Columbus Railroad Milestones
The Milestones section of Columbus Railroads will look at the development of the transportation networks serving Columbus. The National Road and the Ohio Canals were constructed in the earliest days of Columbus and Franklinton. In 1850, the first railroad, the Columbus & Xenia Railroad, arrived soon followed by two more railroads.
Over the years, local, national, and natural events influenced Columbus and its railroads. Sometimes, this was for the better, sometimes not. For example, the Great Flood of 1913 was a tragedy for the residents of Franklin, with over 90 Franklinton residents perishing and hundreds left homeless. For the railroads, infrastructure was severely damaged, interrupting service for many days.
Following World War II, the construction of the interstate highway system, the introduction of jet aircraft travel, and the elimination of the railroad’s U.S. Postal Service contracts ended railroad passenger trains through Columbus. With Union Station no longer needed, it was demolished, and the Columbus Convention Center was built.
Milestones start at the beginning with the story of
Alfred Kelly and the Dawn of Ohio Railroads by James M. Cavanaugh.