This week’s foray into Cincinnati’s railroad legacy spotlights two bygone lines – the Little Miami Railroad and the Baltimore and Ohio Southwest Spring Grove Industrial Track. These corridors, now largely forgotten, were once integral arteries in the region’s transportation tapestry.
This week’s foray into Cincinnati’s railroad legacy spotlights two bygone lines – the Little Miami Railroad and the Baltimore and Ohio Southwest Spring Grove Industrial Track. These corridors, now largely forgotten, were once integral arteries in the region’s transportation tapestry.
Established as Ohio’s second chartered railroad, the Little Miami Railroad initially connected Cincinnati with Xenia and Springfield, later extending its reach to the state capital of Columbus. Renowned for its profitability, the Little Miami stood as one of the United States’ most lucrative rail operations until its fortunes waned after World War II. Following a series of consolidations and mergers, the line was officially dismantled in 1976, only to be revived less than a decade later as the nation’s longest rail trail.
The accompanying visuals chronicle the Little Miami’s terminus at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse, east of downtown Cincinnati, through to the Undercliff Yards. Local historian Jeffrey Jakucyk of Cincinnati Traction History has graciously provided supplementary context regarding this railway, appended below.
Nearby is the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad’s Spring Grove Industrial Track which is currently inactive. This former single-track branch diverged from the mainline at the B&O SW Coleraine Avenue underpass, proceeding southeast along Spring Grove Avenue. By 1912, the line extended southward to Brashears Street and eventually Monmouth Street, where it bifurcated to service two industrial customers, notably Crosley Radio Corporation. This spur has lain dormant for over a decade, with all grade crossings removed.
