History

The Early Years

The origins of the Erie & Southern Railroad can be traced as far back as the 1860′s.  Originally a narrow-gauge shortline that serviced Ohio’s coal fields, through mergers and timely acquisitions, the lines steadily grew into a Class I railroad.

Under the guise of shared prosperity, several mine owners joined together to form the Goshen-Amsterdam Railway, named after area coal fields, in 1859.  Founded on little more than a handshake over a bottle of whiskey, the railroad was led by Arden L. Cain, owner of the Empire Coal Corporation.  Within a year, rails were laid to reach over two dozen tipples.  Trains took coal to ports at both Steubenville, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia.

Financial windfall and bickering among coal company magnates over its operation forced an agreement to sell off the line so that focus could shift back to running their respective mines.  In 1872, the railroad was sold to foreign investors looking to gain a foothold on the budding US railway industry.  Based out of Canton, Ohio, the new conglomerate extended their rails south and aptly renamed the road the Canton & Ohio River Railroad.

By the turn of the century, rails had been upgraded to standard gauge and reached north to Lake Erie via Akron and Cleveland.  Due to a fire at the main office in Canton in 1923, records were destroyed and it is unknown how the railroad came into such a state of dire disrepair by the prohibition era.

In 1916, area businessmen from Norwalk, Ohio held a meeting at the home of Hon. David M. Buchannon.  The Norwalk Railway was then formed partly due to a trackage rights agreement with the Nickel Plate Road between the NKP home yard in Bellevue and the city of Norwalk.  In 1917, the newly formed Wauseon Railroad begins laying track, and in 1918, both roads reach the city of Bowling Green at nearly the same time.

Soaring construction costs force the competitors to examine their situation more closely.  Talks of a merger begin in late August, and by the first of the following year, the Wauseon & Norwalk Railroad was founded.

Prohibition and WWII

The budding railroad is unable to operate in the black and is nearly gobbled up by the expanding Nickel Plate Road.  With a greater vision in mind, the influx of funds from NKP stock purchases prompts W&N president James. R. Fitzgerald to quietly begin buying up stock in the nearly defunct Canton & Ohio River Railroad and expanding a line east towards Akron.  Construction was completed in the early spring of 1922.  The rest of C&OR stock was purchased for pennies on the dollar, and the newly formed Erie & Southern Railroad began operations on May 8, 1922.

A formal paint scheme is adopted in 1930 as the continent feels the grip of the Great Depression.  The new color, dubbed “Erie Green”, is applied to most of the motive power roster with the hope of bringing good luck and fortune.

In 1942, as the US enters WWII, the railroad shifts its focus almost entirely to the war effort.  The former Lima Locomotive Works facility is purchased by the Army Ordinance Division, and is slated to serve as an intermediate depot for modifying combat vehicles, including tanks. Nearly all Erie & Southern engines were diverted to serving this new facility.

By 1945, the war was winding down and the railroad had resumed normal freight operations.  With a new injection of government funds, the Erie & Southern set out to aggressively upgrade operations.  All lines and motive power were upgraded, depots were refurbished, and the road began offering passenger service in 1946.

The Cost of Prosperity

1947 brought about even more changes.  Corporate headquarters were moved to Norwalk, Ohio and the company bought back large portions of NKP-owned stock.  Under the guidance of a new CEO, the railroad streamlined and standardized all operations.  It also began to offer wages and benefits to its workers that were previously unheard of in the industry.  Combined, these and other decisions sent the railroad to the brink of bankruptcy by the end of 1950.

Fall, 1953 (current day) – The Erie & Southern is once again operating at a profit, largely do to its very public “safety first” campaign which has energized the masses about traveling by train.  The railroad is lauded for providing excellent service by both the private and industrial sectors.  Though a marginal part of its operations, the E&S recently purchased two new EMD F7 units, which are dedicated solely to passenger service.

The majority of E&S operations take place between their Norwalk yard, and the NKP yard, located at Bellevue where switchers perform daily tasks of making and breaking trains for the Nickel Plate Road.  Like with its labor practices, the E&S is again attempting to be an industry leader and is among the first to use covered hopper cars for the purpose of grain loading and unloading.