6 7 , ▁rail road ▁developer ▁and ▁spec ulator ▁Jay ▁G ould ▁had ▁w aged ▁a ▁successful ▁stock ▁battle ▁for ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Er ie ▁Railway . ▁G ould ▁now ▁began ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁Er ie ' s ▁reach ▁west ward ▁to ▁Chicago , ▁a ▁critical ▁market ▁if ▁his ▁road ▁was ▁to ▁comp ete ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Central ▁Rail road ▁and ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Rail road . ▁His ▁first ▁step ▁in ▁this ▁ende avor ▁was ▁to ▁le ase ▁the ▁Er ie ' s ▁long - time ▁partner , ▁the ▁A & G W . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 9 , ▁the ▁C & M ' s ▁Hub b ard ▁Branch ▁finally ▁gained ▁access ▁to ▁Pennsylvania ▁via ▁track age ▁rights ▁on ▁two ▁small ▁rail ro ads . ▁The ▁first ▁of ▁these ▁was ▁the ▁Sh aron ▁Railway , ▁which ▁was ▁constructed ▁by ▁the ▁Sh aron ▁Iron ▁Co . ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁to ▁link ▁its ▁iron ▁works ▁with ▁the ▁B rier ▁Hill ▁coal ▁mine ▁in ▁Brook field ▁Township , ▁Ohio . ▁This ▁ ▁long ▁industrial ▁rail road ▁extended ▁from ▁the ▁Pennsylvania - Oh io ▁border ▁to ▁Sh aron , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁and ▁then ▁slightly ▁north ▁to ▁P ym at uning ▁J unction . ▁The ▁other ▁le ased ▁rail road ▁was ▁the ▁West erman ▁Rail road , ▁completed ▁on ▁May ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁and ▁constructed ▁by ▁Cole man , ▁West erman ▁& ▁Co . ▁to ▁connect ▁its ▁iron ▁works ▁with ▁the ▁coal ▁mines ▁in ▁Brook