ANNUAL REPORTS FOR THE CINCINNATI NORTHERN RAILROAD its PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS
The following information was obtained from the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio. As incomplete as it is, this is what was available. It is difficult to track one particular item through all annual reports because the format and information requested was always changing.
THE CINCINNATI, VAN WERT AND MICHIGAN RAILROAD for the year 1885
Purchased the Paulding and Cecil Railroad for $75,000.00. It ran from Tecumseh in Darke County north to Cecil in Paulding County just south of the Maumee River. Track work was of both square and broken joints and used fish plates and angle bars. The road owned two engines with Westinghouse brakes and four cars also equipped with the Westinghouse equipment. There were seven leased engines on the road. The passenger cars used Miller couplers. Heat for the passenger cars was provided by stoves. Lamps provided interior light. The railroad employed seven conductors, 21 station agents and 70 section men. There were 80,035 passengers carried for an average trip of 13 miles at 3 cents a mile cost.
Freight moved (in tons) agricultural products 489 coal 835 flour 232 grain 2,469 ore 1,382 manufactured goods 2,882 quarry products 17,423 lumber 34,842 live stock 733 petroleum products 152 salt 118 general merchandise 1,422 miscellaneous 802
One conductor was killed during the year when he was caught between cars. The pole broke while poling a car into a siding.
THE CINCINNATI LEBANON AND NORTHERN for 1885
This is the three foot gauge railroad that went north from the Court Street station in Cincinnati. Six engines with Westinghouse air brakes were shown on the report. The Miller hook coupling system was used and the passenger cars were heated by stoves and lit by lamps. The maximum speed for passenger trains was 30 MPH while freights were limited to 15 MPH. Trains were required to maintain 1 mile of separation. The road reported moving 285,533 passengers.
Freight moved (in tons) coal 27,028 flour 278 grain 4,071 manufactured goods 416 quarry products 5,840 live stock 2,461 lumber 5,472 general merchandise 3,361 miscellaneous freight 4,386
Four people lost their lives on the railroad in 1885, two trespassers, one foreman and one engineer in a derailment.
THE CINCINNATI, JACKSON AND MACKINAW for the period of July 1, 1889 to November 7, 1889.
Both the Lewisburg quarry and Germantown distillery branches were in operation. Passenger revenues were $91,388.37 from 137,186 paying customers. The average distance traveled was 26 miles for an average fare of 52 cents. Freight revenues were reports as $164,583.11.
Freight hauled (in tons) grain 13,317 flour 1,769 hay 3,721 tobacco 1,096 fruit and vegetables 2,797 livestock and meat 4,062 coal 121,434 quarry products 73,149 lumber 32,748 manufactured goods 51,478
The CJ&M indicated it had trackage rights on the Cleveland, Cincinnati and Indianapolis from Franklin, Ohio to Cincinnati.
ngines and rolling stock:
passenger engines 10 freight engines 14 switch engines 1 first class passenger cars 11 second class passenger cars 4 combination cars 5 baggage/express/mail 3 box cars 530 flat cars 202 stock cars 19 coal cars 120 refrigerated cars 4 caboose 8
Passenger trains consumed 4,785 tons of coal while traveling 157,908 miles for a use rate of 60.6 pound per mile. Freights used 7,249 tons traveling 180,075 miles for a use rate of 80.51 pounds per mile.
THE CINCINNATI, JACKSON AND MACKINAW for November 8, 1889 through December 31, 1890
Passenger revenues were $128,924.45 and freight was $389,659.33
Pay scales (per day) station agent $1.34 engineer 3.20 fireman 1.83 conductor 2.57 other station and track men 1.10
THE CINCINNATI, LEBANON AND NORTHERN 1900
The railroad was incorporated as the Miami Valley Narrow Gage Railway, November 9, 1874. It was sold under foreclosure April 8, 1880 and reorganized as the Cincinnati Northern on June 8, 1880. The road was sold again in foreclosure on June 27, 1885. On June 30, 1900 the railroad was known as the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern. It was 30.41 miles long with one branch line from Blue Ash to Montgomery (1.35 miles.)
THE CINCINNATI NORTHERN for 1900
There were six stock holders. The railroad used the Big Four from Franklin to Middletown, the Middletown and Cincinnati to Hagman Junction and the CL&N from Hagman Junction into East Norwood then the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern into Cincinnati.
On the other end of the line the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern was used into the Jackson terminal. The railroad was also undergoing reorganization.
Passenger revenue for 1900 was $163,046.05 and freight brought in $336,685.14 for a total of $499,731.19. Maintenance of Way cost $511,539.70 for a deficit of $11,808.57. Figures for employee wages etc. were not available.
There were 284,551 passengers transported for an average trip of 26.9 miles. Freight tonnage that earned revenue was $524,381. Passenger trains traveled 241,904 miles and the freights went 221,990 miles. Mixed trains went 40,066 miles.
Freight in tons
agricultural products 91,917
livestock 14,161
coal 1,152
quarry products 63,214
lumber 40,045
manufactured goods 8,787
miscellaneous goods 16,845
Engines and rolling stock
passenger engines 12
freight engines 9
switch engines 1
first class pass. cars 11
second class pass. cars 3
combines 3
baggage/mail 5
box cars 793
flat cars 120
stock cars 40
coal cars 63
82,180 white oak ties were laid in 1900 with an average cost per tie of $41.54.
Coal Consumption
type of train tons miles lb. /mile
passenger 871,493 301,738 57.76
freight 1,877,869 321,872 104.26
switcher 197,034 75,492 52.20
const/mow 82,004 30,033 54.61
The telegraph used by the railroad was owned by western union Telegraph and the Middletown and Cincinnati Railroad.
THE CINCINNATI NORTHERN annual report for 1910
The annual report noted that the Cincinnati Northern was part of a consolidated company consisting of;
1. The Dayton and Cincinnati Terminal Company, organized May 24, 1894.
2. The Cincinnati, Jackson and Mackinaw organized March 12, 1886.
3. The Jackson and Cincinnati Railroad Company organized August 9, 1895.
There were still two spurs listed, the Lewisburg Quarry and the distillery at Germantown.
The Cincinnati Northern had trackage rights over the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis from Franklin, Ohio into Cincinnati for a total distance from Jackson, Michigan of 138.4 miles.
Operating revenues $1,243,026.41
Total expenses $936,446.14
Profit $306,580.27
Improvement expenses
steam locomotive $15,600.00
freight car 83,848.68
road 27,650.29
Income
freight $812,771.37
passenger 175,315.67
excess baggage 3,406.04
mail 16,643.23
express 17,179.90
milk moved on pass. trains 3,513.81
other pass. train revenue 263.01
Maintenance of Way
ties $46,116.62
roadbed and track 64,040.50
jointly owned track & fac. 42,661.93
Equipment maintenance
steam locomotives $76,726.90
car repairs;
passenger 12,326.56
freight 68,037.72
freight car renewal 63,222.03
Jointly owned yards and terminals
Latty, Ohio NYC&St.L
West Manchester, Ohio PCC&St.L
Addison Junction, Mich. LS&MS
Jackson, Michigan Michigan Central
The railroad carried 600,564 passengers, earning $259,344.28. 1,487,064 tons of freight were moved and an average distance of 112.94 miles. Total freight income was $974,417.49.
Locomotive mileage for 1910
freight 644,635
passenger 362,252
switching 116,575
Car mileage
freight;
loaded 6,400,396
empty 2,892,606
caboose 450,367
passenger car 689,548
sleeper/parlor/observation 24,469
other passenger 278,533
Train mileage
freight 450,367
passenger 308,344
special trains 461
non-revenue 8,813
Freight hauled (in tons)
agricultural products 145,123
animal products 24,682
mine products 700,813
wood products 125,650
manufactured products 197,593
merchandise and misc. 46,514
Cincinnati Northern owned steam locomotives in 1910 (all had
train brakes and automatic couplers)
passenger 10
freight 16 retired 2
switchers 1
Cincinnati Northern cars
passenger;
first class 11
second class 3
combination 3
baggage/express/postal 6
freight;
type 12-31-1909 12-31-1910 retired
box 1533 1405 128
flat 61 52 17
stock 34 31 3
coal 65 56 9
caboose 20 21 2 added 3
M.O.W.
gravel 43
derrick 1
other 12
Track in miles
Cincinnati Northern owned 205.18
operated under trackage rights 39.62
yards and sidings 43.65
Fuel consumption
coal soft wood miles lb./mile
tons cords traveled
freight 37,860 180 531,995 142.67
passenger 11,373 70 297,712 77.31
special 18 0 623 57.78
non-revenue 558 8 6,447 174.34
switch 4,347 30 105,311 82.84
Average cost of fuel at the distribution point
bituminous coal $1.744/ton
wood 1.75/cord
Accidents
coupling 1 injured
collisions 1 injured
fall from train 3 injured, 1 death
struck by train;
at grade crossing 3 injured
at a station 1 injured
Track statistics (in miles)
main line;
total length of railroad 165.3
number of curves 122
total length of curves 20.64
length of straight line track 144.66
level track 43.45
ascending grades 131
total length of ascending grades 65.99
total ascent in feet 999
descending grades 133
total descent in feet 1202.40
total length of descending grades 55.86
branches;
Lewisburg quarry
length 1.12
curves .44
straight track .68
descending curves [4] .15
descent in feet 54
length of grades .97
Germantown distillery
length 1.84
curves [8] .80
straight track 1.04
level track .68
ascents in feet [3] 28
descents in feet [1] 2
length of descent [in feet] 16
Bridges
42 stone longest 60 feet
24 iron longest 487 feet
47 trestles longest 204 feet
THE CINCINNATI NORTHERN December 31, 1920
Revenue
freight $2,707,268.44
passenger 202,369.54
mail 63,580.34
express 22,907.69
milk 8,327.59
switching 9,472.69
Total revenue, 1920 $3,015,918.28
Expenses
maintenance of way and equipment $59,417.87
The Germantown distillery spur had been abandoned.
Trackage rights
Michigan Central and New York Central in Jackson, Michigan
1.22 miles
CCC&St.L in Cincinnati 1.45 miles
B&O Ivorydale, B&O junction 5.9 miles
CCC&St.L Ivorydale to Franklin, Ohio 31 miles
The Cincinnati Northern had 36 steam locomotives in 1920. This is the first year steel underframes are mentioned in the report. It is also the first time the report form asks for information on electric locomotives. The Cincinnati Northern had none.
Revenue cars
Type Began Added Retired Total Owned Leased
year
box 1399 2 26 1375 879 496
flat 12 0 2 10 10 0
stock 23 0 1 22 22 0
coal 70 1 17 54 54 0
caboose 20 1 0 21 19 2
coaches 13 0 0 13 13 0
combines 5 0 0 5 5 0
baggage/exp. 2 0 1 1 1 0
M.O.W
ballast 41 0 0 41 41 0
derrick 3 0 0 3 3 0
steam shovels 1 0 0 1 1 0
other 30 2 2 30 30 0
Rail in use by weight
pounds miles
in use
90 .41
80 128.66
75 5.46
70 73.54
65 1.08
Grade crossing protection
gates only 1 (with another railroad)
part time flagmen only on streets 5
crossing alarm only on streets 5
interlocking 13
signals not interlocked with railroads 5 includes one interurban
derails on electric RR 2
unprotected with inter-urban 3
unprotected streets roads 273
The Cincinnati Northern owned 410.6 miles of telegraph and telephone wire.
Tie replacement
new treated oak 43,234 cost $1.31 each
new untreated oak 8,655 1.24
average number of ties per mainline mile 1,022
Freight hauled in tons 441,363
Passengers transported 254,720
Locomotive miles traveled
freight 451,162
passenger 259,748
switch train 58,708
yard switch 57,525
Car miles traveled
freight 18,658,901
caboose 441,363
passenger 804,633
Freight totals for 1920
total tons
car loads
agricultural 11,882 262,510
animal products 2,048 21,369
mine products* 38,254 1,838,867
forest products 8,359 222,521
manufactured goods/
miscellaneous 21,640 454,430
1.c.1 63,456
totals 82,183 2,863,153
*principally coal
Pay rates (average total number of employees per month 868)
general officer $5,015.00/year
freight brakeman 2,673.26
freight engineer 3,787.60
passenger engineer 3,325.74
passenger conductor 3,754.93
freight conductor 3,663.15
Fuel consumption
coal avg. cost fuel oil fuel oil
tons ton gallons cost/gallon
freight 59,753 $5.88 4,171 $0.125
passenger 11,566 2,086
switcher 3,887 1,043
No mention was made of what type of engine used the fuel oil .
1920 is the last year the Cincinnati Northern submitted an annual report to the state of Ohio.
Annual report information from the Ohio Historical Society archives, Columbus Ohio.
The Cincinnati Northern Railroad Company
STATISTICAL TABLES, 1909-1928
Calendar year
* Dividends paid, charged to Profit and Loss
d Deficit
x Operation by trailed States Railroad Administration
p January-February: Federal control, March-August; Guaranty period, September-December Corporate operation
t Adjusted
q There was also Paid and charged to Profit and Loss an additional 40% amounting to $1,200,000