CD&M Shops at Stratford

Ca. 1930

        The CD&M had its main shops on the Olentangy River at Stratford about 3 miles south of Delaware.  When it was built it included a power plant, car barns, and a paint shop.  After a 1927 fire destroyed the car barns and power plant only a small yard for storing equipment and a shop building for maintaining and painting the cars was left.  Coming from the south toward Stratford the track followed along side SR 23, came down the heavy grade of Kingman Hill into the river valley, crossed the river and turned right to follow the river past the shop area and continued to follow along side what was then SR 23 and is now Stratford Rd. into Delaware.

        This set of aerial photos taken around the Stratford shops gives the reader an excellent view of the area.  Each photo can be expanded for additional detail.  All photos from the DAK Collection.

This view is generally looking north.  A new bridge is being constructed for SR 23.  If you expand the picture you can follow the interurban line crossing the river and turning to follow Stratford Rd. north toward Delaware.  The shop is between the river and Stratford Road.  A farmer is  plowing the field just west of the new  bridge with a horse drawn plow.

The camera is still generally looking north.  You can get a better view of the CD&M side of the road right-of-way as it approaches the bridge over the Olentangy River.

The camera is looking south giving a good view of the paint shop.  The area between the paint shop and the bridge held car barns and an emergency power plant that were destroyed by fire in 1927.  You can also see a work car on the mainline that runs on the right side of Stratford Rd. in this picture.

The camera is looking east giving a better view of the work car sitting on the main. The work car is sitting in front of a small church which is still there in 2008.  There is also a string of freight cars to the right of the shop building along the river.  The farmer and his white horse are still plowing that field.

On  the far side of the river is another farmer with an interurban sitting in his barn yard.  The next picture gives a better view of this.

This expanded view of the previous picture shows the interurban car body sitting in the farmers barn yard.  As interurbans and streetcars became obsolete they often found new uses from chicken coops to restaurants.