Cincinnati Shortlines, Part 3, Indiana & Ohio’s Lebanon, Mason & Blue Ash Subs

The Indiana & Ohio’s three subdivisions – Lebanon, Mason & Blue Ash Subs – are all former Pennsylvania Railroad routes. This includes the remaining track on the Lebanon & Mason subdivisions which run from Lebanon, Ohio to Mason and Monroe.

We’ll also visit the Blue Ash sub which runs 10 miles north from McCullough Yard in Norwood to Brecon near Fields Ertel Road. This line used to connect to the Mason and Lebanon subs but three miles were abandoned by the Penn Central in 1968 between Brecon and Mason.

As of 2018 the Mason and Blue Ash subs primarily saw local freight traffic with the Lebanon Sub running only passenger trains. The Lebanon sub was able to support freight but there were not any active customers on the line. Passenger trains on the Lebanon sub are operated by the Lebanon, Mason & Monroe Railroad which is headquartered in Lebanon. The LM&M also operates over the Mason sub and occasionally the Blue Ash sub. Most trains in this program were operated by the LM&M, though we’ll also see several I&O freights.

This third outing in this series gives us an interesting look at some unusual railroading. See the rest of the series or get the the whole series at once with a big discount!