About Coach 15
With the closure in 1931 of the railroad between Woodsfield, Ohio and Bellaire, Ohio, Coach
#15 was sold by the railroad scraper, R. T. Beldon Construction, in 1932 to the Barton family of Vallonia, Ohio for use on their farm.
Vallonia Station was located along Wegee Creek and was the last narrow-gauge station stop
westbound up the deep Wegee Valley from Shadyside and the Ohio River. Once removed from the rails, the
Coach served as a family keepsake. useful farm storage building, a chicken coup, and finally a junk shed for the
Bartons.
Fortunately, the car was saved from complete destruction in the mid 1960’s by Clyde R. Kennedy of West
Rushville, Ohio, a master builder and artist by trade, an OR&W railway historian and fan for sure. Clyde had
grown up along Wegee Creek at Crow Station in his youth, attended Shadyside Elementary School, and walked
the tracks of the narrow gauge. As an artist Clyde has produced many oil paintings, ink and pencil sketches of
the railway that were displayed at prominent Shadyside businesses. Clyde felt Coach #15 deserved to be saved
and took on the task of its rehabilitation. With help from family members, Clyde carefully salvaged both ends of
the coach and transported the heavy pieces 100 miles to his Rushville, Ohio studio (the historic Rushville
Theatre) for re-assembly. There, he meticulously reassembled the coach using the original wood components,
restoring both the interior and exterior
By 1969, at the Kennedy Studio the Coach was ready for public display. It served as a unique
entrance to the artist’s private studio where visitors could appreciate both his public artwork and the legacy of
the OR&W. Guests after viewing Clyde’s art in the public space sometimes would be invited thru the Coach to
enter his private studio where his in-work creations could be viewed.
In 1992, when Clyde decided to close the Art Studio and retire, he made the decision to donate Coach #15 to the Village of Shadyside where he grew up and had family and friends. Arrangements were made with Village
officials, the coach was disassembled, transported and reassembled by Clyde at his own expense to the
Community Building, ensuring that Coach #15 would be preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Additional information about Coach 15 and Clyde Kennedy's efforts can be downloaded here:
Download OR&W Coach 15 PDF
Coach 15 Acquired by the Friends of the OR&W Historical Soceity in 2026
In 2026, the Shadyside Community Building was planned to be remodeled. After 34 years of residing in the space, Coach 15 was left needing to find a new home.
The Friends of the Ohio River and Western Historical Society was selected to become the new caretakers of Coach 15. In July of 2026, the Friends prepped the car to be removed from the space so that the remodel could continue.
Photo Gallery
Coach 15 relocated to Zanesville, OH. July 2026
Preservation Goals
Our long‑term goal is to rehabilitate Coach 15 and return the car to public display for the public's viewing and education about the Ohio River and Western Railroad.
More pictures and information can be found on our Facebook Page.
How You Can Help
Your support helps us stabilize and preserve this rare artifact for future generations.