early railroad state virginia operated richmond westward miles chartered railroad began near richmond line expanded westward reaching chartered construct line blue ridge mountains railroad reached base blue ridge decision allowed expand eastward point near richmond renamed railroad bypassed construction temporary track built gap connected railroad eastern division expanding line having reached railroad began operating completed blue ridge railroad continued preparing expansion beginning american civil war prime target federal raids railroad faced significant action war war left railroad fraction line left railroad running entire pre war length july war longtime president confederate general served president oversaw expansion formed merger expanded westward new financing recruited new railroad reorganized ohio railway expanded eastward 1880s ohio operated years reorganized merger 1980s today csx amtrak buckingham branch railroad use portions old virginia central line freight passenger rail service passed february act incorporate company construct rail line extending richmond westward railroad specified original charter connect near extend westward passing courthouse base owned total today stock sold finance railroad initial construction construction began october reaching courthouse reached railroad planned original charter build blue ridge mountains commonwealth requested survey conducted determine feasible route way ultimately route passed mountains gap chosen better alternative original plan cross swift run gap north charter modified assembly provide railroad construction eastern base chartered cross mountains appointed chief engineer leadership direction railroad began construction series tunnels reached near reached near eastern end operation initially handled beginning operation train tracks december condition continued june took operations eastern terminus originally known charter line protected construction parallel competitor act authorized extension railroad easterly reach richmond act protested violating earlier decree assembly parallel competitor claim originally overturned ruled assembly retained right authorize construction railroads richmond original charter applied transportation passengers decision court appealed eventually reached richmond ruled favor state court decision president native served harris term served elected office death continue serve president successor american civil war expansion blue ridge mountain section breached busy building westward western foot mountains january commonwealth authorized increase stock order build february having expanded greatly beginnings counties renamed order connect eastern western divisions railroad time divided unfinished blue ridge railroad temporary track gap proposed railroad chief engineer constructed use built construction mile long track called included steep grades maximum ruling grade sharp curves minimum radius feet limiting speeds miles hour small tank locomotives ordered temporary track supplied richmond baldwin second temporary track mile long mile long hollow constructed temporary tracks successfully joined railroad eliminating extra cost effort removing freight passengers trains transport mountains facilitated growth expansion westward construction continued water gap near great north mountain reached western section line included additional tunnels temporary track approximately miles long tunnel completed railroad reached point known foot location later known division point ohio railway temporary track gap opening april train use temporary track evening april night connection completed blue ridge railroad morning 13th mail train train routed tunnel tunnel use temporary track promptly torn time completion longest tunnel united_states tunnel country completed use vertical shafts granted right operate return annual fee line carried passengers year hauled tons freight road connected richmond point miles east proposed started distance approximately miles february chartered extend line completed westward company began work completed important grading work grade including construction numerous tunnels lesser extent areas charleston american_civil_war began westward expansion came halt ohio line remained incomplete civil war important railroads confederacy war linked fertile farmland virginia richmond points eastward enabling supplies troops easily transported nearby campaigns tunnels key tools fast confederate general famous foot cavalry soon beginning war contracted war carry mail line service passenger general goods transport reliable transport military goods troops took precedence war progressed railroad continually fell state disrepair constant use limited availability supplies union raids destroyed sections line including majority railroad depots notable exceptions key points trade defeat forces led destruction bridges line union armies richmond damage eastern section railroad end war railroad operated miles track held today gold bridge destroyed union cavalry line torn numerous raids caused significant damage damage soon repaired line generally kept good use saw raid line attacked depot burned ordered nearly men proceed westward join forces destroying possible way combined force advance richmond west responded sending cavalry command wade meet june station virginia central line confederate forces succeeded pushing 12th withdrew army little damage tracks raid damage soon repaired line returned operation rebuilding reconstruction virginia central began soon confederacy collapse permission general repairs commenced april construction temporary bridges repairs swiftly enabling trains run temporary overland stage wagon routes set bypass sections railroad repairs provided transportation goods passengers end july trains able run western terminus rolling stock suffered civil war equipment insufficient provide demand help solve issue locomotives cars rented government price today day respectively rebuilt november election new president company held confederate general elected longtime president votes recognition dedication service railroad resolved grant family free tickets life unanimously reelected president company civil war section line distance miles remained incomplete section necessary westward expansion july track laid placed operation reaching enabled connection ohio railroad time construction provided future merging companies specified act passed march august merged ohio form new ohio railroad reorganized ohio railway elected president realized need find adequate financing resume westward work challenging mountainous terrain longer position help past failing impoverished southern states british investors found new capital financing recruiting called big group businessmen recently completed western portion railroad leadership millions new financing new_york_city westward construction resumed having long paid tolls use state owned arranged purchase line assumed ownership april paid today commonwealth including purchase price previous fees use significantly commonwealth expenditure today building line construction old ohio line began west_virginia western end eastern end progressed middle july construction line westward reached west_virginia use temporary tracks unfinished tunnels embankment entire line miles richmond white springs traveled august locomotive named floated aid construction line western final spike ceremony mile long line richmond held january railroad bridge near town west_virginia spike driven driven spike held positions course history aware potential ship eastbound coal west_virginia natural resources completion new railroad agents began acquiring property eastern virginia 1880s oversaw extension new extended richmond southeast peninsula company developed coal piers ran richmond following old james river merged ohio line trains descended nearly feet elevation richmond following path river addition james river line allowed avoid heavier grades old line north principal eastbound coal transportation present day earlier line westbound convergence lines richmond eastbound westbound coal trains utilized peninsula subdivision service coal piers east end modern times uses ohio consolidated large railroads 1980s form line built forge considered abandonment csx decided line order route coal trains westward intended times excess traffic common practice addition csx portions old virginia central line use amtrak cardinal buckingham branch railroad virginia based short line railroad line csx years original ohio railroad orange virginia central railroad company operated miles foot gauge railroad connection orange connection operated narrow gauge line standard changed entire line abandoned mile segment lasted
Virginia Central Railroad