The New York Central main line between Buffalo and Chicago was the main railroad through Cleveland. NYC also had its Big Four line towards Indianapolis and towards Cincinnati. A Union Terminal for Cleveland was established relatively late (1930). The railroad pattern around Cleveland was thus rather well established. Trackage rights via NYC were thus required for many railroads serving Cleveland. Other railroads serving Union Terminal were the Nickel Plate main line between Buffalo and Chicago, the Erie line between Cleveland and Youngstown, and the Baltimore & Ohio CT&V Subdivision between Cleveland and Akron. In addition, B&O had the Cleveland Subdivision extending southwest to Sterling. B&O trains required a backup move connecting with the NKP line, which connected with CUT trackage at East 9th Street.
Significant Locations and Distances from Station
QD (10 miles E) - junction of NYC CUT Line, Lake Front Line, Erie Division.
East 37th Street (2 miles E) - connection with NKP main line.
East 34th Street (2 miles E) - junction with NKP.
Broadway (1 mile E) - junction with Erie Railroad.
West End Tower (1 mile E) - connection with Erie Railroad main line.
East 9th Street (1 mile E) - junction with NKP segment used by B&O.
Nickel Plate Jct. (1 mile E) - B&O connection with NKP.
RD Tower (5 miles S) - junction of B&O CT&V Subdivision, Cleveland Subdivision.
CT - controlled Union Terminal.
West 25th Street (1 mile W) - junction with NKP.
West 38th Street (1 mile W) - connection with NKP main line.
BE (12 miles W) - junction of NYC CUT Line, Lake Front Line, Toledo Division, Ohio Division.
Erie Railroad used a separate terminal in Cleveland until 1948. Until the late 1930's, also using the Erie Railroad station were Wheeling & Lake Erie passenger trains.
Pennsylvania Railroad was the only major railroad never to use Cleveland Union Terminal, instead using the old Union Depot which was next to the NYC Lake Front Line, and near the present Amtrak station. East of there, the PRR trackage turned south towards Alliance, now part of the Norfolk Southern trackage presently used by Amtrak's Capitol Limited.