These are original bond certificates from the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company in either blue, green or orange. They have been issued & cancelled with varying dates from the late 1920s - 1970s.

The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad Company, commonly known as the Panhandle Route, was a significant component of the Pennsylvania Railroad system, connecting major Midwestern cities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This extensive network, spanning over 2,700 miles at its peak, served Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The railroad's origins can be traced back to several predecessor lines, with the earliest dating to 1853. The Pittsburgh & Steubenville Railroad, funded by the Pennsylvania Railroad, began construction in 1856 to link Pittsburgh with Steubenville, Ohio

This line was crucial in the PRR's strategy to compete with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad for freight and passenger traffic.

On September 20, 1890, the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway was formed through the consolidation of multiple railroads, including the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway, the Chicago, St. Louis and Pittsburgh Railroad, the Cincinnati and Richmond Railroad, and the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis Railroad. This consolidation created a powerful network connecting major industrial and economic hubs of the era.

The final chapter of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad came on April 2, 1956, when it was merged into the Pennsylvania Railroad's Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad. This marked the end of its independent existence, but its legacy continued as part of the larger Pennsylvania Railroad system.