Cleveland & Eastern Railway Company
Surviving Structures and Right-of-Way

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The Cleveland, Southwestern & Columbus Railway
Surviving Bridge Structures and Right-of-Way

      Although the Cleveland, Southwestern & Columbus Railway only reached Columbus through connecting service with another line, it was one of Ohio’s largest interurban lines. Southwestern cars started their journey at Cleveland’s Public Square. Following the city lines west to Rocky River, the line split into two divisions which went on to Norwalk to the west and Bucyrus to the southwest where connections were made by travelers headed for Columbus.
      The first segments of the line were constructed in the early 1890’s with cars reaching Elyria in 1895. Through service to Norwalk and Bucyrus was completed by the end of 1902 and several smaller branch lines were constructed to reach other small communities near but not on the main routes. Both divisions ceased operations in early 1931.

Bridge Structures

      The following photographs were taken in the Spring of 2009 at the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation. Here the southern division of the Southwestern crossed the Rocky River just south of Berea on its way to Strongsville. The former right-of-way is now a nature trail leading east from the parkway to the river. At the river we find that the abutments and piers that once carried the line’s bridge across the river are still present.

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Lake Shore Electric Railway Company
Surviving Bridge Structures in Bay Village, Ohio

      The Lake Shore Electric Railway Company was formed in 1901 with the merger of several smaller interurban railway companies that served communities along the shores of Lake Erie between Cleveland and Toledp Ohio. The line operated until 1936. several years longer than most of the other Interurban lines in the Cleveland area.
      To learn more about the Lake Shore Electric check your local library or book dealer for any of the fine books on the subject such as 'The Lake Shore Electric Railway Story' by Herbert H. Harwood Jr. & Robert S. Korach or Harry Christiansen's 'Lake Shore Electric.'

      The following photographs were taken in the summer of 2007 at Cahoon Park in Bay Village, Ohio. They show the remaining supports from one of the many bridges along the Lake Shore's double tracked main line.

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Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Company
Surviving Station Structure in Painesville, Ohio

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The Northern Ohio Traction & Light Company
Surviving Bridge Structures in Hudson, Ohio

      The Akron, Bedford and Cleveland began operations in the mid 1890's, providing through service from Akron to Cleveland in 1895 and becoming one of the nation's first true Interurban Railways. By 1899 the company had grown and was absorbed by the newly formed Northern Ohio Traction and Light Company. In its heyday, the line provided service in an area the stretched from Cleveland to Uhrichsville south of Canton and from Seville south of Medina east to Ravenna.
      Like most of the other interurban line of the era, the Northern Ohio also fell victim to the popularity of the personal automobile and the rubber-tired bus. On April 17, 1926 the Northern Ohio Traction and Light Company changed its name to the Northern Ohio Power and Light Company and all railway operations were abandoned.