A bibliography of online publications     In the course of researching and studying railroads in Augusta County, our museum volunteers cataloged publically accessable resources available directly from other websites. We are listing these in bibliography format for the benefit of those who enjoy studying history and reading about Augusta County history first-hand.          Jeddiah Hotchkiss map of 1886 with additional Augusta County railroads illustrated. (Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress)   Special note from our historian:     "In this bibliography you'll find a sample of local railroad construction that demonstrates the richness of Augusta County railroad heritage. The museum has tried to include an abudance of research resources that are available online and accessable for free. In praise and thanks to all those who contributed and preserved these resources for your discovery, we encourage you to become an advocate of historic discovery, awareness, enlightenment, and preservation."     "In addition to discovering these resources, we ask that you become familar with copyrights, items deemed to be "in the public domain", as well as restrictions and exemptions imposed by "fair use" laws. The museum is a staunch supporter of copyright law and asks that you adhere to these laws for your enjoyment and protection." Kindly, your ACRM Historian

Virginia Central (circa 1847-1869) - Gordonsville Va. to Jackson River Va.     The Lousia Railroad was an independent company that created an extension of the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad. Its primary objective was to start near Dowswell Va. and build to Frederick Hall Va. Relevant to Staunton, stage travel to Frederick Hall brought rail travel within two days reach of Augusta County. By 1840, rails had reached Gordonsville and remained paused for nearly a decade as the Virginia legislature debated how to proceed further west. In 1847, the question of whether to continue to Harrisonburg via Powells Gap or Staunton via Rock Fish Gap was put to a vote at the September 23rd, 1847 Lousia Railroad Company stockholders' meeting. The attendees voted to veer the tracks in a U turn toward Charlottesville and pursue a course toward Gyanoatte Virginia (now West Virginia). - Turner, Charles W., The Louisa Railroad (1836-1850) , University of Richmond, May 24, 1937 (Honors Thesis), Turner's writing is considered an authotative classic in Louisa Railroad study. Turner's text later formed the basis of Chessie's Road. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the University of Richmond at scholarships.richmond.edu/honors-theses) - The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac & Louisa Railroads. Staunton Va., January 9, 1838 This newspaper clipping illustrates the interaction of schedules between the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac and Louisa Railroad. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Ritter von Gerstner, Franz Anton, Die Innern Communicationen der Vereiningten Statten von Nordamerica., L. Forster's artistische Anstalt, Wein, 1843. Richmond-Fredericksburg-Potomac Eisenbahn, Lousia Eisenbahn, pgs. 236-243 In 1842, Franz Anton Ritter von Gerstner surveyed and documented the American transportation network. Printed in German after his death, this book throughly documents early American railroad construction techniques. Two Cambridge English professors later translated the entire works to English. (An Adobe pdf file in German may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Engineer's Report on the Extension of the Louisa Railroad The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Virginia, September 15, 1847 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Proceeding of the Stockholders of the Louisa Railroad Company The Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., October 5, 1847 Edmond Fontaine, the Lousia Railroad Company President, describes the magnitude of the decision in chosing the route of the railroad west of Gordonsville and presents a detailed account of differences between the two routes. The matter is put to vote and the result is the decision to proceed to Rock Fish Gap. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Railroad From Waynesboro The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Virginia, December 5, 1849 Lists the award of contracts by track section and contrator for track sections 1 - 13 between Waynesboro Va. and Staunton Va. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the Board of Public Works to the General Assembly of Virginia, with the Accompanying Documents 1851. Virginia Central Railroad Company. pgs.216-240, Richmond Va, 1851, (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Railroad Letting. The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Virginia, ? Lists the award of contracts by track section and contrator for track sections 1 - 19 between Staunton Va. and Panther Gap Va. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Local Matters, Tredgar Iron Works The Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., August 23, 1852 Decribes the Iron Works of Joseph R. Anderson and the augmentation of the Iron Works by John Souther to produce railway locomotives. It includes disclosure of the the newly constructed "Augusta" locomotive, ordered by the Virginia Central Railroad. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Sealed Proposals , The Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., October 13, 1852 Advertisement calling for proposals for extending from Crawford's twenty miles west of Staunton, to Pather's Gap, a distance of fifteen miles. Additionally seeking bids on haulage of iron rails, chairs, spikes and ties materials from Meechum's River to Waynesboro, and from Staunton west fifteen miles. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Central Railroad , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., July 27, 1853 Describes the decision to let contracting on all remaining portions of the line from Staunton to Haynes Farm (aka Oakland aka Jaskson River). Details the issue that the Virginia Central stops shy of Covington Va. due to legislation, and there is a gap to reach the planned Covington and Ohio R. R. which needs to be resolved. Announces the decision to build the temporary track across Rock Fish Gap. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Correspondence of the Dispatch, Staunton, August 19th 1853 The Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., August 27, 1853 Col. 6, describes the personal experience of riding the Virginia Central as far as Gordonsville, then traveling by stage coach to Charlottesville, grabbing a hasty meal, and resuming the stage coach journey to Waynesboro. The writer describes construction activities along the railway, encounters in taverns, and Irish imigrant families near the tunnel. Equally interesting is the Virginia Central train schedule in Col. 4. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - To Builders and Carpenters. , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., September 14, 1853 Advertisement calling for proposals to construct the Freight Depot, Passenger Depot, Wood Shed and Water Station for Staunton Va., as well as the Passenger Station for Waynesboro Va. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - From the Richmond Examiner, Sep 2nd, The Central Railroad. , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., October 5, 1853 Pg. 2, Col. 7, describes the emergence from the Lousia Railroad into the Virginia Central and the task of building beyond the State's work into the Shenandoah Valley. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Crossing the Blue Ridge by Railroad Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 16, 1854 Col. 2, describes trial test of the "Frederick Harris" over the South River (of the Shenandoah) brige in Waynesboro and travel Greenwood and return. Mentions the appearance of the "J. R. Anderson", and the "M. W. Baldwin" at Greenwood Station, and the receipt of the "E. Fontaine" at Rockett's wharf in Richmond. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - A Terrific Accident, Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 21, 1854 Describes the trial test of hand braking a passenger car independent of the locomotive and the collision that transpired after several tests when the car suffered a brake failure (the hand brake chain failed) and met the J. R. Anderson traveling down grade on a blind curve on the eastern slope. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Temporary Track , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., March 22, 1854 Describes the first rail trip of the locomotive "Frederick Harris" ascending the western slope and descenting on the eastern side to Greennwood Station and return. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - A Memorable Event, Passage of the Blue Ridge by Passenger Cars and their Arrival at Staunton. , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., March 22, 1854 Describes the trail test of the temporary track and arrival of the first passenger train in Staunton Va. Mentions the experimentation of braking and the accident which occurred. Indicated that Mr. Ellett will accompany every passenger train over the temporary track for some time. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Editorial Correspondence, Washington, March 30th 1854 , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., April 5, 1854 Describes the journey by train from Staunton aboard the train of William Moody to Charlottesville and continued travel aboard the Orange and Alexandria to Washington, D.C. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Eighteenth Annual Report of the President and Directors of the Virginia Central Railroad Company to the Stockholders at their Annual Meeting on the 10th November 1853. Colin and Nowlan, Richmond Va., 1853 1853 was a defining year for the Viriginia Central and the Blue Ridge Tunnel with the Virginia Central management decision to build the Mountain Top Track. Particularly noteworthy are the President's remarks pgs. 11-12 Section between Waynesboro and Staunton. and Temporary Track at Rockfish Gap. Equally interesting are the remarks of the Chief Engineer Charles Ellet Jr. regarding the Blue Ridge Temporary Track. , Characteristics of the Temporary Track , and Estimate of the Value of the Temporary Track. on pgs. 19-27. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com; the file includes the Stockholder reports of 1853-1859) - Central Railroad --- President's report. , The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., November 15, 1854 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Thirty-Eighth Annual Report of the Board of Public Works to the General Assembly of Virginia, with the Accompanying Documents 1853-4. Virginia Central Railroad Company. pg526-564., Richmond Va., 1854, (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Beyer, Edward, Illustrated Album of Virginia: or, the Old Dominion Illustrated , Enquirer Book and Job Printing Office, Richmond Va., 1857. Illustration of Staunton Va., depicting the Virginia Central station, platform, and the American Hotel. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at loc.gov) - Railroad Excursion , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., September 2, 1857 This newspaper article documents the cerimonial opening run with dignitaries from Staunton Va. to Oakland Va. (aka. the Jackson River depot) (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Office Va. Central Railroad Co. , The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Virginia, January 25, 1859 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - History of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, with a Map Showing its Connection with the Pacific railroad, Resources of the Country, Legisation of Virginia and West Virginia. W. A. R. NYE, Book and Job Printer, Richmond Va, 1868 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Chesapeake and Ohio R. R., A Journey to See the Last Nail Driven, A Brief History of the Road., Some Account of the Intrepid Engineering and the Heavy Work., Richmond Times Dispatch, January 30, 1873 This newspaper article follows two other articles on that same page that describe the culmination of connectioning the line at Kanawha Falls. The article provides a good summarization of the historical events that transpired in construction of the Lousia Railroad, Blue Ridge Railroad, Virginia Central Railroad, Covington and Ohio Railroad, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Chataigne, J. H., 1881-1882 The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Directory, History and Description of the Road, Improvements and Connections Already Completed and those in Contemplation. Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington D.C., 1882 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The Engine "Jim" in the Interior. , The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., December 2, 1885 Describes the offloading of a small Class A narrow gauge shay locomotive named "Jim" in Staunton Va. Captain E. A. Smith loaded the little locomotive on a wagon an hauled it west to Pochantas County WV. to work his lumber operation. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Map of the Properties of the Staunton Development Company, Staunton Virginia October 1890 , Dunlap & Barnett Civ. Eng., Roanoke Va., 1890. Depicts the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R. line through Staunton, including the overpass of the B&O, freight house, passsenger depot, signal tower and former roundhouse. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of Special Collections, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.) ref: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1003478 - Perspective Map of the City of Staunton Va. , American Publishing Company, Corner of South Water and Ferry Streets, Milwaukee Wis., 1891 Depicts the Chesapeake & Ohio R. R. line through Staunton, including the overpass of the B&O, freight house, passsenger depot, signal tower and former roundhouse. This depiction correlates well to newspaper articles and subsequent maps. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Libray of Congress)

Virginia Board of Public Works (circa 1849-1857) - Blue Ridge Tunnel construction     The Commonwealth of Virginia took on the enormous effort of grading and boring a tunnel through the Blue Ridge mountains. The grade began west of Charlottesville at Mechum's River and continued upward through Greenwood, Brookville, and Afton to pierce the mountain range and decend to cross South River (of the Shenandoah) into Waynesboro. Envisioned as a simple three year project, the effort encountered numerous setbacks including slides, cave-ins, cholera epidemics, tunnel flooding, tunnel ventilation , and bricking issues. All told, four tunnels, several bridges, and seven years; were necessary to connect Woodville to Waynesboro. - Blue-Ridge Railroad Bill, The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., March 14, 1849 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Blue Ridge Rail-Road, The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., March 23, 1850 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Blue Ridge Rail-Road, The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., March 27, 1850 Pg. 3, Col. 3 describes a tour of the tunnel project, accompanied by Col. Crozet, along the path of the project from the tunnel east including the magnitude of the fills an Robertson's Hollow and Dove Spring Hollow. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Blue Ridge Tunnel, The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., March 5, 1851 Pg.2 , Col. 1. describes a visit to the tunnel's western and eastern bores while the worker are drilling and blasting. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Blue Ridge Tunnel, The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., April 1, 1851 Pg.2 , Col. 3. describes Maj. McCue's letter to the Govenor of Virgina explaining the work of the Board of Public Works on the tunnel. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Blue Ridge Tunnel, The Richmond Enquirer, Richmond Va., March 25, 1851 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Railroad to the Tunnel, The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., November 23, 1853 Pg.4 , Col. 1. describes a trip to visit the work in progress at Greenwood tunnel and completion of the depot at Greenwood. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Extension of the Central Railroad, The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., December 5, 1853 Pg.2 , Col. 1. describes a trip to visit the work in progress and inspection of all four tunnel efforts. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Blue Ridge Tunnel - Col. Crozet's Statement, The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., July 11, 1854 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) Please note that this section and others will be augmented with additional references. The Museum is planning the displays at the future location in Waynesboro, a portion of the display will cover "the Tunnel".

Mountain Top Track (circa 1853-1854) - The Virginia Central's crossing over Rock Fish Gap     During the course of building the Blue Ridge Tunnel, the Virginia Central realized that the progress of constructing the railroad west of Waynesboro was severly hampered by it's inability to cheaply move materials from Woodville to Waynesboro. In 1853, progress of the tunnel was only 1/2 complete, and it was estimated it would take another four years to finish. The Virginia Central had already hauled one locomotive over the gap using horses and mules and set it on track in Waynesboro. It had also moved the ties, rails, and spikes over the mountain using contracted wagons. But it was clear that this manner of building west of the Blue Ridge was prohibitively costly, particularly when the wagons travelled empty when returning to the Woodville railhead. With this in mind, the Virginia Central took on the task of building a temporary track across the top of Rock Fish Gap. Several places were bypassed with temporary tracks, including the Brooksville tunnel and the Main tunnel. Special switching tank locomotives were ordered from Mathias Baldwin of Philadelphia Pa. and Robert Anderson of Tredgar Locomotive Works in Richmond Va. The Mountain Top Track was used by the Virginia Central for work trains and regularly scheduled trains until April of 1858. Modern historians have the benefit of traveling this route by car as they drive on U.S. Route 250 over Rock Fish Gap. - The Central Railroad, The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., July 23, 1853, Col. 1, describes the Virginia Central decision to authorize Charles Ellett Jr. to proceed with its construction and order two locomotives for working on the mountain track. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The First Locomotive Across Rock Fish Gap The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., July 23, 1853, Col. 1, describes the feat of loading the Frederick Harris locomotive at Woodville onto cart wheels and transporting it by muddy road over Rock Fish Gap into Waynesboro. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Southern Enterprises, The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., August 5, 1853, Describes the Tredgar Iron Works in Richmond including the different work areas, locomotives, and the bridge being constructed for the crossing of South River in Waynesboro Va. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Blue Ridge Tunnel The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., October 6, 1853, Pg. 2, Col. 1 describes work on the temporary track along the western slope and top as well as the difficulties to be faced constructing the fills at Waynesboro, Robertson's Hollow and Dove Spring Hollow. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Eighteenth Annual Report of the President and Directors of the Virginia Central Railroad Company to the Stockholders at their Annual Meeting on the 10th November 1853. Colin and Nowlan, Richmond Va., 1853 1853 was a defining year for the Viriginia Central and the Blue Ridge Tunnel with the Virginia Central management decision to build the Mountain Top Track. Particularly noteworthy are the President's remarks pgs. 11-12 Section between Waynesboro and Staunton. and Temporary Track at Rockfish Gap. Equally interesting are the remarks of the Chief Engineer Charles Ellet Jr. regarding the Blue Ridge Temporary Track. , Characteristics of the Temporary Track , and Estimate of the Value of the Temporary Track. on pgs. 19-27. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com; the file includes the Stockholder reports of 1853-1859) - Splendid Engines, The Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 3, 1854, Describes two locomotives built by Tredgar Locomotive works on Byrd Street in Richmond as the "Joseph R. Anderson" and the "Monroe". (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Crossing the Blue Ridge by Railroad, Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 16, 1854 Col. 2, describes trial test of the "Frederick Harris" over the South River (of the Shenandoah) bridge in Waynesboro and travel Greenwood and return. Mentions the appearance of the "J. R. Anderson", and the "M. W. Baldwin" at Greenwood Station, and the receipt of the "E. Fontaine" at Rockett's wharf in Richmond. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - A Terrific Accident, Richmond Daily Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 21, 1854 Describes the trial test of braking a passenger independent of the locomotive and the collision that transpired after several tests when the car suffered a brake failure (the hand brake chain failed) and met the J. R. Anderson traveling down grade on a blind curve on the eastern slope. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Temporary Track, The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., March 22, 1854 Describes the first rail trip of the locomotive "Frederick Harris" ascending the western slope and descenting on the eastern side to Greenwood Station and return. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Ellet Jr., Charles, The Mountain Top Track, A Description of the Railroad Across the Blue Ridge at Rock Fish Gap in the State of Virginia., T. K.&P. Collins Printers, Philadelphia Pa., 1856. A very detailed and authoritive writing by Charles Ellet Jr. explaing the civil engineering details of the railway. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Beyer, Edward, Illustrated Album of Virginia: or, the Old Dominion Illustrated, Enquirer Book and Job Printing Office, Richmond Va., 1857. Rock Fish Gap and the Mountain House depicts the muddy road over Rock Fish Gap and the newly constructed temporary track with freight house and spur track at the Gap. A westbound train is illustrated heading to Waynesboro. The train consists of a locomotive, tender, express car, and two coaches. The sketch was draw at a time while the mountain track was in use, it is unclear whether Beyer exercised artistic license by adding the locomotive tender to the train. (Published before 1923, a jpg file may be found by searching the painter and title)

Valley Railroad (circa 1866-1885) - Harrisonburg Va. to Staunton Va. to Lexington Va.     The Valley Railroad was chartered in Virginia on February 23rd, 1866 with the purpose of extending the railroad from Harrisonburg Va. south to Lexington Va. The company was not organized until June 28, 1871. Local money to invest in such an expensive undertaking was scarce, and it took until 1872, for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the City of Baltimore to underwrite the funding of the line. While the line was supposedly independent, it was the Baltimore and Ohio railroad who furnished the civil engineering and components to build the line.     By 1873, track was being laid to Staunton, and negotiations were taking place for the building of a Union Station at the south end of New Street. Plans were also in place to operate joint railroad shops on the C&O flats, as well as to route the line south around the west side of Sear's hill. These plans collapsed when the City of Staunton indicated it would not fund the excavation for extra tracks along Sear's Hill. As a result, the Valley Railroad negotiated for grade crossings across the intersections of Coalter Street and Greenville Avenue, and an underpass beneath the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad on the eastern side of Sear's hill.     In the meantime, contracts for work south of Staunton had been awarded to "the Mason Syndicate". Claiborne Rice Mason was a local contractor who organized a group of contractors to bid on the contract from Staunton with the goal of building to Salem Va. But the fall of 1873 proved to be a very bad year for railroad investments as the "Panic of 1873" sent the economy into recession. Work was stopped and didn't resume in earnest until a decade later.     In 1883, rails reached East Lexington and crossed the Maury River into Lexington. Although work consisting of land purchases, grading, and masonary bridging continued south past Lexington in 1883, it was halted because of funding issues and monetary commitments which were never fulfilled. - Wayland, John W., A History of Rockingham County , pgs. 226-229 , Ruebush-Elkins Company, Dayton Va., 1912 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Stevens, Margret Talbott, When General Robert E. Lee was President of the Valley Railroad of Virginia , B&O Magazine Vol.18 Iss.8, B&O Railroad Baltimore Md., December 1930 Pgs. 22-23, describes the early formation of the Valley Railroad and the role of the B&O Railroad in funding the line. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Valley Railroad , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., April 2, 1872 Pg. 2 Col. 1 Describes the Board of Directors in Baltimore empowering the Valley Railroad to let two track sections to contract. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Two Sections Let to Contract , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., _ 1872 Pg. 2 Col. 1 Describes the award of the 9th and 26th section to Mr. P.M. McCabe of Maryland and Messrs. Kelly & O'Connor. Section are numbered 1 - 26 from Harrisonburg to Staunton. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Valley Railroad , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., _ 1872 Pg. 2 Col. 1 Describes the award of No. 9 including North River Bridge to McCabe; Nos. 10 and 11 including 2nd North River Bridge to Cavan, No. 21 including Middle River Bridge to Smith, and Nos. 25 and 26, near Staunton to Kelley & O'Connor. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - From Augusta County , The Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 5, 1874, Text begins with the phrase Trains on the Valley Road (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - From Augusta County The Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 20, 1874 Describes the Arrival of the First Through Train on the Valley Railroad (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - From Augusta County, The Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., March 30, 1874, Describes the Starting passenger train schedule to Staunton (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Annual Report of the Railroad Comissioner of the State of Virginia Commodius and attract brick passenger stations pg. , Richmond Va., 1887 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Vogel, Robert M., Engineering Contributions of Wendel Bollman, Contribututions from the Museum of History and Technology, Bulletin 240 pgs. 77-104, Smithsonian Institution Washington D.C. 1966. Description of the Bollman truss system developed by the B&O and used in the construction of the Valley Railroad. Examples used included the crossings the north river of the Shenandoah, near Mt Crawford; north river of the Shenandoah, near Weyers Cave (V.R.R.,aka Cave Station); and the middle river of the Shenandoah near Verona. The article includes pictures of the bridge near Mt Crawford. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Lang, Philip George, Eng. of Bridges, Bollman Trusses on Valley of Virgina Branch Will soon be Memories , Baltimore and Ohio Magazine, Baltimore MD., October 1923 pgs. 18 & 19, describes the historical significance of Wendel Bollman at the B&O shop in Mt. Claire Md., and later at the Patapsco Bridge and Iron Works in Canton Md. (The volumed issues of the Baltimore and Ohio Magazine of 1923 may be viewed online from the respository at archive.org) - Lang, Philip George, Eng. of Bridges, B&O R.R., Old Bollman Truss Bridges on the Valley R.R. of Virginia, Three Bridges Now Being Replaced Have Carried Traffic for Fifty Years Without Structural Change , Engineering News-Record, April 12, 1923 pgs. 672-673 describes the unique Bollman bridges used in construction of the Valley railroad at Mt. Crawford, Weyer's Cave, and Verona Va.  The article includes a brief background of Wendel Bollman and the merits of the Bollman truss design. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Lang, Philip George, Eng. of Bridges, B&O R.R., B. & O. Replaces Bridges of Historic Interest, Tests of the Materials and Study of Details Afford Record of Early Structural Work. , Railway Age Vol. 77, No. 4, July 26, 1924 pgs. 145-147 describes the unique Bollman bridges used in construction of the Valley railroad at Mt. Crawford, Weyer's Cave, and Verona Va.  The article includes a brief background of Wendell Bollman and material and structural analysis of the sectional components. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The Valley Railroad of the Baltimore & Ohio RR. , The Virginia's Vol. 4, October 1883 Describes the newly completed line to Lexington, listing stations, (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Hotchkiss, Jedediah, Consulting, Mining, and Civil Engineer, The Virginias, A Mining, Industrial, & Scientific Journal, Devoted to The Development of Virginia and West Virginia, Vol. 4, 1883 , S.M. Yost & Sons, "Valley Virginian" Office, Staunton Va., 1883 Pgs. 152-153, B&O Valley Railroad describe the newly completed line to Lexington va., listing stations, counties, mileage, and elevations. Includes mention of "Muddy Lane", later to appear as Brookwood, and Folley Mills. Operational records, and tax filings indicate the flag stop consisted of a shelter and siding. The "Muddy Lane" railroad site was demolished with the construction of I-81. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The American Duplex Ticket Company, 1887 , The American Duplex Ticket Company, 1887 Illustrates ticket examples of many railroads, including the example of a Valley Railroad ticket pg. 89, ex.180 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Map of the Properties of the Staunton Development Company, Staunton Virginia October 1890 , Dunlap & Barnett Civ. Eng., Roanoke Va., 1890. Depicts the Baltimore & Ohio R.R. through Staunton, including the underpass of the C&O, B&O freight house, B&O passsenger depot, C&O/B&O exchange tracks, B&O turntable in yard, and track connection to the Belt Line of the Staunton Development Company. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of Special Collections, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.) ref: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1003478 - Perspective Map of the City of Staunton Va. , American Publishing Company, Corner of South Water and Ferry Streets, Milwaukee Wis., 1891 Depicts the Valley Railroad line through Staunton, including the underpass of the C&O, freight house, passsenger depot and interchange with the Belt Line industrial tracks. This depiction correlates well to newspaper articles and subsequent maps. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Libray of Congress) - B&O Magazine Vol.1 Iss.2 Shenandoah Division, a new stone crusher, 1912 Pg._ describes the new stone crusher needed to convert limestone into track ballast. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Shenandoah Valley Railroad Company (circa 1872-1890) - Grottoes Va. to Vesuvius Va.     The Shenandoah Valley Railroad Company was chartered in Virginia in _. Construction within Augusta County began in Waynesboro heading north toward Luray Va., with another effort construction south of Shenandoah Va. Rails met just south of Luray at Dry Run on April 17th, 1881; and the first passenger train carried Hagerstown Md. passengers to Waynesboro Va. and returned on April 18th 1881. Construction from Waynesboro heading south to Roanoke would commence after 1882. As suggested by famed Staunton map creator and geologist Jeddiah Hotchkiss, the tracks would follow the western base of the Blue Ridge, pentrating the rich mineral belt of ores which coinicided with that path. The railroad arrived in Big Lick shortly thereafter, only to be absorbed with the Atlantic, Mobile, and Ohio created by General William Mahone. Unified by the same Pennsylvania investment entities, the new company was named, The Norfolk and Western Railroad. The former construction superintendent of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad Company, a Mr. Fredrick James Kimball, would become it's frist President. - The Shenandoah Valley Railroad , The Virginias Vol. 2 Num. 4, Staunton Va., 1881 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Wayland, John W., A History of Rockingham County, pgs. 229-230 , Ruebush-Elkins Company, Dayton Va., 1912 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Bruce, Thomas, Southwest Virginia and the Shendandoah Valley , J. L. Hill Publishing Company Richmond Va., 1891, (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Shenandoah Valley Railroad, The Caverns of Luray, The Manner of Their Formation, Their Particular Growths, Their Geology, Chemistry &c. An Illustrated Guide Book , Allen, Lane, & Scott's Printing House Philadephia Pa., 1899, Written under sponsorship of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, this book decribes the wonders of Luray Caverns and their unique formations. Includes illustrations showing illumination by torch light. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Shenandoah Valley Railroad, Through the Shenandoah Valley, Caverns of Luray, Natural Bridge, Grottoes of the Shenandoah, and The Chronicle of a Leisurely Journey Through the Uplands of Virginia. , Giles litho & Liberty Printing Co. New York Ny., 1899, Written under sponsorship of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, this book decribes the communities and natural splendor to be enjoyed by journey on the railway. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Washington, Cincinnati, and St. Louis Railway (circa 1872-1873) - Harrisonburg Va. to Mt. Solon Va.     Chartered March 15th, 1872; The Washington, Cincinnati, and St. Louis Railway was organized in Luray Va, Page County to build a three foot narrow gauge railroad across to the United States. Its proponents envisioned that such a railroad line would prove more economical to build due to the reduced costs of constuction in mountainous terrain. With that as it's goal, construction began just south of Harrisonburg Va. headed southwest towards Bridgewater Va. Surveys, planned for the line to continue past Bridgewater up Mossy Creek and through Mt. Solon Va.     The railroad contractors leased fifty-six convicts from the Virgina State Penitentiary and placed under them under guard building the line. Using shovels, picks, and carts, the convicts constructed the grade for the roadbed. In an ironic twist of fate, the lead contractor Duncan, was killed when his shotgun discharged it's load as he picked it up and a twig caught the trigger.     Unfortunately the timing of building this line was less than perfect, and the railroad had just issued Bonds seeking investment funding when the "Panic of 1873" made those bonds unmarketable. With an absence of funding, the railroad grade remained unused until the Chesapeake and Western sought to build southwest of Harrisonburg toward Bridgewater. A court battle later took place about the rights of one railroad to assume the right of way of another, and this was settled, allowing the Chesapeake Western to lay track along portions of the original grade. - Wayland, John W., A History of Rockingham County , pgs. 230-231 , Ruebush-Elkins Company, Dayton Va., 1912 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Branch Railroad of Crimora (circa 1887) - Manganese mining spur     The Branch Railroad of Crimora was built as a spur extention of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad from Crimora Station due east to the mine storage tipples near the pit. The line was considered seperate of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad although it likely relied on the Shenandoah Valley Railroad locomotive power for car movement. Freight receipts for mine shipments exchanged with the Shenandoah Valley Railroad during the March 31, 1885 - December 15, 1890 Sidney F. Tyler receivership indicate the line was independently administrated. - McCreath, Andrew S., The Mineral Wealth of Virginia Tributary to the Lines of the Shendoah Valley and Norforlk and Western Railroad Companies , Lane S. Hart Printer and Binder, Harrisburg Pa., pgs. 34-36, 1883. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - ?, Engineering and Mining Journal Pg 335, March 22, 1890. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - American Manganese Co. (Lim.) v. Virginia Manganese Co. , Virginia Law Register [June, 1895] pg119-128, Richmond Va., June 1895. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Crimora Manganese Milling Plant and Mines , Mineral Resource of Virginia, plate XXXVII, . (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The Iron Age 1916-1917 Mining Manganese Ore in Virginia , David Williams Co., 239 W.39th St., New York NY., pgs. 776-777, March 30, 1916. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Mining and Science Press, Mining Manganese in Virginia , Pg 15, June 23, 1917. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Virginia Geological Survey, Manganese Deposits of the West Foot of the Blue Ridge, Virginia , University of Virginia, Charlottesville Va., pgs. 83-96, 1919. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Chesapeake and Western Railway (circa 1892-1966) - Harrisonburg Va. to North River Gap Va.     Chartered January 22, 1892, the Chesapeake and Western Railroad Company built a railroad southwest of Harisonburg to Bridgewater. It later constructed from Harrisonburg eastward to Elkton. The line extended it's tracks west of Bridgewater up Mossy Creek and to Mt. Solon, its tracks entered Augusta County and continued in the county heading west to North River Gap.     Industries associated with lumber, bark extracts, and barrel staves became prevalent in the early nineteen hundreds, and the terminus of the railroad was named Stokesville, after W.E.D. Stokes. A mill was constructed by the Stiegel Lumber Company, a tannery extract business was constructed by Imperial Extracts, and a Barrel and Stave Mill was constructed. In all, several hundred men worked in the town and westward some twenty-six miles into the forests withdrawing lumber using three foot narrow gauge shay locomotives.     It was only in 1942, that the Chesapeake and Western Railway Company acquired the Valley Railroad from Harrisonburg Va. to Lexington Va. The line was a revenue loss for the B&O and it sought to reduce its losses by abandoning or selling the line. Wartime pressures to obtain scrap metal made the abandonment from Staunton to Lexington palatable and profitable. Rails, tie plates, spikes and scrap materials were gathered starting at East Lexington and heading north. The line was retrieved past to a point just north of the Staunton C&O underpass. The Staunton's brick two story E. Francis Baldwin train station remained, serving as a gas station and convience store, until it was replaced by a modern gas station.     The 1950's saw the expansion and augmentation of the arched underpass with a new steel grider bridge. At nearly the same time, The Virginia Department of Transportation built the Route 11 By-Pass alongside the C&W right of way. This greatly modified the layout of the railyard, withdrawing the siding to a point further north. The C&W's ex-N&W M-2 Ten Wheelers steam locomotives were replaced with diesels, and the turntable fell into disuse, as it was no longer necessary to turn the steam locomotives around for the return trip to Harrisonburg. - Chesapeake and Western R. R. Company , Staunton News-Dispatch, Staunton Va., pg. , March 18, 1896 Publishes GENERAL NOTICE No. 1 declaring the openning of the line from Elkton to Bridgewater on April 28th 1896, outlining stations, mileage, railcar markings, company officers, and methods to handle remittances. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Wayland, John W., A History of Rockingham County , pgs. 231 , Ruebush-Elkins Company, Dayton Va., 1912 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Manufacturers' Record., In Virginia's Valley , Manufacters' Record Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md., Vol.40 No.22 pg.51 , June 10, 1909 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Stokesville , Staunton News-Dispatch, Staunton Va., pg.8, April 17, 1908 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Stokes, W. E. D., Testimony before the Interstate Commerce Commision Fin. Docket 4943, General Printing Office, Washington D.C., 1926 pg. 1830, W. E. D. Stokes was thereupon called as witness (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Electric Railway Journal, One-Man Gasoline Motor Car , Electric Railway Journal., Vol.57 No.9 pgs.407-408 , February 26, 1920 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Traffic World, Authorizing Chesapeake Western Ry to Abandon between Mt. Solon and North River Gap. , The Traffic Service Corporation., 418 S. Market St. Chicago Ill., Vol.42 No.2 pg.78 , July 14, 1928 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Volume 193 Decisions of the Interstate Commerce Commision of the United States, April-December 1933, Financial Docket No. 9905, Chesapeake Western Railway Abandonment Bridgewater to Mt. Solon 8.84 miles. , General Printing Office, Washington D.C., 1934 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

City Street Car Company (Circa 1890-1931) - Horsecar then Street Car Service in Staunton.     In 1889 the City of Staunton granted a street car franchise to Samuel B. Adams and Dean Adams of Little Rock Ark. The pair founded the " City Street Car Company " incorporating it in Jersey City, N.J. The franchise started service with a dozen horse cars ordered from the St. Louis Street Car Company and over 100 mules. The company remained mule/horse powered until June 1986, when R.D. Apperson rebuilt the system to electric catenary operation. The franchise was allowed to form an electricity company and natural gas company to supply utilities to city residents. It later operated under various names including the Blue Ridge Light, Power,and Railway; and the Shenandoah Traction Company. Streetcar service lasted until 1930 when the City requested that the company convert to buses. - City Council , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., May 8, 1889 pg. 3, Col. 5, describes Mr. Tams presenting the ordinances of a streetcar franchise from Richmond as template for franchise ordanances in Staunton. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - City Council , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., November 13, 1889 pg. 3, Col. 5, describes review of the streetcar franchise and the tendering of a check by Messrs. Adams as an act of good faith to commence the construction of the line by April 15, 1890. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Local Department , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., January 6, 1890 Describes representatives of the rail manufacturer in Pittsburgh making track diagrams for the specially constructed switches. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Street Railway Journal, The St. Louis Car Company , The Street Railway Journal, 113 Liberty Street New York NY. June 1890 pg. 310, describe the recent order for steetcars for Staunton Va. as well as the Garett & Apperson Company. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Local Department , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., June 11, 1890 pg. 3, describes the receipt of 80 mules to pull the streetcars. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Local Department , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., August 6, 1890 pg. 3, describes the arrival of the St. Louis streetcars by shipment via the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Map of the Properties of the Staunton Development Company, Staunton Virginia October 1890 , Dunlap & Barnett Civ. Eng., Roanoke Va., 1890. Depicts the City Street Car tracks through Staunton, The existance of the planned track extension from the Park Pump House southwest to Thornrose Cemetery is questionable. Also notice west of the park, at C Street, and south. This land was sold as lots, but the land further south of '5th St.' became Highland Park. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of Special Collections, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.) ref: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1003478 - Perspective Map of the City of Staunton Va. , American Publishing Company, Corner of South Water and Ferry Streets, Milwaukee Wis.. 1891 Depicts the ambitions of the Staunton Development Company in modernizing Staunton. It includes depiction of the horse car barn (7) on N. Lewis St. and stables (7) on Wayt St. as well as the proposed routes of the tracks within the city. This depiction correlates well to newspaper articles and subsequent maps. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Libray of Congress) - Phillip Dawson C. E., Electric Railways and Tramways, Their Construction and Operation. , John Wiley and Sons, 53 E. Tenth St. New York N.Y., 1897 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Buffalo Bill in Staunton , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., April 27, 1899 Pg. 3 Col. 5 describes the visit of Buffalo Bill Cody and his Wild West show and the services of the street car company in transporting people to the fair grounds. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Opening at Highland Park , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator Vol.76 Num. 22, Staunton Va., June 1, 1899 Describes the 1899 season opening of Highland Park with the hosting by the King's Daughters of a Japanese tea garden event. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - American Street Railway Investment, A Supplement to the Street Railway Journal, Staunton Light and Power Company , The Street Railway Journal, 120 Liberty Street New York NY., April 1, 1901 Lists company assets as the City Street Car Company, the City Gas Company, and the Augusta Electric Company. Has eight miles of track, two horses, 10 motor cars etc. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - A Card , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., February 28, 1902 Pg. 2 Col.4 A public message by R. D. Apperson to the citizens of Staunton that services provided by the Staunton Light and Power company; the City Gas company; the Augusta Electric company, and the City Street Railway company will continue to operate during the course of his receivership until they are sold. Dated February 24, 1902. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Street Car Property Sold , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., April 14, 1905 Pg. 3 Col.5 describes the commisioners sale of the City Street Car franchise to J. M. Spotts for $20,500. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Brill Magazine, Vol. IV No.5, R. D. Apperson , pgs. 128-129, J. G. Brill Company , Philadelphia Pa., May 1910 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Near Serious Accident, The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., September 8, 1911 Pg. 1 describes an incident at the end of the road and entrance into Highland Park where the streetcar derailed on the trestle, turning on it's side, and being damaged. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Brill Magazine, Vol. 11 No. 11, Birney Safety Car's Performance is its Best Recommendation , pgs. 306-315, J. G. Brill Company , Philadelphia Pa., June 15, 1920 Cars No. 31-34 were Shenandoah Tractions last order of cars delivered in 1917. All four were made by J. G. Brill. Two car shells were repurposed as a storage shed and remain in Verona. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Electric Railway Journal Vol. 52 No. 10, Blue Ridge Light and Power Company , Electric Railway Journal, September 7, 1918 Pg. 441 describes ammendment of the charter changing the name of the company to Shenadoah Traction Company. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Insurance Maps of Staunton Virginia, Augusta County , Sanborn-Ferris Company Limited, 115 Broadway, New York NY., November 1921 pgs. 1, Depicts the overview map of Staunton with the routes of the Shenandoah Traction Company illustrated with alternating dotted lines in the streets. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of U.S. Library of Congress) - Highland Park , The Daily News Leader, Staunton Va., September 29, 1964 Describes the purchase of the Peyton property and thirty-three acres of land adjacent to Gypsy Hill Park for future park use. The article goes on to describe the original ammenties of Highland Park and the lack of signs of it's existance roughly thiry years after its demise. (OCR extract or full text paid subcription access is available via at newspapers.com) - Highland Park revived , The Daily News Leader, Staunton Va., December 1, 1966 Describes the repurposing of the wood land hill west of Gypsy Hill Park to create an extension of the 9 hole golf course. (OCR extract or full text paid subcription access is available via at newspapers.com) - Nutt, Joe, Staunton's Streetcars , The Daily News Leader, Staunton Va., October 26, 1993 Depicts Jackson and Sharp Open Car No.23 and No.29 as Shenandoah Traction Company cars. (OCR extract or full text paid subcription access is available via at newspapers.com) - Nutt, Joe, History , The Daily News Leader, Staunton Va., November 9, 1993 Depicts a J. G. Brill Birney Safety Car, Shenandoah Traction Company No. 34, being offloaded upon delivery at the Staunton Wharf. Adds to the first article and discusses the sequence of St. Louis, Jackson & Sharp, and J.G. Brill cars purchases. (OCR extract or full text paid subcription access is available via at newspapers.com)

Staunton Development Company Belt Line (Circa 1890-1894) and associated industries     The Staunton Development Company Belt Line was constructed by Civ. Eng. C.R. French east of downtown as a spur from the Valley Railroad heading east along Lewis Creek. A second track headed northwest from the National Cemetery into the ravine north of the C&O Railway tracks and connected with the first track. Joint trackage agreements allowed either railroad to service industries located along this line.     Industries were attracted to the land surrounding this area by the Staunton Development Company offering free land. The concept was that the company would locate here for free land, and then residential lots could be sold to the workers. Several companies invested in the community, including Kroder Brass Curtain Rod factory of New York, and the Brodley Wagon factory of Wheeling WV.     When the Brodley Wagon factory moved to Georgia, the property was purchased by the Virginia-Carolina Company, also involved in argricultural products involving, fertilizers, lime, and bat guano.     In later years the State of Virginia started to mine a quarry to create agricultural lime. The State of Virginia later decided to work the quarry using penitentiary prisoners. A small push cart railway was manned by prisoners who pushed small ore carts to the crusher and lime tipple.     The C&O siding to the lime plant is still in operation, although often is used as car storage.     Portions of rock cuts for the right of way can still be seen just west of Statler Boulevard as you approach the overpass of the C&O mainline.     The Valley Railroad siding past the old Augusta Block plant, extends past the Valley Feed Company. It is frequently used as an outbound SVRR/BB rail yard interchange track. - Local., Staunton's Spring of 1891., $435,575 spent in Buildings, Factories, and Development in last 12 Months. , Staunton Vindicator, Staunton Va., May 8, 1891 Pg. 3, Cols. 1&2, describe the enterprenurial investments of the Staunton Development Company and it's specific activities in constructing "The Y-Line". - Map of the Properties of the Staunton Development Company, Staunton Virginia October 1890 , Dunlap & Barnett Civ. Eng., Roanoke Va., 1890. Depicts the development plan of the Staunton Development Company, including lots, factories, and Belt line. The Hotel Altemonte was never constructed. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of Special Collections, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va.) ref: http://search.lib.virginia.edu/catalog/uva-lib:1003478 - Perspective Map of the City of Staunton Va. , American Publishing Company, Corner of South Water and Ferry Streets, Milwaukee Wis., 1891 The perspective map illustrates the belt line as well as the Kroder Brass Curtain Rod factory and the Brodley Wagon factory. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Libray of Congress) - Insurance Maps of Staunton Virginia, Augusta County , Sanborn-Ferris Company Limited, 115 Broadway, New York NY., February 1899 pg. 1, Depicts in overview the Belt Line Y track location. pgs. 8 & 13 illustrate the Kroder and Brodley factories respectively. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of U.S. Library of Congress) - Making Lime for Virginia's Farmers , Richmond Times Dispatch, Richmond Va. August 1, 1915 Pg. 2. Cols. 2-3. depicts four photos of the lime tipple, with striped attired men pushing carts, and a steam locomotive on the track below the tipple. The article titled Virginia's Lime Plant for Farmers Benefit in Col. 4, explains how Smith-Courtney Company of Richmond constucted the site. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov)

Shendun Street Railway (Circa 1890-1896) - Horsecar service Shedun Station to the Caves     The Shendun Street Railway was a by-product of the land development aspirations of the Grottoes Company. The Grottoes Company was a speculative land venture company that sought to develop the Shenandoah Valley Railroad railway stop at Shedun and nearby caverns into a tourist destination. Of greater importance was the potential mining of iron ores north east of the station. With this in mind, Jedediah Hotchkiss sought investors willing develop a land company to attract factories, create jobs, and offer residental lots to future residents/workers.     The Grottoes Company was formed to put these concepts into practice. It bought the land, surveyed lots, graded the streets, built an electrical plant, built a street railway, built an 80 person hotel, and built a 250 ft. suspension bridge to create access to the caves.     The Shedun Street Railway line consisted of 2.66 miles of standard gauge track which originated at the north end of Shedun's station and traveled north via First Avenue along the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. It passed 1st Street , 2nd Street , and turned left (west) on 3rd Street heading to the caves. (as depicted on Map of The Villa Lot portion of Shedun, Rockingham and Augusta Counties, Virginia., Allotment to Stockholders May 27th, 1891. ) Animals, particulary mules in teams, last roughly two hours at work, before needing water, rest etc. So with thirty mules and four cars shuttling station and hotel guests to the caves, a decision was made to sell the mules and buy horses. A single horse replacing each pair of mules.     The line was operated as a subsidiary of the Grottoes Company and reported expenditures and receipts for the company's annual reports. The Shedun Street Railway was listed in the Stockholder report as an investment of $16,000 dollars.     "Receipts May 1st, 1890 to May 1st 1892. were reported in the stockholder report as: Shedun Street Railway     Cash received from sale of tickets, ....  727.50     Cash received from sale of mules, ...... 336.00     Use of mules teams in hauling, etc. ...   287.40                                                                          1,350.90     But much like any of the other 1890's "Land Boom" enterprises, the local real estate market grew soft. The gifting of land to companies and factories building in the communities met reality that their wasn't enough money to pay the bills, and slowly each enterprise collapsed. By the time the Grottoes Company reached 1895, it was in bankruptcy court. The court appointed receiver had to gather a list of stockholders, and account for the entrusted posessions of the Grottoes Company, and present these in proceedings to the court. The court proceeding are preserved in the Library of Congress, seek Grottoes, Hotchkiss, Mount Vernon . Near page 20, Jed Hotchkis is sworn in on the witness stand to explain why and how the Grottoes Company was invested in the Mt. Vernon Iron enterprise and why it sold out. - Summer Excursion Routes, Pennsylvania Railroad Co. Passenger Department, Allen, Lane, Scott Printers, Philadelphia Pa., 1890 Grottoes of the Shenandoah, Va., Excursion 899. - Grottoes, Va. pg. 101 , describes the cave, features, electrical lighting, and ammenities of the hotel. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Shendun Va., The Street Railway Journal, 113 Liberty Street New York NY. December 1890 - Shendun and Its Grottoes. , Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, 110 Fifth Avenue New York, NY., June 28, 1891 pg. 450 illustrates Shedun and pg. 451 Cols. 1&2, describe the caves including features and map. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - CHAP. 258 - An ACT to incorporate the town of Shendun, Virginia , Acts of the General Assembly, Richmond Va., 1892 Approved February 16, 1892, the boundaries of the town, means of governace, powers of taxation, etc. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Basic City Development Belt Line and associated industries     Basic City Development Belt Line was an outgrowth of land development aspirations of the Basic City Mining, Manufacturing, and Land Company. It plotted the land north west of the C&O and N&W interchage with the intent to develop industrial properties. An industrial railroad track was extended along the river connecting the C&O and N&W. Presumably it had joint switching arrangements, although all switches diverge south which would favor N&W crews doing car placement.     Amongst the many enterprises was the Gartner Extract Company, which owned a fleet of eight tank cars. It processed chesnut bark into tannic acid to be used in tanning leathers. - Perspective Map of the City of Waynesboro Va. , American Publishing Company, Corner of South Water and Ferry Streets, Milwaukee Wis., 1891 The perspective map illustrates the belt line as well as the factories built along South River. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Libray of Congress)

Waynesboro and Basic City Street Railway (Circa 1895-1896) - Horsecar service Waynesboro.     The Waynesboro and Basic City Street Railway was an outgrowth of the Charlottesville and University Street Railway chartered March 30, 1887. The Charlottesville and University Street Railway built from the C&O train station west to the University and began operation on June 15, 1887. Capital Stock was valued at $10,000, all paid. The line consisted of 16 pound rail, laid to standard gauge, built 1.5 miles. Four Lewis and Fowler horsecars were ordered from Brooklyn N.Y. The cars were originally pulled by 16 mules. In April of 1894, the Charlottesville and University Street Railway reported operating 1.75 miles of track using 15 horses and six Lewis and Fowler cars.     Around 1894, the President R.P. Valentine and Supt. H.D. Porter began discussions with the University Electric Light Company to merge and convert the system to electricity. This meant the horses, cars, and inferior tracks would all be replaced. The cars, track, and other property were sold to C. L. Carver and J. W. Marshall on February 28, 1895. They immediately began moving the materials to Waynesboro. With the Act of Charter dated March 3, 1896, the Waynesboro and Basic City Railway Company was revived; and as alluded to, R.P. Valentine, the President of the Charlottesville enterprise was prominent in the Basic City venture.     Mules, teamed as a pair, pulled modestly sized Lewis and Fowler cars. The tracks ran south of Basic City's N&W station to Main street and then west across the South River bridge into Waynesboro. At the intersection of Main and Wayne street, tracks curved north to Waynesboro's C&O depot and south to the Brunswick Hotel. Refer to the Perspective view of Waynesboro map for a better depiction. Unlike the illustration on the map, the line was never electrified.     The controling interest in the line was later sold to J. A. Patterson of Staunton and finally operated by O. H. Pattie until around 1902-1903. At that time the franchise was ended, the rails gathered as scrap and sold to the Crimora Mining company. The light 16 pound rail being suitable for its needs on its tramway serving its pit. - CHAP. 506 - An ACT to incorporate the Basic City street railway , Acts of the General Assembly, Richmond Va., 1890 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Goo gle at books.google.com) - CHAP. 663 - An ACT to incorporate the Waynesboro and Basic City railway , Acts of the General Assembly, Richmond Va., 1896 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The Magazine of Albermale County History - Volumes 33-34 , Charlottesville Va., 1978 pg. 47, Details the upgrade of the Charlottesville system and transfer of horsecar and rail assets to Waynesboro Va. (Only excerpts of text may be previewed courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Perspective Map of the City of Waynesboro Va. , American Publishing Company, Corner of South Water and Ferry Streets, Milwaukee Wis.  1891 The perspective map illustrates the Waynesboro and Basic City Street Railway routes although the extension beyond the Brunswick Hotel is doubtful. Additionally the line was never electrified. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Libray of Congress) - Street Line Sold., Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., Sep 12, 1902, Pg.2, Col.3, (courtesy Valley Virginian) Describes Mr. Charles Harman's purchase of the Waynesboro and Basic City street car line to repurpose the track for the Crimora Mines. (An jpg file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Libray of Congress)

Old Dominion Portland Cement Company, Virginia Portland Railway Company, Virginia Portland Cement Company, Lehigh Portland Cement Company (Circa 1880-1967 - Marble and limestone quarry line Fordwick Va.     In ~1880, marble is found by Evans in Craigsville. Nearby (in Fordwick), Andy Young and Frank Young also discover marble and they begin using it for tombstones. Jed Hotchkiss write in June 1881, that the Coral Marble Comapny is organized and plans to use it for furniture and interior designs. The operation lasted several years, but but by 1899, the marble beds have proven to have too many fractures, ruining the concept of using it as decorative marble.     In the late 1899, curiousity is renewed with consideration of using the materials for concrete. The Old Dominion Portland Cement Company, began its operation. Around 1901 the operation was bought and expanded as the Virginia Portland Cement Company built four new kilns. This enlarged the operation and included adding a network of narrow gauge mining tracks to move quarried stone to the crushers. What was "Marbledale" becomes "Ford-wick"; named by Maj. Fred A. Lewis, the plant constructor.     The mining railway was chartered seperately as the Virginia Portland Railway Company by legislative act on February 16, 1901. It was wholly owned by the Virginia Portland Cement Company. 1904 corporate filings list the Virginia Portland Railway Company assets as one locomotive and ten cars. Corporate officers were identified as identical to the Virginia Portland Cement Company. The railway listed, would have been only the standard gauge railroad.     The suspected 24" inch narrow gauge was owned, integral to Virginia Portland Cement and not recorded seperately. Initially it proceeded southwest of Fordwick. A 1926 Staley photograph shows a huge stable building in the center of the sorting yard. Mules were used as the quarry motive power before steam. The same photgraph shows narrow gauge Baldwin and Davenport locomotives in sihlouette. Small "Dinky", 0-4-0T, 0-6-0T, and 2-6-2T tank locomotives pulled and pushed little mining carts from the quarries to the sorting yard. The large narrow gauge yard was used for storing and sorting material qualities to create the right blends in the crushers. The key to quality cement was knowing what the quaries were offering and mixing limestone and shales appropriately.     At the plant, the milling consisted of tumbling the mixture in rolling tilted cylinders filled with harder crushing stones. The powdered limestone mixture would escape through screen mesh, to go to a smaller mesh cylinder. Eventually limestone and shale, mixed with a touch of gypsum, would be fired in a kiln and voila!, the result was cement mix ready to be sacked. Crushed and kilned powders were then loaded in bags, as well as loaded in bulk into barrels for transport in freight cars interchanged with the C&O railroad.     In December of 1915, the Virgina company is sold to Lehigh Portland Cement Company. It becomes one of their first plants,among what will be many. The plant expands production to ten kilns. In 1916, the Lehigh company start brusing legally with the big railroads. Two cases are interesting. One case challenges tariffs on cement transport on the ACL to Daytona Fl. The more interesting Virginia Supreme court case is decided March 28, 1918 challenging the C&O for spotting lumber cars on mills for no extra charge, but not including free spotting at the Fordwick plant. It is in the case briefing we learn six pages of particulars on all aspects of the railroad. The court brief mentions just 8,036 cars were exchanged from the C&O in 1913! A single locomotive spent 97% of the day spotting coal cars at six location in the plant to feed the kilns and steam turbine that supplied electricity.     In the 1916 timeframe, track was 2.96 miles in length, amassed to four miles if sidings were included. It shipped cement in barrels and sacks, track ballast limestone in hoppers, and received coal to power the kilns. The coal was powdered into dust and blown in, rising to 2,700F. Specific car load quantiies are detailed.     in 1927, at the openning of the Gay Quarry, the track southwest was standard gauged for two miles and a 65 ton Whitcomb diesel displaced the narrow gauge steam locomotives. Metal ore cars replaced the wooden cars.     As the company evolved, it opened a quarry northwest of the plant, and installed a standard gauge line to serve it. The tracks of the new line were seperate from the C&O and ran underneath the C&O mainline. The plant operated until 1968. The facilities later demolished. - R. B. Colton, Portland Cement as Manufactured at Fordwick Virginia ,The Yale Scientific Monthly, Yale University New Haven Ct., Vol. XIII, No.3, pgs. 90-94, 1906. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - L. G. Sprague, The Manufacture of Portland Cement form Limestone and Shale , The Tradesman, The Tradesman Publishing Co. Chattanooga Tn., Vol. LXVIII No.24 December 12, 1912 pgs. 34-35, Describes the technique of quarring stone, crushing aggregate, kilning the powder, and qualitites of the product. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - No. 10978. Virginia Portland Cement Company v. Director General, as Agent, Atlantic Coastline Railroad Company, Et Al. . No. 4181, Interstate Commerce Commision, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C., Submitted October 13, 1920, Decided June 10, 1921. pgs. 231- , Describes the plant and operation of the Virginia Portland Railway Company at the Fordwick plant and the requirement upon standard gauge railroads to spot cars at the plant. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Virginia Portland Railway Company, Second Industrial Railways Case. No. 4181, In the Matter of Allowance to Short Lines of Railroads Serving Industries. Decided march 28, 1918. Interstate Commerce Commision Vol. 49 , U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C., pgs. 332-335, 1919. pgs. 332-335 , Provides a history of the railroad and its operation of behalf of the Virginia Portland Cement Company. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The Cement Era:Devoted to Cement Concrete and Releated Machinery, Lehigh to buy Fordwick Plant , The Cement Era Publishing Company, 538 S. Clark St., Chicago Ill., Vol. XIV No.1 January 1916 pg63 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The History of Virginia Volume VI Virginia Biography Illustrated George Samuel Craig , The American Historical Society, Chicago Ill. and New York NY., 1924 pg. 122, Describes the Craig family and their donation of the Virginia Central right-of-way. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The History of Virginia Volume VI Virginia Biography Illustrated William Walter Mathews , The American Historical Society, Chicago Ill. and New York NY., 1924 pg. 170, Describes William Walter Mathews as a C&O fireman and broad gauge engineer at Virginia Portland Cement. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Insurance Maps of Staunton Virginia, Augusta County , Sanborn-Ferris Company Limited, 115 Broadway, New York NY., November 1921 pgs. 38-39, Depicts locations of many buildings of the Lehigh Portland Cement Plant at Fordwick Va., specifying purpose, internal equipment and track layout. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of U.S. Library of Congress) - Lehigh Portland's Rail Engineer Retires with Senority Record, The Daily News Leader, Staunton Va., January 6, 1967 Describes the work of J. William Stephenson, his 49 years of service, and the equipment used for the quarry trains. (OCR extract or full text paid subcription access is available at www.newspapers.com) - Joe Nutt, Remembering the Lehigh Portland Cement Co., Fordwick , The Daily News Leader, Staunton Va.,1994 Describes the history of the company operation, key dates, machinery, production techniques, and personnel. (OCR extract or full text paid subcription access is available at www.newspapers.com)

Stiegel Lumber Corporation (circa 1902-1914) - Stokesville Va.     The Stiegel Lumber Corporation operated a bandsaw mill in Stokesville. It built a 3' narrow gauge line west into the U.S. Forest region surrounding Todd Lake. Over 26 miles of track extended through the region. The train consisted of Shay #2 and flat cars with stakes. The by-product residuals of the mill fed the chesnut bark tannic extract industry, as well as the barrel cooprage industry that co-located in Stokeville. - Latest Cooperage News, The Stiegel Lumber Corporation , National Cooper's Journal Vol.XX Nbr.9 pg.45, Philadelphia Pa., January 1905. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - FROM STOKESVILLE, Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., April 17, 1908 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Lumber Trade Journal, The Stiegel Lumber Corporation, Stokesville out of business , Walter C. Wright Publisher, Vol.68 Nbr.5 pg.35, 606 Commercial Pl. New Orleans La., September 1, 1925. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Imperial Extract Company (Circa 1903-1917) - Tank car fleet Stokesville Va.     The Imperial Extract Company operated a chesnut bark tannic extract plant in Stokesville and owned a small fleet of wooden tankcars for shipment of the extract to leather production facilities. An image of one of the extract cars appears on a Topps baseball card. - Manufacturers' Record., Tannic Extract Plant., Manufacters' Record Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md., Vol.pg5 , July 27, 1903 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Manufacturers' Record., Stokesville - Tannic-extract Works, Manufacters' Record Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md., Vol.48 No.1 pg.24 , July 20, 1905 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, FROM STOKESVILLE, Staunton Va., April 17, 1908 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Topps Baseball Cards, Extract Tankcar, 1966 (A jpg of the baseball card can be viewed by searching for the card)

Augusta Woods Products (circa 1913-1924) - Lumber line from Hotchkiss Va. to Dearfield Va.     Standard Oil Corporation purchased lumber tracts in Augusta county from the Millboro Lumber Company of Hotchkiss Va. It built track from the wye at Scotchtown Draft northward to the townsite of Dearfield Va. Dearfield was erected as a company town, with commissary, mill, hotel, and Sear's bungalow housing. The mill produced barrels and staves used for the shipment of oil products. Climax locomotives pulled logging trains through Bath, Augusta, and Highland counties. - Hardwood Record, The Highland Lumber Company , The Hardwood Company, 537 S. Dearborn St., Chicago Il. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Virginia's Harwood Attracts Standard Oil, The Richmond Times Dispatch, Richmond Va., September 2 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Foreign Workmen make Threats of Violence , The Richmond Times Dispatch, Richmond Va., April 24, 1917 Describes the railroad worker pay dispute, dispatch of the Virginia National Guard, and quelling of the labor force. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Millboro Lumber Company Inc., v. Augusta Wood Products Company , Richmond Va., November 13, 1924 Details each companys' rail operations and the dispute of its purchase based on payment of moneies to a former company manager. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded of the legal case involving dispute of lands sold to the AWPCo.)

Lyndhurst and Sherando Railway (Circa 1908-1917) Lipscomb Va. to Mt. Torry Va. - Lumber and Manganese line.     The Lyndhurst and Sherando Railway was incorporated as a railway and began building a standard gauge line from Lipscomb Va. to Mt. Torry Va. Its primary purpose was to collect the manganese from the Kennedy Tract, but it also served to gather lumber along the mountains to Mt. Torry. To the best of our studies, it never carried passengers. Refer to subsequent listings for Lyndhurst Lumber Corporation and Steel Ore Railway. - Virginia Geological Survey, Manganese Deposits of the West Foot of the Blue Ridge, Virginia , University of Virginia, Charlottesville Va.,pg. 103, See Fig. 12. with map depicting line. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - The Manufacturer's Record, Railroad to Manganese Mines. , ?., February 7, 1907 (A snippet of the Adobe pdf file may be viewed courtesy of Google at books.google.com.) The Railway Review, Lyndhurst & Sherando , ?., September 13, 1907 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded.) - The Railway Review, Lyndhurst & Sherando ,Lyndhurst to Mt. Torry Tract 6 miles: contract let., March 20, 1908 (A snippet of the Adobe pdf file may be viewed courtesy of Google at books.google.com.)

Lyndhurst Lumber Corporation (Circa 1914-1918) Lipscomb Va. to Mill Creek Jct to North Fork - Track built 16.0 miles.     The Lyndhurst Lumber Company was purchased by J. W. Cottrell Lumber Company. It ran over the tracks of the Lyndhurst and Sherando Railway to Mill Creek Junction and then into the mountains to retrieve lumber. The railroad operated a 20-ton standard gauge Climax locomotive and six log cars. These plied the modestly built tracks through the mountains and returned to the mill with the logs, which once cut, were transfered to the N&W at Lipscomb Va. - Railway Age Gazette, Lyndhurst Lumber Corporation , Vol.54 Nbr.19 pg.1053, Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company, New York NY., May 9, 1913 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Railway Age Gazette, Lyndhurst Lumber Company's Line , Vol.55 Nbr.25 pg.1208, Simmons-Boardman Publishing Company, New York NY., December 19, 1913 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Alphabetical List of Charters of Corporations Joseph W. Cottrell Lumber Company - Pittsburgh Pa. August 22, 1913, pg82 1914 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded.) - Hardwood Record Vols 39-40, The J. W. Cottrell Lumber Company , pg.33, The Hardwood Company, 537 S. Dearborn St., Chicago Il., 1914 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded.) - Railway Review, Virginia. , January 3, 1914 (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded.) - Southern Lumberman Lyndhurst Lumber Company For Sale Ad , 1916 pg. 57, Ad lists the equipment of the mill and railroad for sale. (A snippet of the Adobe pdf file may be viewed courtesy of Google at books.google.com.) - The New York Lumber Trade Journal Vol.64 For Sale Ad, pg.39, Sawmill etc. J. W. Cottrell Lumber Company, Lipscomb Va., 1919 (A snippet of the Adobe pdf file may be viewed courtesy of Google at books.google.com.)

R. E. Woods Lumber Co. (circa 1925) - Lumber line from Millboro Va. to Williamsville Va.     On July 25, 1925, the R. E. Woods Lumber Company took over the operations of the Millboro Lumber Company operating an Allis-Chamber band mill, townsite, and standard gauge railroad from Hotchkiss Va. to Williamsville Va. Lima shay locomotives pulled logging trains through Bath, Augusta, and Highland counties. The operation bought as used, Shay #10 from the Mower Lumber operation at Cass WVa. - R. E. Wood Lumber Concludes Big Deal , The New York Lumber Trade Journal Vol.79 Whl.Nbr.939 The New York Lumber Trade Journal, 17 W.46 St., New York, NY., August 1, 1925 pg. 39, Details the purchase of mill, land, and railroad assets, as well as ambitions of the company to continue development of the lumber operation. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Creditors Meeting Called , The New York Lumber Trade Journal Vol., The New York Lumber Trade Journal, 17 W.46 St., New York, NY., October 1926 pg.31, Details the R.E. Wood Lumber Company's holdings of Timber rights of the United States Timber Company with Hotchkiss as the central point in an area of 24,000 acres. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Claiborne Rice Mason - Louisa Railroad Superintent, Railroad contractor for Virginia Central, Valley R.R. and others, Staunton resident     Claiborne Rice Mason worked on the Lousia Railroad, at first soliciting bond subcriptions and later serving in various roles until becoming Superintendent. He left the railroad to pursue contracting, mostly road grading and bridge construction. During the Civil War he served as a civilian for the Confederacy as a bridge builder. After the war he returned to contracting. With the need to build the temporary track over Rock Fish Gap, his talents were sought again. He gathered a group of slaves, and began building the line from near the west portal, up and over the gap to a merger point between Afton and the Lil Rock tunnel. Detour tracks were required around work at Brookville to reach Greenwood Station.     When the Valley Railroad constructed from Harrisonburg to Lexington, it was Mason and Hoge who suceeded in obtaining the contract to build south of Staunton to Fairfield. The company built cabins and leased state penitentiary prisoners to build the line. As the "Panic of 73" brought work to a halt, both contractors negotiated for bonds as payment. The payment was eventually settled in court.     Mason & Hoge, and later Mason, Gooch, & Hoge continued in the railroad construction business. Eventually Horatio Pleasants Mason and Silas B. Mason joined the firm to become Mason, Hoge & Company. Refer to the subsequent listing for Charles E. Hoge for a list of specific contracted railroads.     Claibourne Rice Mason contracted the C&O's Lewis Tunnel, and he was a dignitary at the completion cerimonies of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway at Kanawha Falls, where he drove in the last spike. He was a resident of Staunton Va. and of Swoope Va. Both homes remain intact, but have new owners as private residences. He and his wife are interned in Thornrose Cemetery, Staunton, Va. - Its Done at Last, Chesapeake and Ohio Road Finished, First Train Through , Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., January 30, 1873 pg. 1, col. 1, details the (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Completed, First Train Through:, Great Rejoicing Along the Line , Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., January 30, 1873 pg. 1, col. 2, details the (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Chesapeake and Ohio R. R., A Journey to See the Last Nail Driven, A Brief History of the Road , Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., January 30, 1873 pg. 1, col. 3-7, details the history of the Louisa Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Capt. C. R. Mason of Staunton. , Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., February 13, 1877 Pg. 2, Col. 5-6, Describes the lifetime accomplishments of Claibourne Rice Mason.

Col. Clauduis Crozet - Civil Engineer for the Blue Ridge Tunnel, Brooksville resident     Claiborne Rice Mason worked on the Lousia Railroad, at first soliciting bond subcriptions and later serving in various roles until becoming Superintendent. He left the railroad to pursue contracting, mostly road grading and bridge construction. During the Civil War he served as a civilian for the Confederacy as a bridge builder. After the war he returned to contracting. With the need to build the temporary track over Rock Fish Gap, his talents were sought again. He gathered a group of slaves, and began building the line from near the west portal, up and over the gap to a merger point between Afton and the Lil Rock tunnel. Detour tracks were required around work at Brookville to reach Greenwood Station.     When the Valley Railroad constructed from Harrisonburg to Lexington, it was Mason and Hoge who suceeded in obtaining the contract to build south of Staunton to Fairfield. The company built cabins and leased state penitentiary prisoners to build the line. As the "Panic of 73" brought work to a halt, both contractors negotiated for bonds as payment. The payment was eventually settled in court.     Mason & Hoge, and later Mason, Gooch, & Hoge continued in the railroad construction business. Eventually Horatio Pleasants Mason and Silas B. Mason joined the firm to become Mason, Hoge & Company. Refer to the subsequent listing for Charles E. Hoge for a list of specific contracted railroads.     Claibourne Rice Mason contracted the C&O's Lewis Tunnel, and he was a dignitary at the completion cerimonies of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway at Kanawha Falls, where he drove in the last spike. He was a resident of Staunton Va. and of Swoope Va. Both homes remain intact, but have new owners as private residences. He and his wife are interned in Thornrose Cemetery, Staunton, Va. - Its Done at Last, Chesapeake and Ohio Road Finished, First Train Through , Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., January 30, 1873 pg. 1, col. 1, details the (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Completed, First Train Through:, Great Rejoicing Along the Line , Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., January 30, 1873 pg. 1, col. 2, details the (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Chesapeake and Ohio R. R., A Journey to See the Last Nail Driven, A Brief History of the Road , Richmond Dispatch, Richmond Va., January 30, 1873 pg. 1, col. 3-7, details the history of the Louisa Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Capt. C. R. Mason of Staunton. , Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., February 13, 1877 Pg. 2, Col. 5-6, Describes the lifetime accomplishments of Claibourne Rice Mason.

Charles Ellet Jr. Eng. - Chief Engineer of the Virginia Central (1853) and for the Mountain Top Track     In 1853 Charles Ellet Jr. replaced T. Colden Ruggles (serving June 26, 1850-1853) as the chief engineer of the Virginia Central Railroad. In doing so, he became responsible for planning and overseeing the construction of the temporary track over Rock Fish Gap.     In planning for the mountain top track, two specialized 0-6-0T tank locomotives were ordered from Mathias Baldwin in Philadelphia Pa. The locomotives fittingly bore the names, "M.W. Baldwin" and "C.R. Mason" in credit to those committed to the success of the railway. A third locomotive, the "J.R. Anderson" 0-8-0T was later ordered from Tredgar Iron and Locomotive Works Richmond Va. Tank locomotives were a new development in locomotive design, and had the advantage of placing the full weight of the water contained in their tanks and wood loaded on top, onto their powered wheels to aid in adhesion. Additionally, their shorter wheel base, aided their negotiation of the tight radius curves found on the mountain top track.     Although the specialized mountain locomotives would later reside in the locomotive shed in Greenwood and travel to Waynesboro on roundtrips, they would not be credited with being the first locomotive over the line. In a strange twist of fate, it would be the "Frederick Harris", steamed up for a test of the newly constructed Tredgar Irons Works Bollman style bridge spanning South River (of the Shenadoah) at Waynesboro Va., that upon crossing the bridge, continued up grade to the top of the newly laid track across Rock Fish Gap and then descended into Greenwood. The event accompanied by Charles Ellett Jr. was widely reported in the newspapers of the day. In the course of leaving Augusta County into Nelson County, and returning into Augusta County, the "Frederick Harris" became the first steam locomotive to travel on rails into Augusta County. - Ellet Jr., Charles, The Mountain Top Track, A Description of the Railroad Across the Blue Ridge at Rock Fish Gap in the State of Virginia., T. K.&P. Collins Printers, Philadelphia Pa., 1856. A very detailed and authoritive writing by Charles Ellet Jr. explaing the civil engineering details of the railway. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Ellet Jr., Charles, The Central Rail Road The Richmond Enquirer, Richmond Va., May 16, 1853 The annexed letter of Charles Ellet Jr. describing to Richmond Va. readers the opportunties of trade via the Virginia Central Railroad with the Ohio river and Mississippi valley. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov)

Garrett Gideon Gooch - Virginia Central conductor, Mail and Express Agent, Staunton merchant, and Railroad contractor     Garrett Gideon Gooch was a merchant who partnered with Claiborne Rice Mason to form the Mason, Gooch, and Hoge Company. He remained active in the merchandise trade until additional railroad contracts grew in number and needed his attention. In 1890 he withdrew from Gooch & Hoge to pusue railroad contracting. He then partnered with R. S. Ryan to form "Gooch & Ryan of Basic City". During this period he bid as "Googh and Waugh", Contractors, for work on the Craig Mineral Railroad. This line headed off C&O on the James River south as a branch line. - Tyler, Lyon Gardiner. Men of Mark in Virginia Ideals of America Life; a Collection of Biographies of the Leading Men of the State. Washington D.C.; Men of Mark Publishing Company, 1907 pgs. 134-137 highlight the works of Garrett Gideon Gooch. Includes photographic engraving, signature and biography. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Charles E. Hoge - Staunton merchant, and Railroad contractor.     Charles E. Hoge was a merchant who partnered with Claiborne Rice Mason to form the Mason and Hoge Company. In 1872 Horatio Pleasants Mason and Silas B. Mason were admitted in the partnership to become Mason, Hoge & Company. - Biographical Cyclopedia of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Embracing Biographies of Many of the Men and Families of the State, Charles E. Hoge , John M. Gresham Company, Chicago-Philadelphia Pa., Donohue & Hennerberry, Printers, Engravers, and Binders Chicago Il., 1896 pgs. 104-106 describe the acheivements of Mr. Hoge and itemizes the railroad contracting activities of Mason, Hoge, & Company on numerous railroads. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Michael Garber Harman - Virginia Central R.R. shareholder, Civil War Colonel, Quartermaster in Staunton,     Michael Garber Harman born near Staunton August 22, 1823 operated a stage coach line and was a hotel owner in Staunton. During the Civil War served as Quatermaster in Staunton. In 1866 he was elected as the first President of the Valley railroad and served until General Robert E. Lee accepted the Valley Railroad Presidency. M. G. Harman was a member of the VMI Board of Visitors. M. G. Harman died December 17, 1877 and is interned in Thornrose Cemetery, Staunton Va. - Acts of the General Assembly, of Virginia, Passed at the Session Commencing December 7, 1846, and Ending March 23, 1847 , Samuel Shepherd, Printer to the Commonwealth, Richmond Va., 1847 CHAP. 197 - An ACT to incorporate the Virginia Hotel Company in in the town of Staunton. (Passed March 20, 1847) ,Pgs. 187-191 describe ownership of the company. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Reports of Cases in the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia Volume 75 R. F. Walker Superintendent of Public Printing, Richmond Va., 1882 National Valley Bank of Staunton v. Harman et Als. Pgs. 604-612 decribes the transfer of a deed from M.G. Harman to his son A. W. Harman on February 22, 1876 and a subsequent sale to Mrs O'Toole.

Asher Waterman Harman Jr., railroad contractor, Millbrook resident.     Asher Waterman Harman Jr., born near Staunton September 6, 1850; attend and graduated from Virginia Military Institute July 4, 1872. He served as a railroad contractor on the Richmond and Allegheny Railroad. - Tyler, Lyon Gardiner. Men of Mark in Virginia Ideals of America Life; a Collection of Biographies of the Leading Men of the State. Volume II Washington D.C.; Men of Mark Publishing Company, 1907 pgs. 163-166 highlight the works of Asher Waterman Harman Jr. Includes photographic engraving, signature and biography. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Lorenzo Silbert - Metalurgist, Inventor, Iron furnance consultant, Stokesville resident.     Lorenzo Sibert worked in iron and was the inventor of the Sibert Process for making steel directly from ore. He invented and patented a repeating firearm, "the Sibert Repeating Gun", while working near Stokeville near the Dora Coal mines. Later he superintended the erection of the blast furnace at Buffalo Gap. While in that vocation he developed the Sibert Process of spritzing salts upon manganese ores to use as strengthening additives in iron smelting. The technique grew in popularity amongst furnances in Virginia and, as one example, the Virginia Central tested Lorenzo's cast steel for its locomotive drivers. - CAST-STEEL-by Sibert's Process. , The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., February 11, 1868 Pg. 3, Col. 2, describes the casting of Virginia Central locomotive drivers at the foundry of Parkins, Nelson & Co. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Sibert's Steel at Elizabeth Furnace. , The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., June 23, 1868 Pg. 2, Col. 4, describes the casting of railroad rails at Elizabeth Furnace and using the wrought iron at the Tredgar Iron Works in Richmond, Va. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., May 11, 1869 Pg. 3, Col. 1, describes The finding of a coal vein at Buffalo Gap and Lorenzo Sibert's involvement erecting a large works. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - NOTICE. , The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., September 26, 1871 Pg. 3, Col. 6, An advertisement describing by Letters Patent for manufacturing steel, cast or malleable, from blast furnances. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - The Michigan Iron Company of Virginia. , The Daily Dispatch, Richmond, Va., September 20, 1873 Pg. 1, Col. 1, describes the establishment of the The Michigan Iron Company of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. with Lorenzo Sibert as Vice-President of the firm. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Death of Lorenzo Sibert , The Staunton Spectator, Staunton Va., ? Describes Lorenzo Sibert's lifetime acheivements and arrangements for internment in Thornrose Cemetery Staunton, Va. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Moon J. D. vs. Sibert R. G. & ALS.. , The Staunton Spectator and General Advertiser, Staunton Va., April 11, 1882 Pg. 2, Col. 6, describes legal review for settlement of the estate of Lorenzo Sibert (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov)

Jedediah Hotchkiss - Geologist, Surveyor, Civil War map maker, Real estate enterpreur, Staunton resident.     Jedediah Hotchkiss was a man of many talents and had an interesting career as geologist, surveyor, Civil War map maker, real estate enterpreur, and Staunton resident. He is most commonly known by history buffs for his maps of the Civil War, and for his geologic newspaper The Virginias, A Mining, Industrial, & Scientific Journal, Devoted to The Development of Virginia and West Virginia , Vols. 1-6 published 1880-1885.     As geologist, he had a hand in furnishing the engineers of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad a route map and nine page study of gradients for the railroad between Waynesboro Va. and Roanoke Va.  Those students of mineral geology in Virginia, who study the route will quickly recognize that the line traced the path of mineral ore banks located on the western slope of the Blue Ridge mountains. Not a bad idea for locating a railroad needed for moving mined minerals, and even better if you interest included advancing geological mineral development.     He later adapted his geological interests in the speculative land boom era by organizing and presiding over the Grottoes Company, in Shedun Va. This company invested in the Mt. Vernon Iron land tract just northeast of the station, hoping to mine riches in iron ore. Equally, the company saw opportunity in developing access to Weyer's and Fountain Caves, which we know commonly today as Grand Caverns. Like almost all the land companies of the 1890 land boom era, enthusiasm in speculative land investment would wane, subscribers of investments would default on payments, and the Company would suffer bankrupcy. - Hotchkiss, Jedediah, Consulting, Mining, and Civil Engineer, The Virginias, A Mining, Industrial, & Scientific Journal, Devoted to The Development of Virginia and West Virginia, Vol. 4, 1883 , S.M. Yost & Sons, "Valley Virginian" Office, Staunton Va., 1883 Pgs. 152-153, B&O Valley Railroad describe the newly completed line to Lexington va., listing stations, counties, mileage, and elevations. Includes mention of "Muddy Lane", later to appear as Brookwood, and Folley Mills. Operational records, and tax filings indicate the flag stop consisted of a shelter and siding. The "Muddy Lane" railroad site was demolished with the construction of I-81. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com)

Richard Duncan Apperson - Manager of the City Street Car Company, Staunton, Va.     Jedediah Hotchkiss was a man of many talents and had an interesting career as geologist, surveyor, Civil War map maker, real estate enterpreur, and Staunton resident. He is most commonly known by history buffs for his maps of the Civil War, and for his geologic newspaper The Virginias, A Mining, Industrial, & Scientific Journal, Devoted to The Development of Virginia and West Virginia , Vols. 1-6 published 1880-1885.     Richard Duncan Apperson served as superintendent of the Little Rock Street Car operation until approached by Samuel D. Adams to build and operate the street car franchise in Staunton Va. He arrived in Staunton and established a twelve car horsecar street railway, with its stables and car barn at the intersection of N. Lewis St. and Wayt St. As a businessman with activities in St. Louis in the street car business, he retrofits the horsecars with Peckham chassises, G. E. motors, control boxes, catenary poles; and electrifies the railway lines in Staunton. This includes repurposing a section of the stables on Wayt Street to include a Heine tubular steam boiler and 550 volt electrical generator. As business grew, and Staunton became accustomed to amenities such as electric Arc street lamps, the franchise expanded into offering residential elctricity and natural gas. A new location was chosen near the intersection of Coalter St and Greenville Ave. Unfortunately the City Street Car business was forced to run during low ridership periods, such as late evenings in winter. The street car business "lost money" compared to the electricity and gas utility business, and the courts placed the City Street Car Company into receivership with R. D. Apperson at the helm. Attempts to re-purchase the franchise at a reduced price failed, and with that; R. D. Apperson turned his attentions to Lynchburg Va. where he became manager of the Lynchburg Traction system. That system was similarly expanded into electricity and gas utilities. - Electrical World and Engineer Vol.33 No. 21, Staunton Light and Power Company , Electrical World and Engineer, , May 27, 1899 pg. 692 Describes the first annual meeting of the Street railway & Electrical Association of Virginia in Richmond with representatives of each of the streetcar companies in Virginia in attendance. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Street Cars Not Sold , The Staunton Spectator and Vindicator, Staunton Va., March 31, 1905 Describes the offering of $11,125 by Mr. R. D. Apperson of Lynchburg and the decline of that offer by the commisioners of the sale. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress at chroniclingamerica.loc.gov) - Brill Magazine, Vol. IV No.5, R. D. Apperson , pgs. 128-129, J. G. Brill Company , Philadelphia Pa., May 1910 Describes R. D. Appersons lifetime acheivements in the streetcar and utilities industry. (An Adobe pdf file may be downloaded courtesy of Google at books.google.com) - Tyler, Lyon Gardiner. Men of Mark in Virginia Ideals of America Life; a Collection of Biographies of the Leading Men of the State. Volume IV Washington D.C.; Men of Mark Publishing Company, 1908 pgs. 14-18 highlight the works of Richard Duncan Apperson. Includes photographic engraving, signature and biography. (An Adobe pdf fil

Here is a brief list of railroad companies that planned to build in Augusta County, but for one reason or another failed to construct.     Staunton and Potomac Railroad, chartered March 28, 1831 - Harpers Ferry to Staunton     Rivanna and Valley Railroad, chartered March 5, 1835 - Charlottesville to Rockfish Gap     Staunton and James River Rail-road, chartered March 9, 1835 - Scottsville to Staunton     Staunton and Charlottesville Rail-road Company - Staunton to Charlottesville     Staunton and West Augusta Railroad Company, chartered February 10, 1880 - Staunton to North Gap     Basic City, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh, chartered March 4, 1890     Atlantic, Staunton, and West Virginia railroad Company, chartered February 15, 1892 Chesapeake Bay to West Virginia     Basic City, Bridgewater and Piedmont Railway Company January 23, 1896     Staunton and Augusta Railroad Company, chartered February 21, 1898     Bellington and Beaver Creek Railroad, chartered December 6 1889 Beaver Creek WVa to Staunton     Virginia Valley Traction Company, chartered September 6, 1905 Staunton to Middlebrook

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