LS&MS/Big 4 commuter service around Cleveland, OH?

Looking at old Official Guides, I see only the through trains on the LS&MS and Big 4. I know that Nickel Plate, C&P (PRR) and the predecessor of the Erie ran such service but only shown in local timetables, not the Guide. Can any of you offer any advice about early (pre-1895) commuter service on Vnaderbilt lines around Cleveland?

WJPowers

That is an interesting question. It certainly seems possible.
Although I have no direct answer, I can offer some clues.
On the west side, the Big Four had the passenger station at Linndale.
On the LS&MS there was a passenger station at W 143rd and Lorain Avenue. The LS&MS station disappeared about 1930 with the consolidation of the lines - it was not necessary to have two stations and only the Linndale station was retained. Ironically the location of the LS&MS station was on the opposite side of the tracks from where the current rapid transit station is located. You can see it on old maps. A short distance west of the station was a wye, where trains could have been turned. This would have allowed commuter runs between downtown Cleveland and the rapidly growing west side. There could have been intermediate stops, but I'm not sure.
In addition, there was a water tank with water crane near the station. An interurban line ran along Lorain Avenue with a spur up near the station. That could have allowed additional commuter connections.
The fact that works against this theory is that many interurban lines existed throughout Cleveland.They would have been strong competitors to any commuter service offered by the LS&MS and the Big Four.
Anyway, this will help keep the thread alive, and maybe someone with more information will add to it.
Mike Kmetz

Since no one else responded, let me suggest you post your question to the Yahoo ClevelandRails group. There are some knowledgeable people discussing commuter service right now. You probably have a better chance of getting some answers there.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if there were some commuter trains into Cleveland. Before 1900 Central and Central-affiliated lines operated commuter service into many of the major cities. The streetcar lines probably killed a lot of the smaller services around 1900 and then the double-whammy of increasing auto ownership and the Depression probably killed off many more in the 1930s.

As an example there were suburban passenger trains operated out of Cincinnati on the Big Four and labeled as such in public timetables.

Looking at an LS&MS August 1912 public timetable on the Canada Southern site (link to the homepage), shows several trains that were probably used by commuters (or could've been).

On the main line east of Cleveland the schedule shows:
Train 115 originating at Conneaut OH at 6:15 am and arriving Cleveland at 8:30 am. Operated Mon-Sat.
Train 116 departing Cleveland 4:30 pm and terminating at Ashtabula at 6:05 pm, Mon-Fri.
Train 118 departing Cleveland 12:50 pm and terminating at Ashtabula at 2:30 pm, Saturday only.

On the LS&MS main line west of Cleveland the schedule shows:
Train 126 Originating at Norwalk (TN&C Branch) at 6:05 am, arriving at the main line jct of Elyria at 7:00 am and arriving Cleveland at 7:45 am, Mon-Sat.
Train 127 Originating at Cleveland at 5:05 pm. leaving the main line at Elyria at 5:52 pm and terminating at Norwalk at 6:50 pm, Mon-Sat.

There was only one local station shown on Cleveland's west side (West Park) but four between Cleveland (MP 183) and Collinwood (MP 177). West Park was served in both directions by the Norwalk train and the east Cleveland stations were served by the Conneaut / Ashtabula train.

East 40th Street (MP 181)
East 55th Street (MP 180)
East 105th Street (MP 178)
Coits (MP 176)

There was only one local station shown on Cleveland's west side (West Park) but four between Cleveland (MP 183) and Collinwood (MP 177). West Park was served in both directions by the Norwalk train and the east Cleveland stations were served by the Conneaut / Ashtabula train.

East 40th Street (MP 181)
East 55th Street (MP 180)
East 105th Street (MP 178)
Coits (MP 176)

Should be-

Collinwood MP 176 and Coits MP 177.