This page details rail transportation history in and around the Columbus area, part of the history links series.
**Last Updated: 8/23/2024- Added new photos for the 1980s.
Rail History
1830-1839
1831
The first rail line connecting to Columbus is proposed between Sandusky and Dayton, with an extension to Columbus. Construction never starts.
February 8, 1832
A charter is granted to the Columbus, Marion and Sandusky Railroad to build a line with Columbus as the end point. Construction never starts.
March 14, 1836
The Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad is chartered with the intent of building a line between the 3 cities.
1840-1849
March 12, 1844
The Columbus & Xenia Railroad is chartered, with the intention of building a rail line between the two cities, ultimately connecting to an existing line between Xenia and Cincinnati.
October, 1847
The Columbus & Xenia Railroad begins construction between the west bank of the Scioto River in Columbus west to the town of Georgesville (now a part of present-day Columbus near Georgesville Road).
1850-1859
February 22, 1850
The first train is tested on the Columbus & Xenia Railroad line.
February 26, 1850
The Columbus & Xenia Railroad line officially opens, bringing rail to the city for the first time.
December 14, 1850
The Columbus & Xenia Railroad reaches the High Street depot when the rail bridge over the Scioto from Franklinton is completed.
December, 1850
The first depot is finished at High and Naughten, around the same time as the Scioto River bridge. The depot is jointly operated by the Columbus & Xenia Railroad and the Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad, making it the first “union station” in the world.
February 18, 1851
The Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad line is completed, and full service begins three days later. With its connection to the Columbus & Xenia Railroad line, it is the first direct rail connection between the 3-Cs.
Spring, 1852
The Central Ohio Railroad opens.
February 1, 1853
The Central Ohio Railroad completes a line that connects Columbus and Newark.
July 4th, 1853
The Central Ohio Railroad operates an excursion to Urbana.
June 10, 1854
The Columbus Street Railway Company is formed and is authorized to build a street-based railway system on multiple streets within the city. These include High Street, Harrisburg Pike to Green Lawn Cemetery, Broad Street, Town Street and others. None of these lines are constructed by the company, however.
1860-1869
June 10, 1863
The Columbus Street Railway Company completes Columbus’ first streetcar line and begins service on High Street between Mound Street and the rail depot on North Public Lane (now Naughten Street) on the north side of the city. It operates on a 6-minute schedule. The streetcar barn is located on High Street between Goodale and Poplar Street.
The first streetcar line on High Street, date unknown.
1864
The Columbus Street Railway Company extends the High Street line north to University Street (now Poplar Street), and south to Stewart Avenue.
Also in 1864, the Columbus Railroad Company is absorbed by the Columbus Street Railway Company.
April 29, 1865
The Abraham Lincoln funeral train stops in Columbus.
November 25, 1865
The North Columbus Railroad Company is formed and is authorized to construct streetcar lines from the High Street-Union Depot terminus to 5th Avenue, but doesn’t construct any track.
1869
The Columbus & Xenia Railroad reaches an agreement to be leased permanently by the Little Miami Railroad.
July 16, 1869
The Friend Street (Main Street) Railway is incorporated in order to build a line from High Street to Franklin Park, which at the time was the location of the Ohio State Fairgrounds.
1870-1879
1870
The East Park Place Street Railroad Company is formed.
July 20, 1871
A meeting is held between South End residents and railroad officials to ascertain the number of “subscriptions” for a proposed Columbus and Circleville line. A depot for the line is proposed for Friend Street (Main Street) near the terminus of the street railroad.
July 26, 1871
A meeting of officials from all the railroads running through the city is held to determine who will pay what cost towards the construction of a new depot, as the 1850 building can no longer handle the traffic.
July 27, 1871
A freight train on the Baltimore & Ohio line is derailed at Alum Creek due to a switch being left open. The locomotive and 9 cars jump the tracks. The train’s engineer is severely injured.
January, 1872
The East Park Place Street Railroad Company builds a streetcar line from High Street to Albert Street (Garfield Avenue) along Long Street.
April 23, 1872
The Glenwood & Green Lawn Railroad Company is formed.
July, 1872
The State and Oak Street Railroad Company, formed sometime earlier in the year, completes a new streetcar line on State Street between High and 7th (Grant Avenue).
1873
The East Park Place Street Railroad Company extends the Long Street streetcar line from Garfield to Winner Avenue.
1874
The Columbus Street Railway Company builds a new line starting at the High/Goodale intersection and then north on Neil to Ohio State.
Also in 1874, the East Park Place Street Railroad Company extends the Long Street line from Winner Avenue to Franklin Park.
1875
The North Columbus Street Railway Company builds an extension of the High Street line from Poplar Street to 5th Avenue.
The second rail depot is opened at High and Naghten, replacing the 1850 version. At opening, the new depot handles 42 daily trains from 8 divisions along 6 tracks.
September 25, 1875
The Glenwood & Green Lawn Railway Company completes a new streetcar line on West Broad Street between High Street and the state asylum in Hilltop. A secondary branch is also completed on Glenwood Avenue south from Broad, west on Mound and south on Harrisburg Pike to Green Lawn Cemetery.
December, 1875
A tunnel to go under the 10 grade-level tracks of Union Depot on High Street is completed. Trains would often block the High Street crossing for hours per day, creating the need for a new tunnel for streetcar and other traffic. These 325-foot “subway” tunnels are the only ones ever built in Columbus.
1876
The East Park Place Street Railroad Company builds a streetcar line on Cleveland Avenue from Long Street and then East on Mt Vernon to 12th Street, as well as a spur line that traveled on Washington Avenue from Mt. Vernon to Buckingham street that primarily served the US Barracks, now known as Fort Hayes.
Also in 1876, the North Columbus Street Railway Company is allowed to extend the High Street line from 5th Avenue to Arcadia Avenue.
Later in 1876, the North Columbus Street Railroad & Chariot Company purchases the North Columbus Street Railway Company and adds a fleet of chariots running south on High Street from Union Depot.
The Scioto Valley Railroad (later the N&W) begins service at the rail depot.
1879
The Friend Street Railway and the East Park Place Street Railroad are consolidated into one company, but keep separate names.
December 22, 1879
Columbus Street Railway Company, Friend Street Railway and East Park Place Street Railroad Company join together to form the Columbus Consolidated Street Railway Company (CCSRC).
1880-1889
1880
CCSRC buys the North High Street Railroad & Chariot Company and ends chariot service.
The Sunday Creek Valley rail line from Corning begins service at the rail depot.
1882
Also in 1882, CCSRC buys the State & Oak Street Railroad Company and builds and extension of their 7th Street line from the intersection of State and 7th north to Oak Street and then east on Oak to Franklin Park.
1883
CCSRC builds a streetcar line from Cleveland Avenue north to Mt Vernon and then east on Mt Vernon to North 17th Street.
1884
Baltimore & Ohio’s Midland Division begins service at the rail depot.
1886
CCSRC buys the South High Street Railroad and Chariot Company.
1887
CCSRC builds a new streetcar line on Chittenden Avenue from High to the new Ohio State Fairgrounds.
Columbus & Eastern railroad begins service at the rail depot.
1888
Horse-drawn streetcar lines begin electrification in Columbus. The first electrified line is the new Chittenden Avenue line, which is only half a mile in length.
Also in 1888, CCSRC extends the High Street line south from Stewart Avenue to Innis Avenue.
A horse-drawn streetcar on High Street in 1888.
1889
CCSRC builds a new streetcar line from South High Street to Brick Street on Schiller.
CCSRC also constructs an extension of the High Street line from Chittenden Avenue north to Hudson Street.
1890-1899
February 24, 1890
A heavy thunderstorm causes a sewer system to overflow, flooding Union Depot and damaging railroad tracks.
June 3, 1890
A streetcar strike begins when a union of workers is formed demanding better pay and shorter hours. Strikers derail a streetcar and use the car to block High Street. The strike ends just 6 days later when all demands are met, including a reduction of work hours from 16 to 12.
The derailed streetcar at the High and Long intersection during the 1890 strike.
1891
The horsecar stables at Chittenden Avenue are destroyed by fire, including 25 of the cars.
Also in 1891, Columbus’ first interurban line begins construction, the Columbus & Clintonville Electric Street Railway.
1892
The last horse-drawn streetcar line, the Oak Street line, is electrified, ending horse involvement in public transportation.
1893
Traffic at the rail depot reaches 118 daily trains from 14 divisions.
The Sandusky Short Line begins service at the rail depot.
The Toledo & Ohio Central line is completed between Toledo and Columbus, with a passenger station established on West Broad Street.
1894
The Worthington & Columbus Electric Street Railway interurban begins operation as an extension of the Columbus-Clintonville line.
Plans for a new, 3rd rail depot to replace the 1875 one are approved.
August 25, 1895
The Columbus Central Street Railway interurban between Columbus and Westerville begins construction.
1896
Olentangy Park amusement park is laid out and built by the Columbus Street Railway Company.
April 18, 1896
The Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Depot completes construction and opens at 379 W. Broad Street.
The Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Depot around 1900.
1897
The 3rd and most elaborate rail depot is opened. It includes the famous Union Station arches and a new viaduct for High Street that crosses over the rail lines to finally prevent trains from blocking street traffic. The entire project costs roughly $1 million.
The 1897 Union Station in 1910.
1899
The “subway” tunnels under High Street are filled in and a bridge is built over the tracks instead.
1900-1909
1901
The Columbus, Grove City & Southwestern Railway interurban opens its last section between Columbus, Grove City and Orient.
Also in 1901, the Columbus, Delaware & Marion Railway purchases the Columbus, Clintonville & Worthington interurban line and starts an extension to Marion.
The Columbus, New Albany & Johnstown Traction Company opens an interurban line to Gahanna.
1902
The Columbus, London & Springfield Railway interurban is completed.
Also in 1902, the Columbus, Buckeye Lake & Newark Traction Company completes an interurban line between the cities.
The Columbus street rail route map in December 1902.
1903
The Columbus, Delaware & Marion Railway interurban is completed.
Also in 1903, the Columbus, Urbana & Western Railway is completed.
1904
The Columbus, Newark & Zanesville Electric Railway interurban is completed between Newark and Zanesville as an extension of the Columbus, Buckeye Lake & Newark line.
Also in 1904, the Scioto Valley Traction Company opens an interurban line from Columbus to Circleville, and another branch from Obetz to Lancaster.
On Saturday, December 31st, 1904, 2 cars on the Central Market line crash at the intersection of Town and McDowell Street. One car is knocked off the tracks, while another is damaged. No one is injured.
1905
The Scioto Valley Traction Company extends its Columbus-Circleville interurban line to Chillicothe.
1906
124 daily passenger trains are handled at the Union Depot and Broad Street Station.
1907
On Saturday, June 1st, Norman Higgins, a Columbus Transfer Company worker, jumps out of the way of a runaway horse and falls over the wall over the baggage storeroom at Union Station. He falls 30 feet to his death.
1910-1919
1910
At least 2,500 streetcars pass through the Broad-High intersection every single day, arriving roughly every 30 seconds.
July 24, 1910
A strike by the local union chapter of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees begins after tensions with the Columbus Railway and Light Company business practices boil over. The strike turns violent in the ensuing days and weeks.
1910 Columbus Streetcar Strike
A streetcar damaged by rioting during the 1910 strike.
Photo taken in 1910 of dynamited streetcars during the riots.
October 18, 1910
The strike against the Columbus Railway and Light Company ends, but not before the National Guard is called in to quell violence. Union workers do not win any of their demands.
1911
The Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad elevated tracks over West Broad Street are constructed to alleviate traffic congestion from stopped trains. These tracks remain today.
The 1911 Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad elevated tracks, as seen in 2021.
Columbus Street Railways map.
1916
The streetcar system grows to 71 miles in length with 66 million passenger rides given.
1917
Columbus buys a double-decker trolley to serve the High Street line. The double-decker is meant to increase capacity on the lines, but it proves somewhat dangerous and no others are ever ordered.
The double-decker sometime after 1917.
1920-1929
1925
Columbus purchases a new batch of streetcars for the last time.
1930-1939
1930
Columbus is served by 7 railroads. They are: Pennsylvania Railroad, the Chesapeake & Ohio, the Big Four, the New York Central (AKA Toledo & Ohio Central), the Baltimore & Ohio, the Norfolk & Western and the Hocking Valley. These seven railroads have 15 divisions centered in the city. 164 trains pass through the city daily on about 400 miles of track.
January 25, 1930
The Toledo and Ohio Central Railroad Depot ceases operations and rail traffic is diverted through Union Station.
December 3, 1933
The streetcar rail tracks along Cleveland Avenue are in need of replacement, so the city decides to convert the route to a 5.5 mile trolley bus line instead. It is the first streetcar line to be replaced by the bus.
May 5, 1935
The city’s second trolley bus line replaces the Sullivant Avenue streetcar line. The Cleveland Avenue line is rerouted to intersect this second line, providing a more than 10-mile route combined.
1937
The Columbus Railway, Power & Light Company (CRP&L) becomes the Columbus & Southern Ohio Electric Company (C&SOEC). After this change, the new company decides to convert the rest of the streetcar system to trolley buses.
October 16, 1938
The first streetcar-to-trolley bus conversion under C&SOEC opens on the Oak Street line.
October 29, 1938
The last interurban trip in Central Ohio, the Cincinnati & Lake Erie Railroad #110, departs Columbus from the terminal at Rich and 3rd in front of a small crowd.
November 13, 1938
The Summit-Indianola streetcar line reopens as a new trolley bus line.
1940-1949
April 14, 1940
The Broad-Mt Vernon streetcar line reopens as a trolley bus line. The trolley bus routes total 26.25 miles.
1941-1945
World War II provides the streetcar some reprieve, as conversion to trolley bus lines are halted during the conflict.
August 17, 1947
The Long-Livingston streetcar line reopens as a trolley bus line.
September 7, 1947
The High-Whittier and North & South High streetcar lines reopens as trolley bus lines.
The #702 on Main Street in August, 1948, just a month before the line would shut down and end the era of rail transit in Columbus.
September 5, 1948
The final streetcar lines, Main-Neil and Parsons Avenue, reopen as trolley bus lines. The trolley bus routes total 62.38 miles with 226 buses. The last streetcar arrives at its destination at Kelton Avenue on the Neil-Main line. As with the last interurban, a small crowd gathers to witness the event.
1950-1959
Sunday, January 8, 1950
Ten trains- 4 operated by Pennsylvania and 6 by New York Central- have their service canceled in and out of Columbus due to a coal shortage. These routes are not re-established.
Friday, June 2, 1950
Train service on New York Central between Columbus and Charleston, WV ends.
1956
Rail traffic has fallen to 42 daily trains at Union Depot.
The Baltimore & Ohio discontinues service.
Monday, February 4, 1957
The Pennsylvania Railroad warehouse is damaged by a fire.
The Pennsylvania Railroad warehouse fire scene in 1957.
1960-1969
Thursday, March 14, 1968
As part of a study, a $184 million Downtown redevelopment and revitalization plan calls for a new “elevated transit line similar to the minirail in Montreal’s Expo ’67”. The proposal calls for the line to run through alleyways between Front and High Streets, connecting planned office and other development projects along the route.
1970-1979
Tuesday, May 25, 1971
A new Amtrak “Turbotrain” prototype visits Union Station on its way back to the East Coast. The train attracts a large crowd of spectators.
Monday, October 22, 1976
The Union Station Passenger Waiting Station building is demolished in preparation of the planned convention center.
Friday, October 26, 1976
The 1897 Union Station Arcade is demolished in preparation for the construction of the planned convention center.
The demolition of the 1897 Union Station in 1976.
April 28, 1977
The last passenger train passes through Union Station.
1980-1989
January, 1980
ORTA, or the Ohio Rail Transportation Authority, proposes 3 different plans for a high-speed rail network in Ohio. The routes would connect Columbus to Cincinnati, Cleveland and Dayton on diesel or electric trains that would travel between 110-150MPH. The cost for the plans ranges from $2 billion to $7 billion.
November 15, 1984
The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce adopts a resolution against COTA’s plan to invest $40 million in the first leg of a planned Franklin County light rail system until further studies are completed on the system’s feasibility.
Columbus Dispatch 11-15-1984
April 9, 1985
COTA proposes a “railbus” running from Linworth to Downtown on tracks paralleling Rt. 315. The railbus trip would take 14 minutes at speeds up to 70MPH. The plan is for a 3-month test beginning in May, 1985.
Columbus Dispatch 4-9-1985
June 13, 1985
COTA announces that the railbus testing project will be delayed until at least July 1st as it is unable to find the $25 million in liability insurance necessary for the project.
June 20, 1985
COTA board of directors decide to cancel the railbus test project due to higher-than-expected costs and an inability to secure the necessary insurance. The idea would resurface over the following year, but ultimately went nowhere.
December, 1986
Swiss businessman Hans Jorg Huber of Von Roll Habegger, proposes a privately-funded $40 million, 2.5-mile monorail line around Downtown. The route of the proposed line is:
Ohio Center southwest to Nationwide Insurance, turn west to the Ohio Pen site, cross the Scioto River to Veterans Memorial and the old Central High School, then back east across the river again to Bicentennial Park, down Mound Street, up High Street past City Center Mall and then back to Ohio Center.
The proposal surprises city officials, who were not actively involved. Mayor Rinehart later calls the proposal “exciting”.
July, 1987
Representatives from Swiss monorail manufacturer Von Roll Habegger make a formal pitch to city officials to construct a monorail system between the Ohio Center and Franklin County offices. The proposal cost is $40-$50 million. The route as discussed is:
-An elevated, 1-mile loop on 3rd and High Streets between the Ohio Center and county offices on Mound, with a loop extension for German Village and the Brewery District.
-A loop from the Ohio Center connection the Scioto Peninsula, the Ohio Penitentiary site and Central High.
The capacity would be 4,000-8,000 people per hour with a speed of 30 MPH.
Monorail rendering, looking north on High Street.
Monorail rendering at High and Broad streets.
November, 1987
A study by the Subcommittee on Downtown Transit Alternatives finds that if a regional transit system is not built, Downtown will become choked with 25% more traffic by the year 2000.
February 4, 1988
A MORPC task force recommends that COTA invest in 117 new buses rather than pursue a light rail system for the city. The recommendation is made solely due to the potential cost of a rail system.
Columbus Dispatch 2-5-1988
1990-1999
March 3, 1992
The Capital City Transit Coalition is formed in order to promote mass transit options in the Columbus area.
Tuesday, December 20, 1994
Consultants with BRW Associates tell COTA board members to focus on improving bus service before attempting to build a proposed $276 million rail system. The consultants estimate the rail system would be used by 14,700 riders per day.
2000-2009
Wednesday, March 14, 2001
COTA is revealed to be considering asking Franklin County voters to approve a sales tax to help pay for a $445 million light rail system.
Monday, July 10, 2006
COTA’s board of trustees, citing an inability to qualify for federal funding, approves a resolution discontinuing its latest attempt to bring light rail back to the Columbus area.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
It is revealed that Mayor Coleman and local officials have asked President Obama to include $200 million in his economic stimulus package to facilitate the construction of a local rail system, beginning with a High Street line from Downtown to Polaris.
September, 2009
A study by Amtrak concludes that a passenger rail line connecting the 3-Cs will cost $517.6 million to build and $17 million a year to run, with average speed of 39 MPH and an average annual potential ridership of 478,000.
2010-2019
December, 2017
A new study is announced between MORPC, COTA and the City to study several corridors for potential high-capacity transit, including the possibility of rail. The corridors are West Broad Street, East Main Street, Olentangy River Road, Cleveland Avenue, the Southeast side including Parsons Avenue, Alum Creek Drive, Groveport Road, Bethel Road and Sawmill Road.
2020-2029
January 30, 2021
Amtrak announces a proposal to create 5 new routes in Ohio, with the main route connecting Cleveland and Cincinnati through Columbus. Columbus and Dayton would also be connected.
