8 6 6 . ▁The ▁Pennsylvania ▁General ▁Assembly ▁refused ▁to ▁appro ve ▁the ▁char ter ▁revision ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁after ▁heavy ▁lo bb ying ▁against ▁it ▁by ▁Pennsylvania ▁rail ro ads . ▁Comm itted ▁to ▁reaching ▁New ▁Castle , ▁however , ▁the ▁C & M ▁rel uct antly ▁agreed ▁to ▁connect ▁to ▁the ▁Lawrence ▁Rail road ▁once ▁it ▁completed ▁its ▁branch ▁line ▁between ▁New ▁Castle ▁and ▁the ▁Hub b ard ▁Branch . ▁( Work ▁on ▁the ▁branch ▁line ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 7 .) ▁ ▁On ▁June ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁the ▁A & G W , ▁pushing ▁from ▁the ▁west , ▁created ▁another ▁link ▁with ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁and ▁Mah oning . ▁With ▁the ▁western ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁A & G W ▁connecting ▁to ▁the ▁C inc inn ati , ▁Hamilton ▁and ▁Day ton ▁Rail road , ▁which ▁gave ▁C & M ▁fre ight ▁access ▁to ▁St . ▁Louis , ▁Missouri . ▁ ▁A & G W ▁first ▁bank rupt cy ▁and ▁Hub b ard ▁Branch ▁extension ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁the ▁three ▁A & G W ▁rail ro ads ▁merged ▁into ▁a ▁new ▁company , ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁and ▁Great ▁Western ▁Railway . ▁ ▁The ▁A & G W ▁went ▁bank rupt ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 . ▁The ▁A & G W ▁was ▁now ▁le ased ▁to ▁the ▁Er ie ▁Railway . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁ 1 8