothe. On April 9, 1857 the 173-mile line opened for service to Loveland and a connection with the Little Miami; trackage rights over this road allowed it to reach downtown Cincinnati.

Timetable (1881)

Economic Impact and Challenges

During this time the B&O provided overhead traffic to the M&C as the Baltimore road attempted its continued western expansion.

At first, the M&C looked to open a northern extension along the Ohio River to Bellaire, Ohio for a direct interchange with the B&O, which had reached Wheeling, Virginia in 1852.

The M&C had completed a great deal of work on this line, including grading, stone culverts, and even bridge abutments. However, following its 1858 bankruptcy, all work was halted and the right-of-way was later acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR). Today, elements of this never-completed project can still be seen along State Route 7.

In December, 1856 the B&O acquired the Northwestern Virginia Railroad (NV), a private operation but which was largely funded by the B&O. The NV offered a more direct link to the Ohio River via Grafton, Clarksburg, and Parkersburg.

The railroad opened for service on May 1, 1857 and became known as the B&O's "Parkersburg Branch." The corridor, despite being riddled with sharp curves, tunnels, and stiff grades eventually became an integral link of the B&O's St. Louis main line/Monongah Division.

Prior to the B&O's completion of its 7,100-foot bridge across the Ohio River from Parkersburg to Belpre, Ohio - which opened for service on January 7, 1871 - the railroad interchanged with the M&C at Scott's Landing (Moore's Junction), three miles south of Marietta via carferry operations.

In 1860 the B&O opened the Union Railroad from Scott's Landing to Belpre which allowed for car ferries to operate directly across the river.

Further Expansion

After interchanging with the Little Miami for a few years, in 1861 the M&C launched a new line circling the northern part of the city, connecting there with the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad at what was first known as Ludlow Grove (later renamed Spring Grove).

This connection gave M&C trains rights to use the CH&D’s depot in Cincinnati. A few years later, in 1865, the M&C started accessing the brand-new Plum Street Station, courtesy of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayette Railroad. Fast forward to 1872, a new 6-mile link was charted from Ludlow Grove straight into the heart of Cincinnati, paving a direct path for M&C into the city's core.

Final Years of Independence

Despite the B&O providing a fair share of overhead traffic into Cincinnati, the M&C's on-line traffic just didn’t take off. This left M&C in dire straits during the 1870s. By 1882, B&O stepped in, taking the control of the M&C and reorganized it as the Cincinnati, Washington & Baltimore Railway. Then, in 1889 it was folded into the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad.

In Cincinnati, another track stretched out towards St. Louis, crafted with a broad six-foot gauge by the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad.

This rail line was completed from Cincinnati to East St. Louis, Illinois, back in 1857. In no time, B&O, M&C, and O&M stitched together an all-rail trek from Baltimore to St. Louis, dubbing it the "American Central Route." This route offered a clear edge over riverboats, as it kept chugging along even in the frosty grip of winter.

Amalgamation and Legacy

The integration of M&C into B&O was part of a broader trend during the late 19th and early 20th centuries wherein major railroad companies sought to consolidate smaller railroads into their growing networks.

For the region, this acquisition brought about greater efficiency and improved service consistency. However, it also marked the end of a local enterprise that had been crucial in the development of southern Ohio.

Despite its eventual subsumption, the Marietta and Cincinnati left an indelible mark on the Midwest. It helped establish Cincinnati as a crucial industrial hub and contributed significantly to the economic vitality of the Ohio River Valley.

Furthermore, the infrastructure and lands initially developed by the M&C continued to serve as important components of rail transport networks well into the 20th century.

Conclusion

The history of the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad is emblematic of the broader patterns of railroad expansion in the United States during the 19th century. It commenced as a vision to connect communities across Ohio and concluded as a part of a greater railway system, profoundly impacting the region's socioeconomic fabric throughout its course.

Today, traces of the original M&C alignment can still be seen throughout southern Ohio in Washington County. In addition to the never-completed Bellaire-Marietta extension, perhaps the most notable structures still standing are the fabled Dunbar Piers.

These handlaid, stone-arch piers supported a bridge over the West Branch of the Little Hocking River, slightly west of Vincent, Ohio. Once the B&O had opened the new alignment through Belpre, the M&C's Harmar extension became redundant but remained in use until 1916 when it was abandoned. Today, all three piers still stand, as well the supporting abutments.