When driving through Hamilton, Ohio it’s hard not to cross the railroad tracks. This industrial city is nearly 25 miles north of Cincinnati, Ohio. Currently, the city is a major junction for both Norfolk Southern and CSX with its 4 active railroad lines. This city can see upwards to 60 trains a day along with Amtrak’s Cardinal service running from Chicago to New York City. Right now Amtrak does not make a station stop in Hamiton like it once did several years ago at the Hamilton Train station.
Hamilton Train Station (Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Station)
The oldest section of the structure dates back to the mid-1800s and has quite a history. During the 1859 Presidental race this was a campaign stop for Abraham Lincoln. The three-story section was added in the late 1800s. This station is at the northern end of the CSX Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision and at the start of the southern end of the CSX Toledo Subdivision. At the southern end of the station is where the line splits west to the CSX Indianapolis Subdivision.
Hamilton Pennsylvania Railroad Depot
This station is located on the northern end of the Norfolk Southern New Castle District. This brick station saw its last passenger service in 1971. Today this station is hidden by a large fence. While it’s documented as a depot, its structure reflects a freight house. The skeletons of old tracks also suggest maybe this was part of a yard at one time.
CSX | Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision
Many of the trains originate from Cincinnati neighboring yards CSX’s Queensgate and Norfolk Southern’s Gest Street. Just north of the yards this double line track begins at Winton Place and runs 19 miles north to Hamiltons Butler Street. It’s not uncommon to see both CSX and Norfolk Southern running on this section of track.
CSX | Toledo Subdivision
Cutting through the city of Hamilton is the CSX Toledo Subdivision this double line main runs north from Hamilton (Butler Street) to Perrysburg, Ohio. This line was originally a part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Norfolk Southern | New Castle District
This line runs northwest from Evendale to Hamilton, Ohio then shares track rights with the CSX’s Toledo Subdivision up to New Miami, Ohio. Then continues it’s way northwest to Muncie, Indiana. This line was also part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
Abandoned | The Middletown Branch
This nearly 4-mile branch (off of the New Castle District) running between downtown Hamilton to Woodsdale Junction was abandoned in 1934. This right-of-way running parallel with Canal Road most of the cut is hard to see but some of the right-a-way is now the “Greater Miami River Recreation Trail”.
CSX | Indianapolis Subdivision
This single line runs northwest off the Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision just at the Hamilton Train Station. This line crosses the Great Miami River as a truss bridge and stays elevated over some of the local city streets with 17 stone arches. This structure was built in 1913 by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
Abandoned | “Belt Line” Champion Mill
In the late 1890s, the Hamilton Belt Railway Company was formed to service the Champion Mill paper factory and other businesses west side. This spur loops back 2.9 miles east to its primary customer for 114 years Champion Mill where the line terminates. By the mid-1920 this line was seeing upwards to 200 railroad cars weekly between boxcars and coal hoppers. Champion Mill had its own railroad yard with 20 miles of track. Shortly after World War II Hamilton Belt Railways saw a steady decline and more product was being shipped out by truck rather than rail. Champion Mill had their own locomotive for switching locally in the yard at one point operated by Greater Miami Railway and later by US Rail. In 2012 Champion Mill (Smart Paper) closes its doors the line was abandoned.
Hamilton today
There is a movement to save the Hamilton Train Station by moving it to a new location in the city. Amtrak service may return to the city for Amtrak’s Cardinal with a new station platform. There is also talk about a new triple C service running from Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland, Ohio. Hamilton wants to be a stop on the new Triple C-line. Time will tell what will happen with these upcoming projects.
