Chesapeake and Ohio Railway

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The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, also known as C&O Railroad, was one of several rail lines that were routed through Charlottesville in the 19th century. [citation needed] Assets in Charlottesville were owned by CSX Transportation, the C&O's successor corporation, before being purchased by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority in 2021.[1] The rail tracks created a barrier separating the northern and southern sides of Charlottesville.

History

Virginia Central Rail Road showing connections between Staunton and Richmond (1851)

The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway traced its origin to the Louisa Railroad of Louisa County, begun in 1836, and the James River and Kanawha Canal Company (1785-1880). The first train ran on December 20, 1837. In 1850 the Louisa Railroad Company, (later the Virginia Central and later yet the Chesapeake and Ohio) was the first to arrive in Charlottesville.

In 1858 the railroad connected with the Shenandoah Valley through new tunnels in the Blue Ridge Mountains, thereby facilitating major expansions in the shipment of goods and raw materials through Charlottesville. The C&O station was situated toward the southern edge of the original town grid, below Main Street. In 1863 the Southern Railroad appeared, on a roughly north-south route, crossing the previous rail line midway between downtown and the University of Virginia. This rail line led to a new station, later to be called Union Station, at the point of crossing between the north-south and east-west routes.

In 1933, a plan to widen the 4th Street underpass underneath the railway was discussed by city and railway officials. On August 9, 1933, City Manager Seth Burnley decided to defer work to widen the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway railroad underpass on 4th Street to 22 feet wide. After a morning conference with railroad officials, the $21,000 expense was deemed to be too much. [2]


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References

  1. Web. Virginia Finalizes $3.7 Billion Deal To Acquire Tracks From CSX, NPR WAMU 88.5, March 31, 2021, retrieved 2022-12-29.
  2. Web. 4th Street Pass Job Deferred, Daily Progress Digitized Microfilm, Lindsay family, August 11, 1933, retrieved May 5, 2019.