Bellaire Zanesville & Cincinnati

Company History: This 3’ gauge line was launched in the late 1870s as the Bellaire & Southwestern Railway to connect Monroe County, Ohio to a connection with the B&O in Bellaire. It was built from Bellaire to Armstrongs Mills, Beallsville and Woodsford by 1879. The name was changed to Bellaire Zanesville & Cincinnati Railway and construction proceeded westward. By Christmas of 1883, the line reached Zanesville. The terrain in this part of Ohio can be described as rolling and the BZ&C had approximately 300 bridges of various designs along the route. BZ&C fell into receivership in 1886. It would emerge due to local coal and oil booms only to fall back in to receivership again before finally being reorganized in 1902 as the Ohio River & Western.

Successor/Parent History: The Ohio River & Western Railroad was a 112-mile long (180 km) narrow gauge railway that was incorporated in 1875 and operated from 1877 or 1878 till 1931. The railroad was located in southeastern Ohio. The line ran from Bellaire (east point) to Zanesville (west end).

The company began to shorten its line in 1928, selling of the section west of Lawton to the PO&D; the section from there to Woodsfield was abandoned some time later. The remaining railroad ceased operations in 1931; the line from Key to Bellaire was sold to the Pittsburgh, Ohio Valley and Cincinnati Railroad in April 1931. The last train to run on the remaining railroad was on Memorial Day, May 30, 1931 and the line was abandoned the next day. The company was formally dissolved in 1935.

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