Help needed with Railroads in Virginia

[johnmartin]

Over a 7 week period I recently visted Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho & Washington and because of my interest in the MRL & BNSF I already had vidoes & magazines etc that I could use for research to successfully plan my trip. However I plan to go to Virginia in 2006 to visit relatives and have no idea where I should go to see the trains!
Can anyone direct me to an e-mail group or web site that could help?

[MP57313]

I don't have a web site address handy, but check out the "triple crossing" and Main Street Station in Richmond. They are both now somewhat obscured by highway bridge pillars, but still worth a look.

[Anonymous]

Virginia is a big place, johnmartin, where are you gonna be in Virginia?

Just off the top of my skull, I'd want to see Harper's Ferry, WV, where WV, Maryland and Virginia all meet. (Plenty of CSX mainline action, too.)

[JoeKoh]

Be sure to stop by Roanoke and the museum there.NS action and the J-611and the 1218.
stay safe
Joe

[Anonymous]

VA has interesting rail sites througout the state. Some include:

Alexandria: Through the Amtrak station, trackage is shared by CSX and NS. All north-south freight passing through the DC area funnels through here, as well as the Virginia Express commuter trains. Approx 1 - 1.5 miles west of the station, the CSX tracks veer to the right, then rise and loop the the left in a flyover the NS tracks. Access to this area is off side streets on the south side of Duke Street west of the station.

Lorton: Approximately 15 miles south of Alexandria on the CSX line to Richmond. Northern hub of Amtrak's Auto Train. Daily departure is at 4:30 PM. If you arrive around 2:00 PM you can watch the vehicle loading, tollowed by the the train assembly, and finally departure. The train is often pulled by three P42 engines and ris outinely between 25 - 35 cars long. Take the Lorton exit off I-95 south.

Doswell: Approximately 25 miles north of Richmond there is the crossing of two CSX lines, the former C&O from Hampton to Charlottesville, and the north-south main of the former RF&P. It can be fairly busy at times with a mixture of freight on both routes and Amtrak on the old RF&P. Also, about 10 miles suth of here in Ashland, the CSX main bisects the main north-south street in town.

Roanoke: Lots of stuff to see here as it was one the hub of the N&W. Lots of yards east, south, and west of the downtown area. Schaeffers Crossing engine terminal is about 3 miles west of the old downtown passenger station. Lots of action west of town on the old N&W and Virginian mainlines wihich parallet each other through Salem. I used to enjoy the 15 or so miles from the very west of Salem to the tunnels at Montgomery. Along this route is Wabun where the N&W crosses the Roanoke River on a curve over a plate girder bridge, and the old Virginian crosses over the N&W on a truss bridge then sweeps over the Roanoke River and valley on one of their signature single track steel trestles to where it aligns parallel to the old N&W for its run to Salem. Further south on the N&W the grade up Christiansburg mountain starts at Elliston, and continues through Shawsville, then on to the twin tunnels at Montgomery. If you are on Rt 11 south, the tracks are visible most of the time on your right except in Shawsville proper, and for about a mile or so before Montgomery. I'm not from that area so I dont know the names of any of the roads, but to get to the Montgomery tunnels there is a windy country road that takes off to the right from Rt 11.

If you're going to the Harpers Ferry area, a few miles to the west is Shennandoah Crossing where the NS Valley Line from Roanoke to Hagerstown crosses over CSX's old B&O main line. Also, about 6 miles east of Harpers Ferry is the B&O railroad town of Brunswick. If you're into RR museums there is one in Brunswick featuring the B&O, and one in Roanoke that has a large static collection of engines and rolling stock including J 611 and A 1218.

If you've got time and the inclination, the Magnolia cutoff on the old B&O main line from Little Orleans to Paw Paw, WV is interesting. Access is by seveal country roads. Again good local maps are a great help, otherwise its sorta like hunt and peck on a typewriter. Facinating collection of adjoining bridges and tunnels through the hills and valleys of the Potomac river. The original B&O line along the river is long gone as CSX and Amtrak use the cutoff, but there is a way to exit east out of Paw Paw along the old original right of way. Best to use a 4 wheel drive if availavle, not so good with a high end car. About a mile or so east of Paw Paw is the massive concret retaining wall which is 1200-1300 feet ong and about 40 feet high. Quite a sight as well as the section where the line crosses the river and immediately goes into a tunnel which then opens directly onto another bridge across the river and into another tunnel.

I recommend you get a good detailed map of VA, or one the rail atlas' available, or on mapquest. Good luck.