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Railroad history in the area told

DEAR EDITOR:

The recent Tribune Chronicle photo of the railroad crossing repair on Tod Avenue SW near West Market Street, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, is along a very historic transportation corridor. The B&O Railroad, Warren’s last railroad line, was constructed in 1882 and was located along the 1830s route of the Pennsylvania and Ohio canal, which ran from New Castle, Pa., to Akron.

The B&O Railroad, earlier the “Pittsburg & Western RR,” was Warren’s second “trunk-line” railroad, connecting New York to Chicago. The first such line was the Erie Railroad through Warren in the 1860s.

During 1904, the B&O Railroad was double-tracked and relocated south of Warren through Lordstown, where today it remains a busy freight corridor. It was constructed over the historic Salt Springs during the time before environmental assessments for projects. A long overdue historic marker for the Salt Springs story soon will be erected east of the site, at Kerr Cemetery, by the Mineral Ridge Historical Society.

The B&O Railroad “old line” continued to serve Niles and Warren industries including the Republic Steel plants. This line is now out of service due to a lack of customers, which, unfortunately is a reflection of Warren’s economy.

BOB SMITH

past president,

Trumbull County

Historical Society

Warren

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