Delphos, OH: NKP's Cloverleaf History

Mike Snow ->  Toledo St Louis and Western "Clover Leaf"

(Update: Cloverleaf's shops in Delphos)

Mike's comment:

Delphos Ohio

This is where the Cloverleaf crossed the Pennsylvania Railroad. Note track still present just to the right of signal tower. this was the signal on the north side of the diamond. The railroad in the background is the CF&E.

The last through trains east of Frankfort to Toledo ran in 1969, IIRC, when the bridge at Dupont, Ohio, was damaged by some autoframes that didn't clear the bridge. After that, through service ended east of Delphos, OH. There was local service operated out of Continental, OH, north, for a period of time after that and a local that ran from Frankfort to Delphos one day and back to Frankfort the next, as well as yard engines in Marion, IN, and Kokomo.

The Toledo, St. Louis & Western Railroad became part of the Nickel Plate on December 28, 1922. Finally, after forty years the New York Chicago & St. Louis reached St. Louis. For the Clover Leaf, the TStL&W's nickname, their line from Toledo to St. Louis was nearly ten years in building. The Toledo & Maumee began it all in 1874 with a seven mile narrow gauge line along the Miami & Erie Canal in Toledo, Ohio. The final stretch from Charleston to St. Louis was completed in 1882, after fourteen sections had been completed earlier.

The consolidation of several narrow gauge lines formed the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad in February 1881. The TC&StL&W, often called the Little Giant, fell into financial trouble almost as soon as it opened and was reorganized on June 12,1886, as the Toledo, St. Louis & Kansas City Railroad, shorn of its Cincinnati line. It was at this time that the Clover Leaf was born. The following year the line from Toledo to Frankfort, Indiana was widened to the standard gauge. It was nearly two years before the Frankfort-St. Louis portion was completed. Unfortunately, the Clover Leaf was beset with high overhead, low profits, and stiff competition. These facts stifled growth and denied the Clover Leaf luxuries enjoyed by other railroads. So the wandering Clover Leaf brought to the Nickel Plate a road that opened up valuable connections through the St. Louis gateway, while presenting difficult operating and engineering problems.

The Clover Leaf was doomed as the Wabash Route was far more Superior.

Picture taken July 18, 2013

Troy Kleman There was local service from Delphos to Fort Jennings up until sometime in the 90's when operated by a shortline. Part of the Cloverleaf still runs from Waterville to Grand Rapids Ohio, allthough trains haven't run since around 2009.

Steve Gravelle Wasn't AC&Y there too?

Mike Snow It ended in Delphos.

Wade Monn Delphos was Ac&y's west end and the tightest curve on any NKP main

Brady Peters This was also the CH&D crossing, there was a wye here. The AC&Y continued operation into to south end of Delphos for some time after CH&D abandonment.