Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

Overview
Headquarters	1664 Main Street/Route 303, Peninsula, Summit County, Ohio
Reporting mark	CVSR
Locale	Cuyahoga Valley National Park from Independence to Akron OH
Dates of operation	1975–present
Predecessor	Chessie System
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Length	26 miles (42 km) leased from National Park Service
Other
Website	https://www.cvsr.org/

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) is a special train service. It takes people on fun trips through the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The trains run between Akron, Ohio and the Cleveland area. You can ride on trains pulled by both diesel and steam engines.

The Story of the Railroad

How the Railroad Started

Back in the 1860s, many railroads were being built across the United States. People in the Cuyahoga Valley wanted their own train line. Plans were made, but they didn't have enough money at first. Later, a man named David L. King helped fund the project.

On August 21, 1871, the Valley Railroad Company was officially created. Their goal was to run trains from Cleveland to Akron, Middlebury, and Canton. This new railroad would compete with the nearby Ohio and Erie Canal. Building the tracks began, but a money problem in 1873 stopped the work again. In 1878, some rich business people from Cleveland and New York decided to help. They funded the project, and construction started up once more.

Train Operations Over Time

The very first passenger train on the Valley Railroad ran on January 28, 1880. It traveled between Cleveland and Canton. Regular passenger and freight services began just five days later. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) wanted to reach Cleveland using the Valley Railroad's tracks. In 1889, the B&O bought most of the Valley Railroad's shares.

The line between Cleveland and Akron became known as the Cleveland, Terminal and Valley Railway. It was later called the B&O's Valley Division. At first, several passenger trains ran daily. But over time, fewer and fewer passenger trains operated. Eventually, only one train, the Cleveland Night Express, remained.

By the 1960s, the Cleveland Night Express stopped running. More people were using cars, trucks, and buses. This caused a big drop in both passenger and freight train services. The B&O's next company, the Chessie System, kept the Valley Division tracks. They used them for daily trains carrying iron ore to steel mills in New Castle and Youngstown.

In the early 1970s, a group called the Midwest Railway Historical Foundation became interested in the line. They wanted to use the tracks for weekend tourist trips. They planned to use a steam locomotive called No. 4070. This idea gained support from several important people and groups. A new organization, the Cuyahoga Valley Preservation and Scenic Railway Association, was formed in 1972. The Chessie System eventually agreed to let them use the tracks. The first Cuyahoga Valley Line train ran on June 26, 1975.

In 1985, the Chessie System's new company, CSX, decided to stop using these tracks. The Cuyahoga Valley Line had to stop its trips for two years. In 1987, the National Park Service (NPS) bought the Cleveland-Akron line for $2.5 million. They wanted to expand train service to bring more visitors to the Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area. The Cuyahoga Valley Line started its trips again in 1988.

In 1994, the Cuyahoga Valley Line changed its name to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR). They grew their operations and updated their trains. They bought new diesel locomotives from ALCO and MLW. They also got Budd steel passenger cars. In June 1999, the NPS finished building a new shop. The CVSR uses this shop to maintain its locomotives.

The railroad decided to expand its train collection. They wanted to have "the largest collection of preserved Alco locomotives in the country." They started a fundraising effort called "Leading the Way Locomotive Fleet." By June 2024, they had raised $1.5 million towards their $3 million goal. In late June 2024, the CVSR bought two more Alco locomotives from the Grand Canyon Railway. This means they can now run two trains at once. It also allows one locomotive to be worked on without stopping the train schedule. The CVSR plans to buy more locomotives from the Grand Canyon Railway in the future.

Future Plans for the Railroad

On January 26, 2023, plans were made to extend the CVSR's route. The goal is to connect the train line from its current end point at Rockside Road in Independence, Ohio, all the way into Cleveland.

Train Safety and Incidents

CVSR engine 365 at the Canton Lincoln Highway Station.

Flood damage to CVSR tracks north of Bath Road.

Cuyahoga River flooding CVSR tracks north of Vaughn Road.

CVSR staff loading bikes for the Bike and Hike program.

The CVSR has experienced a few incidents over the years:

• In 2004, a person was hit by a train during a Polar Express trip.
• In 2009, a car hit a train at a crossing without warning lights. The driver did not expect the train to be running on a weekday.
• In 2012, a train hit a car at a crossing in northern Stark County. The elderly driver of the car passed away.
• In 2015, a person was hit by a train in Peninsula, Ohio.

What the CVSR Offers

The CVSR offers many different types of train trips throughout the year. It runs fun trips for visitors. Also, working with the NPS, the railroad helps people get to different parts of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The CVSR also works with the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (WLE) to run trains south to Canton.

National Park Scenic Rides

The National Park Scenic trips let passengers ride the entire route. You can also get on and off at different stations along the way. This is a great way to explore the park.

Steam Train Events

A steam locomotive named Grand Trunk Western 4070 was once the main engine for the CVSR. It has not been in service since 1990. However, in some years, the CVSR has hosted special steam train trips. These trips featured visiting steam locomotives like Canadian Pacific 1293 and Nickel Plate Road 765.

Explorer Program

If you like biking, hiking, or kayaking, the Explorer program is for you! For a small fee, you can ride the train one way from any of the CVSR's nine stations. Your bike or kayak is loaded onto a special car. You sit in the car right behind it. This program is available from May through October.

Train Trips to Canton

In the summer of 2003, the CVSR started offering service between Akron and Canton. The CVSR ran trains between Akron Northside Station and Canton Lincoln Highway Station until 2013.

Train Stations

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad has several stations along its route. Each station offers access to different parts of the national park or nearby attractions.

Stations	Address	Elevation	Nearby Points of Interest	Image
Rockside	7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence, Ohio 44131	598 feet (182 m)	Bus connections; Eleven Mile Lock 39; Thornburg Station (food)
Canal Exploration Center	Canal Road & Hillside Road, Valley View, Ohio 44125	611 feet (186 m)	Canal Visitor Center, Twelve Mile Lock 38
Brecksville	13512 Station Road, Brecksville, Ohio 44141	635 feet (194 m)	Station Road Bridge; Pinery Dam & Feeder, and Lock 36; Whiskey Lock 35
Boston Mill	7100 Riverview Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264	663 feet (202 m)	Boston Store Visitor Center, Boston Lock 32, Lonesome Lock 31, Wallace Lock 33, Boston Mills Ski Resort, food
Peninsula Depot	1630 West Mill Street, Peninsula, Ohio 44264	693 feet (211 m)	Peninsula Visitor Center, Peninsula Lock 29, Peninsula Feeder Lock 30, Deep Lock 28 and Quarry, food
Indigo Lake	Riverview Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264	739 feet (225 m)	Hunt Farm Visitor Center, Beaver Marsh, Pancake Lock 26, Johnny Cake Lock 27
Howe Meadow stop	4040 Riverview Road, Peninsula, Ohio 44264	741 feet (226 m)	Hunt Farm Visitor Center, Everett Road Covered Bridge
Botzum	2912 Riverview Road, Akron, Ohio 44313	754 feet (230 m)	Niles Lock 24, Mudcatcher Lock 25 (Station located in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)
Big Bend	1337 Merriman Road, Akron, Ohio 44313	782 feet (238 m)
Akron Northside	27 Ridge Street, Akron, Ohio 44308	885 feet (270 m)	Mustill Store, Quaker Square, National Inventors Hall of Fame
Canton Lincoln Highway	1315 Tuscarawas Street West, Canton, Ohio 44702	1,029 feet (314 m)	McKinley Memorial Mausoleum, Canton Museum of Art, First Ladies National Historic Site

Train Equipment

The CVSR uses different types of locomotives (the engines that pull the trains) and passenger cars.

Locomotives (Engines)

Past Locomotives

Passenger Cars

Who Manages the Railroad

As of 2024, the people who manage the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad include:

• Larry Stevenson, President/CEO
• James Lawson, Chief of Railroad Operations
• Greg Domzalski, Director of Finance
• Lynee Bixler, Director of Marketing
• Samantha Holland, Director of Events
• Michele Savoldi, Director of Development and Community Relations
• Joel Turenne, Director of Equipment and Facilities

More to Explore

• ABC Railway
• ALCO RSD-5
• Heritage railway
• Cleveland railroad history
• List of crossings of the Cuyahoga River
• List of heritage railroads in the United States
• List of Ohio railroads
• List of Ohio train stations
• Ohio and Erie Canal