With the December 1853 opening of the Cincinnati, Logansport and Chicago Railway from Richmond northwest to New Castle, Indiana, the three lines were operated jointly.

The portion in Indiana was sold under foreclosure on January 25, 1862 and reorganized April 30 as the Richmond and Miami Railway.

The Atlantic and Great Western Railroad, part of the Erie Railway system, leased the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad, including the CR&C, on March 31, 1869.

The Cincinnati and Richmond Railroad was incorporated December 22, 1881 to continue the line south from Hamilton on its own.

That line opened in 1888, running southeast to the Little Miami Railroad at Rendcomb Junction, east of Cincinnati.