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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Buffalo, NY to Chicago, IL |
The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a major part of the New York Central Railroad's Water Level Route from Buffalo, New York to Chicago, Illinois, primarily along the south shore of Lake Erie and across northern Indiana.
History
- Toledo to Chicago
- Erie to Cleveland
The Franklin Canal Company was chartered May 21, 1844, and built a railroad from Erie, Pennsylvania southwest to the Ohio border. The Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula Railroad was incorporated February 18, 1848, and the full line from Erie to Cleveland, Ohio opened November 20, 1852. The Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula bought the Franklin Canal Company on June 20, 1854.
- Buffalo to Erie
The Buffalo and State Line Railroad was incorporated October 13, 1849 and opened January 1, 1852 from Dunkirk, New York west to Pennsylvania. The rest of the line from Dunkirk to Buffalo opened on February 22. The Erie and Northeast Railroad was chartered April 12, 1842 to build the part from the state line west to Erie, Pennsylvania, and opened on January 19, 1852. On November 16, 1853, an agreement was made between the two railroads, which had been built at 6 foot broad gauge, to relay the rails at standard gauge to match the Franklin Canal Company's railroad (see below) on the other side of Erie, and for the Buffalo and State Line to operate the Erie and Northeast. This would result in through passengers no longer having to change trains at Erie, and on December 7, 1853, the Erie Gauge War began between the railroads and the townspeople. On February 1, 1854 the relaying was finished and the first train passed through Erie. On May 15, 1867 the two companies between Buffalo and Erie merged to form the Buffalo and Erie Railroad.
- Cleveland to Toledo
The Junction Railroad was chartered March 2, 1846 to build from Cleveland west to Toledo. The Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland Railroad was chartered March 7, 1850 to build from Toledo east to Grafton on the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad. The latter company opened on January 24, 1853, finally forming a continuous Buffalo-Chicago line. On September 1 the two companies merged to form the Cleveland and Toledo Railroad, the Junction Railroad becoming the Northern Division and the Toledo, Norwalk and Cleveland the Southern Division. The Northern Division opened from Cleveland west to Sandusky on October 24, 1853, and the rest of the way to Toledo on April 24, 1855. The Northern Division was abandoned west of Sandusky due to lack of business, but the track was relaid in 1872, merging with the Southern Division at Millbury, east of Toledo. In 1866 the Southern Division east of Oberlin was abandoned and a new line was built to Elyria on the Northern Division, ending the use of the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad.
- Consolidations
In October 1867 the Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula leased the Cleveland and Toledo. The CP&A changed its name to the Lake Shore Railway on March 31, 1868, and on February 11, 1869 the Lake Shore absorbed the Cleveland and Toledo.
The Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad Company (a railroad from Chicago to Toledo, Ohio) and The Lake Shore Railway Company (a railroad from Toledo, Ohio to Erie, Pennsylvania) were consolidated on 6 April 1869, under the name of The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company.
The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company ( now a railroad from Chicago to Erie, Pennsylvania) and The Buffalo and Erie Railroad Company (a railroad from Erie, Pennsylvania to Buffalo, New York) were consolidated a few months later, on 22 June 1869 retaining the name The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company.