Wikipedia:WikiProject Trains/ICC valuations/Bowling Green Railroad

Interstate Commerce Commission, Valuation Reports, Volume 42

The Bowling Green Rail Road

Location and General Description of Property

The railroad of The Bowling Green Rail Road Company, hereinafter called the Bowling Green Railroad, is a single-track branch line, located entirely within the State of Ohio and extends from Tontogany to North Baltimore, a distance of 19.046 miles.

Introductory

No accounting records, except some data relating to the cost of land, of the Bowling Green Railroad were obtained. Therefore, no information can be given from its accounts regarding its financial dealings, corporate operations, or investments. However, certain data indicated below were obtained from the records of the several lessees and from other sources.

The Bowling Green Railroad is a corporation of Ohio, having its principal office at Cincinnati, Ohio.

It is controlled by the Toledo and Cincinnati through ownership of a majority of the outstanding capital stock, although that ownership is not recorded as such in the accounting records of that company. All of the capital stock of the Toledo and Cincinnati is owned by the Baltimore and Ohio. The records do not indicate that this company, itself, controls any other common-carrier corporation.

The property of the Bowling Green Railroad was operated from May 22, 1875, to October 4, 1890, by its own organization and from October 4, 1890, to July 17, 1917, by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad Company, its successor, The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway Company, and the receivers of the latter. It has been operated by the Baltimore and Ohio from July 18 to December 31, 1917. Since January 1, 1918, it has been operated by the United States Railroad Administration as part of the Baltimore and Ohio system.

Corporate History

The Bowling Green Railroad was incorporated April 27, 1874, under the laws of Ohio to construct a railroad from Bowling Green to Toledo, Ohio. The date of its organization has not been ascertained from the records reviewed. The Bowling Green Railroad acquired by purchase on December 15, 1890, the property of The Toledo, Findlay and Springfield Railway Company which was incorporated July 5, 1889, under the laws of Ohio.

Development of Fixed Physical Property

The road owned, 19.046 miles, was acquired in part by construction and in part by purchase. The section between Tontogany and Bowling Green, Ohio, 5.55 miles, was acquired by construction in 1875. The section between Bowling Green and North Baltimore, Ohio, 15.00 miles, was acquired by purchase from The Toledo, Findlay and Springfield Railway Company, having been constructed by that company in 1889. The foregoing mileage was reduced 1.60 miles in 1905 due to abandonment. The inventoried mileage is 19.046 miles.

Leased Railway Property

The entire property is used by the Baltimore and Ohio, as stated in the report on that company.

Predecessor Company

The Toledo, Findlay and Springfield Railway

This company was incorporated July 5, 1889, under the laws of Ohio. No accounting records were obtained. Certain information stated below was obtained from the accounting and other records of The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad Company.

The records reviewed do not indicate whether the company was controlled by any individual or corporation on December 15, 1890, the date of sale, nor whether it then controlled any common-carrier corporation.

The company owned on date of sale approximately 15 miles of railroad, from North Baltimore to Bowling Green, Ohio, all acquired by construction. The company had issued capital stock of $1,000,000 par value and first-mortgage bonds of $300,000 par value, but the record reviewed does not indicate the consideration received therefor.