(The Palladium-Item published the following story by Rachel E. Sheeley on its website on August 19.)
RICHMOND, Ind. — Transportation in Richmond changed 150 years ago. On March 18, 1853, the first steam locomotive appeared in the city.
David Hoover, one of Richmond’s founding fathers, recorded the event and his thoughts were published in the Richmond Palladium on April 15, 1853:
“This is the 18th day of March, in the year 1853. On this day, the locomotive, the Iron Horse, made his first appearance in Richmond. This is a day that should be remembered.”
That is all Hoover had to say, and no other mention of the locomotive was made in the newspapers.
The history of railroads in Wayne County was detailed in a 1953-1954 series by Palladium-Item historian Luther M. Feeger. The series, “The History of Transportation in Wayne County, Ind.,” was inspired by the railroad centennial and included more than 300 columns that followed transportation from the native trails to the National Road to trains to cars and airplanes.
Much of the information for this article is drawn from Feeger’s series.
Although it is easy to see 150 years later how important the arrival of the locomotive was in 1853, perhaps at that time, it was anticlimactic. After all, the idea of a railroad in the Whitewater Valley had been under discussion since Indiana Gov. James B. Ray advocated a railroad from Lawrenceburg to the National Road in an 1827 speech. However, his opinion didn’t earn him any fans among those who favored canals, like the Whitewater, and turnpikes.
The Indiana legislature chartered eight railroads in February 1832, including one in Wayne County. The Richmond, Eaton and Miami Railroad Company aimed to connect the city with the Miami Canal in Ohio.
In those early days, several lines were chartered and plans were made.
In 1847, the Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad Company was chartered to build a line across the entire state, but by 1851 it only bridged the Terre Haute to Indianapolis gap and the legislature allowed the company to cease its eastward construction at Indianapolis.
The legislature then approved the charter of the Indiana Central Railway Company to finish the statewide path. Thomas Tyner of Cambridge City was the company’s first president.
A few months later, the Indiana Central Railway entered an agreement with the New Castle and Richmond Railroad Company to build a double track bridge across the Whitewater Gorge. The gorge and the hills of eastern Indiana would prove to be two of railroad construction’s greatest challenges. The railroad bridge was completed in 1852.
That same year, trains began to operate between Eaton and Hamilton, Ohio. Richmondites went by stagecoach to Eaton to catch the train south.
In 1853, Eaton and Miami company built a branch line to connect with the Dayton & Western Railroad and later an extension to connect with the Eaton and Hamilton railroad at the state line. At the same time, the Indiana Central Railway Company was completing its line from Indianapolis to Richmond.
While work progressed to connect Richmond with points east and west, the first locomotive of the Indiana Central Railway arrived in Cambridge City.
The locomotive was built in Philadelphia, shipped to Cincinnati and hauled in pieces from there to Cambridge City on a canal boat owned by August Boden and his sons, George and August Jr.
The locomotive, named for the railway’s first president, Thomas Tyner, was running by early summer.
According to the Cambridge City News’ June 15, 1853 issue:
“The locomotive, ‘Thomas Tyner,’ which has been here for some time past, was placed on the Central railway one day last week and running up and down the track during the day.
“The snorting and puffing of the iron horse created no little excitement in town, and particularly among juveniles.
“We took passage and crossed the canal and river bridges, of which we took particular notice, and was pleased to see the locomotive pass over them without the least jar, or producing any variation, but as smooth and firm as any other portion of the road.
“… This locomotive is now being used in conveying iron and other material for the laying of the track, etc., which is finished to Greens Fork (the river) east of this place, and will be completed west to Indianapolis in a very short time.”
Local newspapers reported in September 1853 that the Indiana Central Railway was making regular trips between Indianapolis and Dayton.
“The amount of travel upon it so far has exceeded the expectations of its most sanguine friends. The cars have been crowded every day,” noted the Richmond Palladium of Sept. 23, 1853.
The official date of regular railroad service is marked as Oct. 11, 1853, as announced by Indiana Central Railway superintendent James M. Smith, in an advertisement in the Oct. 12 Indianapolis Sentinel newspaper. Fares were listed from Indianapolis to Dayton at $2.75 and from Indianapolis to Cincinnati at $3.