‘Photo’ edition, Vol. 7 is an in-depth and panoramic view of northeast
Ohio’s first railroad known as the Baltimore & Ohio Lake Branch. This
compilation contains the largest collection of professional photographs ever
assembled. In addition, an index of all rail sidings, stations, and
miscellaneous information from Painesville, to DeForest Jct. (Little
Chicago) is compiled. Businesses such as Ohio Pail are presented, a chapter
on accidents and events that made front page news along with building and
construction blueprints are enclosed.
Also featured is the EM – 1 ‘Big Emmas,’ the largest locomotive ever built
to run across the branch. It is captured here in all its glory as it thunders
across the countryside.
All of the materials in this edition are first-hand accounts. The
photographers who took these photos worked for the railroad and spent their
lives preserving the company’s legacy so we might enjoy a look back in
time. These men captured an era of machines that showed strength in harsh
conditions, while preserving the aesthetic beauty of machine and
surrounding countryside.
Early blueprints and maps show the right-of-way and local streets at various
time periods. If you are reading this you have a savor for Nostalgia. The
romance that people have come to love about this branch is generally
associated with the steam era. It is the authors wish this final edition
rekindles memories, educates newcomers and fulfills the yearning to know
what was and remains of the B. & O. Lake Branch. The journey from
Painesville to Youngstown was approximately 64.4 miles. However, the
story of the branch should be measured not in miles, but memories.
