Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Lorain and West Virginia Railway

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 31

The Lorain and West Virginia Railway

Location and General Description of Property

The railroad of The Lorain and West Virginia Railroad Company, herein called the Lorain and West Virginia, consists of 25.246 miles of single-track, standard-gage, steam railroad, extending from South Lorain to a connection with the tracks of the carrier [Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway] at Lake Junction, near Wellington, in the State of Ohio. In addition to the main track mileage, it owns 13.249 miles of yard tracks and sidings, making an aggregate of 38.495 miles of all tracks.

Physical Conditions Affecting Construction

The country traversed is gently rolling, the soil being a sandy clay. Grading averages 39,000 cubic yards per mile, mostly common, only 1 per cent being loose rock and solid rock.

Economic Conditions Relating to Traffic

The principal products of the region traversed are those of the factory and the farms.

Physical Characteristics of Road

The main track is laid with 80-pound new Bessemer rail. The largest bridge is a single-track, deck-plate girder and deck riveted truss bridge, 760 feet long, over Black River.

Introductory

The Lorain and West Virginia is a corporation of the State of Ohio, having its principal office at Cleveland, Ohio. It is controlled by the carrier through ownership of a majority of the capital stock. The records do not indicate that this company controls any carrier corporation.

The property of the Lorain and West Virginia was operated for its own account by The Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad Company and its receiver from the time a portion of its property was completed to December 31, 1916. From January 1, 1917, to December 31, 1917, it was operated by the carrier, as agent.

On January 1, 1918, the common-carrier property of the Lorain and West Virginia was taken over for operation by the United States Railroad Administration, which operates it on date of valuation.

Corporate History

The Lorain and West Virginia was incorporated January 15, 1906, under the general laws of the State of Ohio, for the purpose of constructing and operating a railroad from a point in the city of Lorain, Ohio, to a point on the Ohio-West Virginia State line in Washington County, Ohio. The company was organized March 8, 1906.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The owned mileage, amounting to 25.246 miles, was constructed for the company by The Girard Construction Company, an affiliated corporation, during the period from 1906 to 1908. A further amount of 8.160 miles, from Quarry Junction to a connection with the tracks of The New York Central Railroad Company, was constructed during the same period, but was abandoned in 1918.

Leased Railway Property

On January 1, 1918, the common-carrier property of the Lorain and West Virginia was taken over for operation, in connection with that of the carrier by the United States Railroad Administration, which operates it on date of valuation. No rental has been accrued in the records of the Lorain and West Virginia or in those of the railroad administration for the use of the property during this period.