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Track Charts: Newark Division (1964-1967)

B&O Track Charts: Newark Division (1964-1967)

Published: June 29, 2026

A History Of The Newark Division

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O), America’s first common-carrier railroad (chartered 1827), built a vast network across 13 states. In central and eastern Ohio, its Newark Division served as a critical hub for coal traffic from southeastern Ohio mines, funneling it northward to Lake Erie ports and supporting regional industry. Centered on Newark, Ohio, the division comprised mostly single-track lines radiating from a major yard and shop complex. It was never a high-speed mainline like the B&O’s routes to Chicago or St. Louis but was essential for coal, local freight, and some passenger service.

Newark became the operational heart of the division, with an extensive 12-track yard, heavy car shops (built 1873 and once described as “the most extensive… in the west”), and a 25-stall roundhouse. At various times it served as headquarters for the Lake Erie, Columbus, Shawnee, and Central Ohio operations.

Origins: The Central Ohio Railroad (Bellaire–Newark Subdivision)

The foundation was the Central Ohio Railroad, chartered in February 1847 by Zanesville interests to link the Ohio River at Bellaire (opposite Wheeling, West Virginia) with Columbus. Construction faced severe challenges: difficult terrain through Black Hand Gorge (Licking River), rock cuts, landslides, and the Muskingum River crossing at Zanesville.

Key milestones:

Zanesville–Newark opened January 1852.
Extended to Columbus in 1853.
Full Bellaire–Columbus line completed November 1854 (approximately 103 miles from Bellaire to Newark, with the full route longer).

The line suffered from poor initial construction (unballasted roadbed, frequent derailments, inadequate facilities) and entered receivership in 1857. Civil War traffic helped it recover, exiting bankruptcy in late 1865. The B&O, which had taken an interest during the war, leased the Central Ohio in 1866 and began upgrades. A major improvement was the stone-and-steel Ohio River bridge at Bellaire (completed 1871, featuring impressive stone arches still visible today as the Great Stone Viaduct).

This subdivision formed the eastern backbone of the Newark Division. It featured grades up to 1.75% in places, sharp curves, and important bridges (including a notable Muskingum River span at Zanesville). Coal from Belmont, Guernsey, and Muskingum County mines was a primary commodity. Much of the line east of Cambridge was abandoned by the late 1980s under CSX; surviving segments operate today as part of the Columbus & Ohio River Railroad (CUOH) shortline.

Northward Expansion: The Lake Erie Subdivision (Sandusky Branch)

To reach Lake Erie and expand coal markets, the B&O gained control of the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Railroad (SM&N). Work on this line began in 1846; it opened fully in 1856 as a 4 ft 10 in “Ohio gauge” railroad from Sandusky to Newark (about 116 miles).

The B&O leased it in 1869 (through the Central Ohio) and quickly converted it to standard gauge. From a junction later named Willard (originally Chicago Junction), the B&O built westward to Chicago, making this route part of its main line from 1874 until the early 1890s, when a better route via Akron took precedence.

Thereafter it became a secondary coal-hauling line to Sandusky’s coal docks (three piers with steam dumpers by the late 1890s). Gentle grades (<1%) made it efficient for heavy trains. Passenger and express service continued for decades. Coal traffic shifted away from Sandusky by the 1950s; the line saw declining use and was progressively abandoned in the 1970s. Segments remain in use (e.g., Newark–Mt. Vernon and Mansfield–Willard), while others have become rail trails.

Coal Branches South and Southwest of Newark

Shawnee Subdivision (Rock Run Branch): Newark–Shawnee, ~44 miles.
Originated as the Newark, Somerset & Straitsville Railroad (chartered 1867, built ~1872). Leased to the SM&N/B&O and later purchased outright. This single-track line skirted Buckeye Lake, passed through Somerset and Junction City, and reached the heart of Perry County coal country at Shawnee (max grade 1.94%, with Bristol Tunnel). Multiple spurs served mines; a notable one was the Jobs Mines branch. Coal was the dominant traffic—hundreds of thousands of tons annually in the late 19th century, peaking at millions of tons system-wide in the 1920s. The branch also carried clay, brick, and tile products. It was abandoned in 1971.

Eastern Ohio Subdivision: Lore City–Cumberland, ~16 miles.
Built in 1873 southwest from Lore City (on the Central Ohio main) through Senecaville and Buffalo to Cumberland in Guernsey County. It served numerous coal mines (11 listed active in 1914) with dedicated “Lore City Turn” freight trains and a combination passenger/express/mail train. A locomotive water station operated at Blue Bell. The branch was abandoned in stages (mostly by the 1960s), with some access via other railroads into the late 1980s.

Southeast Connection: The Ohio & Little Kanawha Subdivision

This ~84-mile line ran southeast from Zanesville to a junction with the B&O Southwestern at Belpre (opposite Parkersburg, West Virginia). The oddly named Ohio & Little Kanawha Railroad was incorporated around 1900 and acquired by the B&O circa 1901–1904; it became part of the Newark Division. It primarily served as a coal and general freight feeder. Passenger service (three daily trains each way, about four hours end-to-end) ran until 1931. The line was relatively obscure but important for regional connectivity. It survived intact until flooding in the mid-1970s resulted in the then-Chessie System requesting formal abandonment, which was granted by the ICC and the line removed in 1976. Today, the section from Marietta to Relief remains in place, long operated by CSX to serve a now-defunct coal-fired power plant.

The Midland Subdivision and Other Elements

The Midland Subdivision (Columbus–Midland City, ~71 miles) connected westward/southwest from Columbus and was included in Newark Division operations in some periods. It supported local traffic and linked toward Cincinnati-area routes. Smaller branches included the St. Clairsville Branch (Neffs–St. Clairsville, coal-related) and various industrial spurs and mine branches.

The Columbus–Newark segment (part of the broader Columbus & Newark operations) was double- or multi-tracked in places and shared trackage with the Pennsylvania Railroad’s Panhandle line, handling significant traffic (up to dozens of trains daily at peaks).

Operations, Peak Years, and Facilities

Coal dominated traffic. Mines in eastern and southeastern Ohio fed hoppers northbound to Sandusky or local consumers. Newark’s shops and yard handled heavy maintenance. Passenger service included locals and some through trains in earlier decades. During World War II, coal movements reached extraordinary volumes system-wide. Helpers were often needed on steeper grades east of Newark.

Newark stood out as a major B&O facility in the Midwest, supporting not only the Newark Division but also broader Ohio operations.

Decline, Mergers, and Legacy

Like much of the American railroad industry, the Newark Division faced postwar challenges: declining coal demand, truck competition, and changing traffic patterns. The B&O came under C&O control in the 1960s and became part of the Chessie System, then CSX Transportation in 1980. Many single-track branches were rationalized and abandoned in the 1970s–1990s.

Today:

Remnants of the Central Ohio line operate as the CUOH shortline.
Portions of the former Lake Erie line remain active or are rail trails.
Most coal branches (Shawnee/Rock Run, Eastern Ohio, O&LK) are gone, though traces, rights-of-way, and historical markers survive.
Newark’s once-bustling yard and shops are largely redeveloped or gone, though the area retains railroad heritage interest.

The Newark Division exemplifies how the B&O assembled a patchwork of older lines into a functional regional network optimized for Ohio’s coal resources. While never as famous as the Royal Blue or Capitol Limited passenger trains, its lines moved millions of tons of coal and helped shape the economic development of central and eastern Ohio for over a century.