Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad

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The Vanderwarker Tunnel was part of the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad's line that connected Marietta to Cincinnati. Under the direction of local landowner Thomas W. Moore, workers began carving the tunnel in 1855. It opened in 1865 and trains continued to pass through it until 1924, when part of the structure collapsed. Today a stream has reclaimed its course through part of the tunnel and not much physical evidence remains. However, the nearby community, named Tunnel because of the Vanderwarker Tunnel, serves as a reminder.

2. Roddy Road Tunnel

The Roddy Road tunnel is a sandstone block arched tunnel. A creek flows through the tunnel, and railroad tracks once passed above. Currently the road runs next to the structure, though in the past the road went directly through the tunnel alongside the Creek. The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad built the tunnel in the 1850s to serve their line. However, the tunnel is much longer than just the width of the railroad, this apparently was to allow room for farmers to move livestock and equipment over the tunnel as well, without interfering with the railroad.

3. Dunbar Piers, Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad Bridge

The Dunbar Piers are all that remain of a bridge built and used by the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad in the mid 1800s. Irish and German immigrants carved sandstone taken from the surrounding hills to build the piers, which supported a wooden trestle that has since burned and rotted away. The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad built the bridge across a deep valley in the 1860s as part of a line that ran from Marietta to Athens and eventually on to Cincinnati. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad eventually took over the Marietta and Cincinnati lines and the Dunbar Piers saw sporadic use until they were finally abandoned in 1916. Today three piers and two abutments survive.

4. Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad Culvert near Cutler

The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad constructed the Cutler Culvert as part of its line between Athens and Marietta, which opened in 1857. This large sandstone culvert sits immediately west of the community of Cutler on Big Run Road. It is made of large sandstones, cut and shaped into an arched tunnel. The structure closely resembles the culvert tunnel on Roddy Road, also built by the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad.

5. Pilcher Tunnel

Now largely collapsed, the Pilcher Tunnel lies east of Athens, near Canaanville. The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad began constructing the tunnel in 1855 as part of the line that ran from Marietta to Athens. The line to Marietta opened for rail traffic in 1857 while the tunnel was still under construction. For years trains had to climb the hill, until September of 1865 when the tunnel opened. Not long after, in 1868, a fire damaged a large portion of the tunnel's wooden reinforcement. The railroad repaired the tunnel, replacing the wooden reinforcements with stone arches, but after the Baltimore and Ohio abandoned the line in the 1870s the tunnel fell into disuse and disrepair.

6. Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad Culvert

Located east of Athens, this culvert directs water flowing into the Hocking River. It is made of cut sandstones formed into an arch. The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad constructed the exceptionally long culvert to allow its trains to pass above without concern for flooding. The culvert is one of a chain of tunnels and culverts constructed by the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, which had to traverse the many hills, valleys, and streams of Southeastern Ohio.

7. King's Hollow Tunnel

The King's Hollow Tunnel, or King's Switch Tunnel, is a wooden-framed railroad tunnel located west of the small community of Mineral, Athens County, Ohio, and east of the better-known Moonville Tunnel in Vinton County. Constructed by the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad in the 1850s, the King's Hollow Tunnel served first the Marietta and Cincinnati, then the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad until the 1980s. Since the B&O abandoned the line and removed the tracks, the tunnel has become a popular site for hikers and recreationists.

8. Moonville Tunnel

The Moonville Tunnel was part of the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad's line that ran across the Southern portion of Ohio. The railroad brought increased commerce and travel to the region, and many small communities sprang up along the line. One of these communities was the town of Moonville, located along Raccoon Creek in Vinton County, in the most densely wooded area in Ohio. The town was named after Mr. Moon who operated the town store. The town began its decline in the 1880s and closed its coal mines in the early 1900s. The last family moved from Moonville in 1947. Today, all that remains of the town is the cemetery and the train tunnel.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad

Created by Ohio History Service Corps on February 7th 2019, 8:07:32 am.

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Description

The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad was an early rail line that ran through Southeastern Ohio. The Eastern portion of the line connected Athens to Marietta. Though it passed through communities in Washington County like Vincent and Cutler, the route through the hills necessitated many tunnels, trestles and culverts and were expensive to maintain. The portion of the M&C line west of Athens also featured tunnels, but was generally straighter and easier to maintain. In 1874, after the Baltimore and Ohio gained control of the M&C, the company abandoned the old line from Marietta to Athens in favor of a shorter line from Belpre to Athens. The M&C line west of Athens remained in use until the 1980s. Today many impressive stone tunnels and culverts remain along the original M&C line.

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Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad

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