Columbus and Xenia Railroad

The C&X now had enough funds to begin construction of the line, but not enough to complete it. The company was now faced with selecting a president who not only had to be an able fund-raiser but who also could oversee construction of the line without incurring any cost overruns. Alfred Kelley agreed to become president of the railroad in spring or summer of 1847[12] at a salary of $500 ($13,720 in 2019 dollars) a year.[9] Kelley, a Cleveland lawyer, had been elected the first mayor of the newly-incorporated Village of Cleveland in 1815. As a member of the Ohio General Assembly, he championed the construction of canals, and as a Canal Commissioner oversaw the construction of the Ohio and Erie Canal.[13] Known as the "father of the Ohio and Erie Canal",[14] Kelley was one of the most dominant commercial, financial, and political people in the state of Ohio in the first half of the 1800s.[15]

One of the ablest bankers and financiers in Ohio,[16] Kelley personally went to New York City to sell C&X bonds, and raised enough money to not only complete construction of the railroad but also to buy locomotives and rolling stock to equip it.[17] Kelley had accompanied the surveyors when they located the route of the Ohio & Erie Canal,[18] and now he and engineer Sylvester Medbery[4] traveled along the likely routes surveying them together. Kelley personally approved the route of the C&X.[17]

Construction on the C&X began when contracts were issued in October 1847 for grading of the line from the west bank of Scioto River in Columbus west to Georgesville.[19] The 13 miles (21 km) west of Georgesville went under grading contract in September 1848,[20] and the last 15 miles (24 km) to Xenia were under contract two months later. Grading was expected to be complete by February 1, 1849.[21]

Work constructing the track bed began in February 1849. This would allow the line to open in October 1849.[22] The track bed was finished in mid-June,[23] and railroad officials hoped to have the line to open in October.[22] Because bridging the Scioto River would take time, the C&X began construction in July 1849 of a temporary depot on the west bank of the river in the Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus. This was a two-story brick structure 161 feet (49 m) long and 39 feet (12 m) deep.[24]

For the actual track, Kelley contracted with Sir John Guest & Co. of Wales in the United Kingdom for T rails.[25] The C&X was one of the first railroads in Ohio to used T rails instead of strap rails.[17] The 200 short tons (180 t) of rails[26] did not arrive in Cleveland until July 1849,[25] delaying the laying of track until the fall.[26]

Station of the Columbus & Xenia Railroad (center, with cupola) on High Street, depicted in 1864

A locomotive was shipped via canal and rail to Columbus, where it assisted with the laying of track.[27] Mild winter weather allowed track to be laid more quickly than expected. With only 4 to 5 miles (6.4 to 8.0 km) of track left to lay on February 9, 1850,[28] the company rushed to write rules and regulations for operating its road and to hired conductors and track workers.[29]

The laying of track was complete on either February 19[30] or February 21, 1850.[31] The first test train ran over the track on February 22.[31] Passengers, which included railway officials, civic leaders, and businessmen, traveled while seated on a flatcar. The journey took 3 hours and 5 minutes.[27]

The Columbus and Xenia Railroad began regular service on February 27, 1850.[30][32] The train was pulled by the Washington, a locomotive built by the Bolton Works of Cincinnati.[31] There were no passenger or freight stations between Columbus and Xenia, only halts. The halts were incomplete; there were no platforms, shelters, or signals, just wide mudflats.[32] On March 2, members of the Ohio General Assembly rode the line in a special train to celebrate the road's opening.[27]

Although the cost of constructing the road had been estimated at $600,000 ($18,400,000 in 2019 dollars) in May 1849,[33] the final cost proved to be $1.4 million ($43,000,000 in 2019 dollars).[27]

The C&X bridge over the Scioto River opened on December 14, 1850.[30] This allowed the railroad to reach its permanent freight and passenger station, located on High Street at Naughten. This large, barn-like structure covered three tracks, all of them at-grade.[34] The location of the station had been controversial, as both sides of the river wanted the station.[27] The 1851 station had several small additions made to it in the early 1860s, to accommodate train traffic during the American Civil War. A new Union Station was built north of it in 1875, and the 1851 station demolished.[34]

The C&X built a brick building on west side of High Street (across the street from the depot) as its corporate headquarters in 1853.[27]