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Are you kidding? An electric trolley on Main Street?

Western Ohio Railway served Bluffton from 1906 to 1932

An electric trolly car on Bluffton’s Main Street?


Yes, from 1906 to 1932 the Western Ohio Railway offered Main Street passenger and freight service in Bluffton. The depot was the Ten Thousand Villages building.


At the height of the trolley business, referred to as interurban railroads, Bluffton had on weekdays: • 14 trains before noon, • 18 trains from noon to 6 p.m. and, • 10 trains from 6 to 10 p.m. • Freight trains traveled the route after 10 p.m.


Service from Bluffton north went to Findlay, Bowling Green and Toledo. A Cleveland Limited train also offered service to Cleveland.


Service from Bluffton south went to Lima, Piqua, Dayton and Cincinnati.


Check out the map of interurbans at the bottom of this story.


The trolley in the photo was traveling south from Findlay through Bluffton and onto Lima.






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