Cleveland Commercial Railroad
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Dates of operation | June 2004–present |
| Predecessor | New York Central Railroad |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Length | 35 miles (56 km)[1] |
The Cleveland Commercial Railroad (CCR) is a shortline railroad which operates in Cuyahoga County in Ohio in the United States. Founded as a freight-only railroad in 2004, it leases and has trackage rights on lines owned by the Norfolk Southern and the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway. It also operates an industrial switching railroad at the Port of Cleveland.
In 1853, the Cleveland and Mahoning Valley Railroad (C&MV) finished laying its tracks through what was then Newburgh Township (south of Cleveland).[2] After a series of owners, it ended up in the hands of the Norfolk Southern in 1999.
From 1881 to 1882, the Connotton Valley Railway built its line through Newburgh (now largely annexed by the city of Cleveland).[3][4][5] After a series of bankruptcies, the line ended up in the hands of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway.[6] A series of consolidations and mergers left the road in the hands of the Norfolk Southern. In 1990, the Norfolk Southern sold the road to a new corporation, also named the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway.
Founding the CCR
In 2002, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway entered into a lease with a start-up railroad, the Connotton Valley Railway, Inc. The lease covered 10.4 miles (16.7 km) of track from the Wheeling's terminus in downtown Cleveland to Glenwillow, Ohio. The agreement also gave the lessee access to the Wheeling's train yard at Falls Junction (near Glenwillow) and to several sidings.[7]
The Connotton's lease ended in 2004, and the Wheeling was looking for a new operator for the shortline. The Wheeling approached Michael Kole, a trustee of the Midwest Railway Preservation Society who had experience operating freight trains. Kole contacted the society's president, Bill Brown, a former insurance executive, who agreed to join the venture and provide administrative expertise.[8] With co-investor Douglas Fink,[9] the Cleveland Commercial Railroad Co. LLC was founded[8] and became the new lessee.[10] A month later, the United States Department of Transportation awarded a $25 million ($41,600,000 in 2024 dollars) low-interest loan to allow the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway to modernize, repair, and replace 315 miles (507 km) of track. The work included the CCR's shortline.[11]