Views Along the OR&W - The Lewisville Cut

These days as you speed along SR78 eastbound between Lewisville and Woodsfield, Ohio no one takes notice of the jagged rock cut upgrade at Decker hill just one mile east of Lewisville. This automobile road-cut represents just another average slice through a hillside typical in southeastern Ohio to make way for State Route 78 begun in the 1940's. However, the history of this cut goes back along way to 1883 and the westward expansion of the Bellaire, Zanesville, and Cincinnati (pre Ohio River and Western Railway). By March of 1883 track laying for the westward expansion of the B,Z,&C was begun at Woodsfield, Ohio. The intent was to meet the track gang-building east from Zanesville. The Italian laborers encountered a high ridgeline sep-arating the tiny farm communities of Buchanan and Decker downgrade to Sunfish Creek just east of Lewisville. The railroad grade dictated the ridge be penetrated. A tunnel would be too expensive and questionable in the layered sandstone strata at such a shallow depth so a 50-foot deep by 500 foot cut was devised. In the end more rock was removed to make way for the cut than a tunnel. Because the work was mostly accomplished by hand and blasting powder the cut was made just wide enough for the eight-foot narrow gauge equipment to pass. No drainage gutters were accommodated nor terraced slopes to prevent erosion and falling rock. This later proved to be a constant headache for the local track maintenance gang. In ad-dition, the locals insisted the previous dirt road be maintained which required the railroad to construct a flimsy one lane strap iron and wood bridge over the cut at the ridgeline for wagon traffic. Although between major towns - basically in the country - the rather deep cut, steep sidewalls, and overhead bridge on a well traveled road the site became a photographic highlight preserving its railroad origin.

After this section of the railroad was abandoned in October 1928 locals and the county used the former grade as an alternative gravel roadway. When the State of Ohio took over the right-of-way to construct State
Route 78, the south hillside was cut back for the wider 24 foot two lane width and the roadbed raised 8 feet for

drainage and re-graded Three road improvements later have not disturbed the north wall of the cut, however. To this day remnants of the north overhead roadway bridge abutment remain as does the rock strata as originally cut by the railroad and defined in the photo-graphs. I find it interesting to take old railroad photos and duplicate them with their contemporary existing conditions - a then and now treasure hunt. The Lewisville Cut is one of many such opportunities along the OR&W. If you have others, I would be interested in hearing from you.

WRLogan