Ride the Rails

The first steam engine traveled down the new Valley Railway in 1880, beginning an era of progress for the Cuyahoga Valley. Regional industrial growth increased demand for coal and other raw materials, and the railway linked mineral fields in the south with factories in the north. Promoters called it “the best coal and mineral railroad in Ohio.” The line accelerated industry, carried passengers on scenic day trips through the countryside, and turned depots into community hubs where people gathered for mail and telegraphs. The sixteen original depots were red, while yellow paint marks modern buildings whose design follows the scale and architectural details of the Peninsula Depot, a typical Valley Railway building. Today the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad follows much the same route through Cuyahoga National Park and the Ohio & Erie Canalway.

Ohio · United States