The Steubenville and Indiana Railroad opened a line from Steubenville west to Newark in 1853, and 1854, and 1855. In 1857, it built a connection in Newark to the Central Ohio Railroad and signed a trackage rights agreement over the Central Ohio to Columbus; it bought a one-half interest in that portion of the Central Ohio in 1864. The Pennsylvania Railroad's Steubenville Extension, Pittsburg and Steubenville Railroad, and Steubenville Bridge across the Ohio River opened in 1865, connecting Pittsburgh to the Steubenville and Indiana. Both companies were operated as a continuous line by the Western Transportation Company until 1868, when they merged to form the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway, owned by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The oldest part of the line was opened by the Columbus and Xenia Railroad in 1850, from Columbus west to Xenia. The Dayton and Western Railroad opened from Dayton west to New Paris in 1853. The Indiana Central Railway also opened in 1853, continuing west from New Paris to Indianapolis. The Indiana Central began operating the Dayton and Western in 1854. The Dayton, Xenia and Belpre Railroad opened in 1858, filling the gap between Xenia and Dayton, and was immediately leased by the Columbus and Xenia. Operation of the Dayton and Western was transferred to the Columbus and Xenia by lease in 1863; the Little Miami Railroad leased the Columbus and Xenia in 1868. The Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway leased the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railway and the Little Miami in 1869, giving the PRR a line to Indianapolis, fully operated by the PC&StL. The Terre Haute and Richmond Railroad opened the line from Indianapolis west to Terre Haute in 1852. The line from East St. Louis east to Terre Haute was opened in 1868, 1869, and 1870 by the St. Louis, Vandalia and Terre Haute Railroad and the Terre Haute and Indianapolis Rail Road, the Terre Haute and Richmond's successor. The entire line was operated by the Terre Haute and Indianapolis under lease until 1905, when the two companies were merged into the Vandalia Railroad. The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway and the Vandalia Railroad merged in 1917 to form the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad, which the Pennsylvania Railroad leased in 1921. The line passed to Penn Central Transportation in 1968 and Conrail in 1976, after which large portions were sold off or abandoned.