HISTORY OF THE LINE

The Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland Railroad was built in 1851 as a route connecting Toledo, Norwalk & Grafton.

 

Locomotives of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
at the Norwalk Roundhouse

In 1853 the railroad merged with the Junction Railroad to become the Cleveland & Toledo Railroad.  In 1866 the railroad built a more direct connection from Oberlin to Elyria to join their Northern Division.  The line  served the rich agricultural regions of Northern Ohio and later became the east-west main line of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern.  The route was later reduced to a secondary line by the New York Central System with the newer line through Sandusky becoming the current main line. 

The “Norwalk Branch” was abandoned in 1976 by Penn Central.  

                Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad Crossing at Monroeville
 (USRA evaluation photo 1919) 
North Coast Inland Trail occupies rail bed in foreground

Railroad History Timeline

1850: Toledo Norwalk & Cleveland RR is incorporated

1853: Toledo, Norwalk & Cleveland Railroad completes line through Norwalk; 1st train leaves Norwalk on the newly completed line with 200 passengers

Sept.1st  1853:  The Toledo Norwalk & Cleveland RR and the Junction RR consolidate to form the Cleveland & Toledo RR which operated the line until January 1868

1869: Lake Shore & Michigan Southern RR assumes operation and expands Norwalk Locomotive Shops 

1914: New York Central empire merges the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern     

1919: Norwalk Locomotive Shops Closed; Line through Norwalk becomes a secondary branch line 

1968: NYC and Pennsylvania RR merge and form Penn Central - soon to be bankrupt

1976: Penn Central abandons “The Norwalk Branch” through Huron County

1974 to 1999: Nature reclaims the line as a hardwood forest takes over

1999:  NORTA purchases former rail corridor from Penn Central Transportation

2000: Firelands Rails to Trails, Inc. is chartered and organized

2000 to 2004: FRTTI bikers, hikers and equestrians become lumberjacks and clear miles of overgrown trail

2005: Norwalk to Monroeville section of the North Coast Inland Trail officially open

2007: Monroeville Rte.99 to Sand Hill Road section of the North Coast Inland Trail officially open

2008: 1.3 mile Trail from Hartland Center Rd. to DeRussey Road in Collins officially open

Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Pass for Mr. Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr. and Friend

Cleveland and Toledo Railroad Stock Certificate from 1857

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This page, and all contents, are Copyright © 2008
   by Firelands Rails To Trails, Norwalk, OH 44857, USA

   Last Updated 03/09/09