The Poor’s Manual of the Railroads was first published in 1868. It is principally a financial report on the various railroads in the United States both steam and traction. Of special interest to the railfan are the equipment counts and dates when the lines were built and when they were involved in mergers and acquisitions. Two sources for digital copies of the complete manuals are found as follows:
Particular to Central Ohio are excerpts from Poor's Manual of individual lines that eventually became part of the five class I railroads that served Columbus in the mid-Twentieth Century.
Selected Entries
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
The B&O section of the Poor’s Manual is too large to include here. Select the 1899 Poor’s Manual and go to page 48 for the start of the 35 page B&O section.