Xenia Station

Xenia Station, located at 150 Miami Avenue in Xenia, Ohio, in the United States, is a replica of Xenia's 1880s brick railroad station.

Built in 1998 by the city of Xenia, Xenia Station houses a local history museum, a classroom/meeting space and an observation tower called the Hub Lookout.

Xenia Station is the hub for 5 regional rail trails, two of which are segments of the unfinished Ohio to Erie Trail, which will run from Cincinnati to Cleveland. [ [http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/station.htm Miami Valley Bike Trails - Xenia Station] ] [ [http://www.xenia.dreamhosters.com/index.php?page=parks City of Xenia site for Xenia Station] ]

Facilities

Xenia Station was custom built in 1998 for the city of Xenia by a local contractor [ [http://www.matthewscontractor.com/commercial_projects.html David Metthews] ] and is located on a convert|9|acre|m2|sing=on city park of the same name, which has play equipment, picnic tables, a picnic shelter, nature areas, a caboose and off-street parking. The site is the former B&O freight yards. The building's first floor houses a local history museum which includes railroad memorabilia while the second floor has a classroom/meeting space. Xenia Station is also the hub for 5 regional rail trails, two of which are segments of the unfinished Ohio to Erie Trail, which will run from Cincinnati to Cleveland. In addition to the museum and classroom/meeting space, the building also has restrooms, vending machines and water for the bicyclists, hikers and others who use the park. It also has a large map of the rail trails and the Hub Lookout, which is a tower accessible by spiral staircase that provides a panoramic view of the rail trails. [ [http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/station.htm Miami Valley Bike Trails - Xenia Station] ] [ [http://www.xenia.dreamhosters.com/index.php?page=parks City of Xenia site for Xenia Station] ]

Railroad history

As late as 1960, Xenia had 3 railroads running through it, as follows:
* The B&O Wellston subdivision, which ran between Washington Court House and Dayton;
* The Pennsylvania Railroad's Little Miami branch, between Cincinnati and Springfield: and
* The Pennsylvania Railroad's Pittsburgh to St. Louis mainline. Amtrak used this line for the National Limited until 1979.

All 3 railroads were discontinued and dismantled by 1979 or shortly thereafter.

Rail trails

The crossing of these 3 railroad rights-of-way created 6 spokes on a wheel with Xenia Station in the center. Of these 6 spokes, 5 have been or are being converted to rail trails. The one exception was the B&O line west to Dayton which did not become a trail because it closely paralleled the Pennsylvania mainline to Dayton. [ [http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/station.htm Miami Valley Bike Trails - Xenia Station] ]

Clockwise from the north, the 5 rails trails are: [ [http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/station.htm Miami Valley Bike Trails - Xenia Station] ]

North

The northern branch of the Little Miami Scenic Trail runs from Xenia to Yellow Springs and on to Springfield.

Northeast

The Prairie Grass Trail (a part of the Ohio to Erie Trail) runs from Xenia to Cedarville and to London and beyond.

East

The Xenia-Jamestown Connector will run from Xenia to Jamestown and beyond, but there is now a short gap from Xenia Station to Jasper Road.

outh

The southern branch of the Little Miami Scenic Trail is a part of the Ohio to Erie Trail and runs from Xenia to Milford and beyond.

West

The Creekside Trail, known as the Creekside Recreation Trail in Montgomery County, runs from Xenia to Dayton.

ee also

*Columbus and Xenia Railroad
* Little Miami Railroad

References

External links

* [http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/station.htm Miami Valley Bike Trails - Xenia Station]
* [http://www.matthewscontractor.com/commercial_projects.html David Metthews]
* [http://www.greenecountyohio.org/outdoor_bikepath.html Greene County outdoor recreation]
* [http://ohiobikeways.net/xenia.htm Ohio Bikeways - Xenia Station]
* [http://www.xenia.k12.oh.us/News%20&%20Publications_files/meetme.htm Xenia Community Schools]
* [http://www.xenia.dreamhosters.com/index.php?page=parks City of Xenia site for Xenia Station]
* [http://www.xenia.dreamhosters.com/index.php?mact=Album,m6,default,1&m6albumid=5&m6pictureid=160&m6returnid=135&page=135 City of Xenia gallery for Xenia Station]