Steam Roads Through Columbus, Ohio

        Columbus had five class I railroads in the 1950's.  The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, New York Central Railroad, Pennsylvania Railroad, and the Norfolk and Western Railroad.  As late as 1954 all five provided Columbus with passenger service and all but the C&O used steam engines, either on their freight, yard or passenger trains.  In 1954 there were 38 passenger trains through Columbus, the B&O had 2, C&O 2, NYC 10, PRR 22, and N&W 2.

        This section of the web site will look at each of the five railroads, mostly through photographs taken in the 1950's, in order to give the reader a flavor of the Columbus railroading scene during a major time of transition.  By the 1960s steam engines would disappear followed by passenger trains, mail trains, the railroad post office (RPO), Railway Express, Columbus Union Station, most train yards, most railroad shops, much of the railroad employment and even the names and configurations of the five roads listed above.  Most rail fans knew change was coming.  They would have to hurry to see and absorb the 1950's railroad scene while it lasted.  Here is some of what they saw and photographed.   

        Through the narrations some simple maps will be provided for each railroad, the reader can also access more detailed maps of Columbus railroads at the following web site - http://www.railsandtrails.com - select "maps" from the menu and then "Columbus Maps" from the list to start. Then explore the rails and trails web site further to find other railroad maps of Ohio.

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This site was last updated 02/11/08