Leavittsburg to Mantua - Conrail (Erie)

The Cleveland Branch of the Erie Railroad (later Erie Lackawanna) was once one of the principal rail routes into Cleveland.  Built in the late 1800's, the line began at the Erie RR New York-Chicago mainline at Leavittsburg, near Warren (most of the mainline through Ohio is now also abandoned).  The line traveled in a westerly direction, passing through the towns of Garretsville, Mantua, Aurora, Solon, Bedford Heights, and Warrensville Heights.  The western terminus of the line was a yard on the east side of Cleveland.  During its heyday, the railroad was double-track all the way from Leavittsburg

to Cleveland.  The segment from Mantua to Solon was reduced to single track in the 1960's, and the remainder of the road was "narrowed" in the 70's.

The railroad remained in use up until the formation of Conrail, which made the line redundant to other rails to the south.  The segment from Leavittsburg to just west of Mantua was abandoned in the late 70's or early 80's.  The rest of the railroad survived and went to Norfolk Southern after the Conrail breakup.  From Cleveland to Solon, the line is still used (occasionally) by NS.  Track is still in place between Solon and Mantua, but the rails are in poor condition and some crossings have been paved over, suggesting that

NS has no plans to resume service on this portion.  Most of the right of way between Mantua and Garretsville has been made into an unpaved bike-walk trail, and the Mantua station remains as a small business.

Half of a bridge over OH 82 in Garretsville.  At some point the eastern abutment and the bridge itself were removed so the street could be widened.  Photo July 2003.

Special thanks to Elias C. Jones for the pictures and information on this page.

Ohio

Some sort of railroad structure (signal house?) at the eastern end of the

former Mantua trestle, looking west.  The trestle sat at a higher level than the present-day pedestrian bridge; the truck trailers in the distance (barely visible) are on the old ROW.  Photo July 2003.

ROW between Mantua and Garretsville.  Photo July 2003.

ROW near Mantua, looking east.  Photo July 2003.

ROW in the same area as the photo above, looking east.  Photo July 2003.

View from the top of the bridge abutment at OH 82 in Garrettsville, showing how the ROW has been wiped out on the other side of the street.  Photo July 2003.