Scioto Division/Columbus District line relocation? NO!

[NW Mailing List]

Whit:    In one word, NO!  The N&W did not relocate the mainline through
Lockbourne.

 

I checked my valuation drawings (V-19-0/50) originally drawn in 1916 for the
Lockbourne area.   All of the RoW that forms the 'kink' away from the
north-south line you noticed was bought by the Scioto Valley Railway in
1875.  That is, the line coming up from the southeast of Lockbourne and the
line going back over to Miner where the north-south line is picked up again.
All of this was purchased by the Scioto Valley Railway.   In Lockbourne
itself, there were some adjustments to the property deeds that date from
1889 to 1909, but no line shift was involved. The curve to the west on the
south side and the curve back to the east - all 1875 purchases.  The
Ohio-Erie Canal, of course, runs parallel to the N&W on the north side of
Lockbourne; it cut under the N&W at today's Canal Street/Vauces Road where
the overpass is today.  The canal continued southwestward over to the Big
Walnut Creek to the Scioto River through the town, pretty much going under
the C&O where its underpass is today.  

 

One would have to conclude that the SVRy decided to run north-south through
this area until it became a better business decision to go over to
Lockbourne and (probably) participate in the business possible there at the
junction of the Ohio-Erie Canal and the Columbus Feeder.  The granary there
(Myers) according to the 1916 drawing show that the main granary building
was next to the Canal cutting under the N&W tracks and basically right next
to today's overpass on its north west side.  Did it have the capability to
dump grain into barges?   Probably, actually almost certainly.  So, one has
to consider that railroad-to-canal and canal-to-railroad business was
worthwhile in at least the Scioto Valley Railway days.  A circa 1905 N&W
freight book I own lists a Mrs. E. T. O'Hara as a grain dealer there in
Lockbourne.  

 

The Scioto Valley Traction paralleled the N&W coming from the north but
swung wide-westward- just as it approached Lockbourne from the north, then
it returns back to parallel the N&W south of today's overpass.  When the C&O
Northern was built, this RoW was sold to the C&O and the SVT tracks were
shoved over towards the N&W and the SVT basically lay right between the C&O
and N&W through this area.  The granary property would have been the source
for the new SVT RoW, and today's silos laying north of today's co-op along
the N&W probably is the result of the transfer of property the new granary
did not have to be next to the virtually abandoned canal.  The county road
lying west of the C&O Northern was also shifted over to fit in the C&O
Northern RoW. 

 

Gary Rolih

Cincinnati, Ohio  

 

  _____  

From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org
[mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2008 10:57 PM
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: Scioto Division/Columbus District line relocation?

 

While trying to find some info on an N&W derailment at Lockbourne, OH east
of Columbus, I found the following note in the history of Rickenbacker Air
Force Base - "Also in April (1942), Norfolk and Western Railroad began
laying new mainline tracks along the western side of the base." 

Growing up just south of Rickenbacker I had no idea N&W relocated the
Columbus District as the base expanded. Looking at an aerial photo such as:
 <http://tinyurl.com/5zok3f> http://tinyurl.com/5zok3f

it is very obvious from a current day property/tree line that lines up
perfectly with a straight north-south alignment of the Columbus District
from London-Groveport Road (SR317) to the the south end of Rickenbacker.
(Note you will need to turn labels and scroll around some on the link)

It appears that the 1926/27 construction of the parallel C&O, was already
along an alignment further west that did not require any relocation.

Comments/Thoughts?

Whit Wardell
Canal Winchester, OH



 

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