Manassas Gap Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Manassas Gap Railroad (MGRR) was an historic intrastate railroad in the Southern United States
which ran from Mount Jackson, Virginia
to the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
at a junction called "Manassas Junction", which later became the city of Manassas, Virginia
. It was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly
in 1850, and played a key role in early train raids of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
and Confederate troop movements during the early years of the American Civil War
.
, construction was started westward in 1851 from a junction with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
(O&A) at Tudor Hall in Prince William County
(a location which the railroads called Manassas Junction) toward Front Royal
and through Manassas Gap
in the Blue Ridge Mountains
to the Shenandoah Valley
. It was completed to Strasburg
in 1854. Building south up the Shenandoah Valley, the railroad reached Mount Jackson
in Shenandoah County
in 1859.
Part of the original plan for the railroad included a branch
through Loudoun County
to connect to Harpers Ferry and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
. Financial troubles and the American Civil War
kept the line from ever being completed and opened.
The MGRR was a 4 in 8 in (1.42 m) gauge with 38 miles (61.2 km) of 60 pounds-per-yard T-rail and 52 miles (83.7 km) of 52 pounds-per-yard T-rail, comprising 90 total miles of track. A total of nine locomotives and 232 cars were operated on the line, serving 20 stations.
ended construction, and conflicts during the war destroyed much of the railroad.
when Colonel Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
of the Virginia Militia
raided the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
removing, capturing or burning a total of 67 locomotives and 386 railway cars, and taking 19 of those locomotives and at least 80 railroad cars onto Confederate railroads. After initially trapping this rolling stock on the Virginia-controlled portion of the Baltimore & Ohio, Jackson immediately "helped himself to four small locomotives not too heavy for the flimsy flat-bar rails of the Winchester & Potomac, and had them sent to Winchester" where they were disassembled near Fort Collier
, mounted onto special dollies and wagons, and hauled by 40-horse teams "down the Valley turnpike to the [Manassas Gap] railroad at Strasburg". Eventually almost all of the B&O locomotives and most of the railroad cars were taken to the Manassas Gap Railroad.
During the summer of 1861, the Manassas Gap Railroad became the first railroad in history to move troops as part of a battle related military movement, as Brigadier General Stonewall Jackson's brigade marched from Winchester, Virginia
through Ashby Gap and boarded trains at the Piedmont Station at Delaplane, Virginia
. From there they were transported to the Manassas Junction with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
and debarked to join the fight at the First Battle of Manassas
.
.
Both the western portion of the Manassas Gap Railroad and the Winchester and Potomac Railroad
were effectively under Union control by the spring, and were going to be used as part of a plan developed by Major General George B. McClellan
to support Union operations in that area. McClellan's plan was to connect the Manassas Gap Railroad and the W&P Railroad with a line between Winchester, Virginia and Strasburg, Virginia
, creating a "complete circle of rails" from the Union capital at Washington, D.C.
to the Shenandoah Valley
by either the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad or the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
.
On May 23, 1862 Colonel Turner Ashby
and the 7th Virginia Cavalry
, during the Valley Campaign
of 1862, tore up rails in the direction of Strasburg, Virginia
, while Colonel Thomas T. Munford
's 2nd Virginia Cavalry
"wrecked track and bridges as far east as Thoroughfare Gap
".
(B&O) gained control of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and in 1867, the Manassas Gap Railroad as well, merging them to form the Orange, Alexandria and Manassas Railroad. The damaged portions of each were repaired, and new construction resumed up the Shenandoah Valley from Mt. Jackson, reaching Harrisonburg
in 1868. (Tudor Hall was renamed Manassas
and became an incorporated town
in 1873).
The B&O also acquired or built additional mileage to connect its east-west main line at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
, with Winchester, Virginia
, and Strasburg, and south past Harrisonburg to eventually reach Lexington
. However, eventually, financial difficulties prevented the B&O from its ultimate goal of reaching Salem
, where it could connect with the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
(V&T), which became part of William Mahone
's Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad
(AM&O) in 1870. The AM&O extended about 400 miles (643.7 km) across the southern tier of Virginia from Norfolk
, to Bristol
.
In 1881, the B&O's plan to reach all the way south to Salem effectively became moot. In that year, the AM&O, in receivership since the mid 1870s, was acquired by Philadelphia-based interests competing with the B&O who also controlled the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
, a parallel line also building up the Shenandoah Valley from the Potomac River
which thereby achieved the connection with the original V&T near Salem the B&O had sought. At the junction, the newly created Norfolk and Western turned a tiny flag stop named Big Lick into the new railroad city of Roanoke, Virginia
, a few miles northeast of Salem.
system, and eventually became an important part of the modern-day Norfolk Southern rail system.
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
which ran from Mount Jackson, Virginia
Mount Jackson, Virginia
Mount Jackson is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mount Jackson is located at in the southern part of Shenandoah County, Virginia at...
to the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
Orange and Alexandria Railroad
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was an intrastate railroad in Virginia, United States. It extended from Alexandria to Gordonsville, with another section from Charlottesville to Lynchburg...
at a junction called "Manassas Junction", which later became the city of Manassas, Virginia
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
. It was chartered by the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
in 1850, and played a key role in early train raids of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
and Confederate troop movements during the early years of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Founding and early history
With financial assistance from the Virginia Board of Public WorksVirginia Board of Public Works
The Virginia Board of Public Works was a governmental agency which oversaw and helped finance the development of Virginia's internal transportation improvements during the 19th century. In that era, it was customary to invest public funds in private companies, which were the forerunners of the...
, construction was started westward in 1851 from a junction with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
Orange and Alexandria Railroad
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was an intrastate railroad in Virginia, United States. It extended from Alexandria to Gordonsville, with another section from Charlottesville to Lynchburg...
(O&A) at Tudor Hall in Prince William County
Prince William County, Virginia
-National protected areas:* Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge* Manassas National Battlefield Park* Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge* Prince William Forest Park-Government and politics:...
(a location which the railroads called Manassas Junction) toward Front Royal
Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C....
and through Manassas Gap
Manassas Gap
Manassas Gap is a wind gap of the Blue Ridge Mountains on the border of Fauquier County and Warren County in Virginia. At an elevation of 887 feet above sea level, it is the lowest crossing of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the state....
in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
to the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
. It was completed to Strasburg
Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town, population-wise, in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history...
in 1854. Building south up the Shenandoah Valley, the railroad reached Mount Jackson
Mount Jackson, Virginia
Mount Jackson is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mount Jackson is located at in the southern part of Shenandoah County, Virginia at...
in Shenandoah County
Shenandoah County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 35,075 people, 14,296 households, and 10,064 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 16,709 housing units at an average density of 33 per square mile...
in 1859.
Part of the original plan for the railroad included a branch
Loudoun Branch of the Manassas Gap Railroad
The Loudoun Branch of the Manassas Gap Railroad was a planned branch extension of the Manassas Gap Railroad that was to connect the Orange and Alexandria Railroad to Harpers Ferry and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.-Route:...
through Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
to connect to Harpers Ferry and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
. Financial troubles and the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
kept the line from ever being completed and opened.
The MGRR was a 4 in 8 in (1.42 m) gauge with 38 miles (61.2 km) of 60 pounds-per-yard T-rail and 52 miles (83.7 km) of 52 pounds-per-yard T-rail, comprising 90 total miles of track. A total of nine locomotives and 232 cars were operated on the line, serving 20 stations.
| Station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Manassas Junction Manassas, Virginia The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county... |
0 mile (0 km) |
| Gainesville, Virginia Gainesville, Virginia -Demographics:Gainesville is currently the third-largest CDP in Prince William County. As of the census estimate of 2009, there were 28,662 people, 10,300 households, and 8,604 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,150.2 people per square mile . There were 10,300 housing units... |
8 miles (12.9 km) |
| Thoroughfare, Virginia Thoroughfare, Virginia Thoroughfare is an unincorporated community in Prince William County, Virginia. Roughly located on Virginia State Route 55 about 1.5 miles West of Haymarket where the Norfolk Southern Railway tracks cross the road. The community thrived through the 1940s as a community founded by former slaves. As... |
14 miles (22.5 km) |
| Broad Run, Virginia Broad Run, Virginia Broad Run is a small, unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia. It is on Bust Head Road just north of Interstate 66 and State Route 55, near the Prince William County line. Broad Run is named after the river that flows through the town... |
17 miles (27.4 km) |
| Plains, Virginia | 20 miles (32.2 km) |
| Rectortown, Virginia Rectortown, Virginia Rectortown is an unincorporated community in Fauquier County, in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Reference:... |
30 miles (48.3 km) |
| Piedmont, Virginia Delaplane, Virginia Delaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and... |
34 miles (54.7 km) |
| Markham, Virginia Markham, Virginia Markham is a small, unincorporated community in Fauquier County, Virginia, along State Route 55 and off Interstate 66. It is home to the Naked Mountain Vineyard, its own post office, and ZIP Code of 22643. The Manassas Gap railway runs through the community.... |
38 miles (61.2 km) |
| Linden, Virginia Linden, Virginia Linden is an unincorporated community in Fauquier and Warren counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is less than an hour from Washington, D.C... |
43 miles (69.2 km) |
| Happy Creek, Virginia | ? miles |
| Front Royal, Virginia Front Royal, Virginia Front Royal is a town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Warren County.-Geography:Front Royal is roughly west of Washington, D.C.... |
51 miles (82.1 km) |
| Riverton, Virginia | ? miles |
| Buckton, Virginia | 56 miles (90.1 km) |
| Waterlick, Virginia | ? miles |
| Strasburg, Virginia Strasburg, Virginia Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town, population-wise, in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history... |
61 miles (98.2 km) |
| Tom's Brook, Virginia | 68 miles (109.4 km) |
| Woodstock, Virginia Woodstock, Virginia Woodstock is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. It has a population of 5,097 according to the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Shenandoah County.... |
75 miles (120.7 km) |
| Edinburg, Virginia Edinburg, Virginia Edinburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,041 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Edinburg is located at .... |
81 miles (130.4 km) |
| Mount Jackson, Virginia Mount Jackson, Virginia Mount Jackson is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mount Jackson is located at in the southern part of Shenandoah County, Virginia at... |
87 miles (140 km) |
American Civil War
The beginning of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
ended construction, and conflicts during the war destroyed much of the railroad.
1861
The Manassas Gap Railroad was a key asset used during the Great Train Raid of 1861Great Train Raid of 1861
Colonel Thomas Jackson's operations against the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1861 were aimed at disrupting a critical railroad used by the opposing Union Army as a major supply route and capturing the maximum number of locomotives and cars. During this point in the war, the state of Maryland's...
when Colonel Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
of the Virginia Militia
Virginia Militia
The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males...
raided the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
removing, capturing or burning a total of 67 locomotives and 386 railway cars, and taking 19 of those locomotives and at least 80 railroad cars onto Confederate railroads. After initially trapping this rolling stock on the Virginia-controlled portion of the Baltimore & Ohio, Jackson immediately "helped himself to four small locomotives not too heavy for the flimsy flat-bar rails of the Winchester & Potomac, and had them sent to Winchester" where they were disassembled near Fort Collier
Fort Collier
Built by Confederate Lieutenant Collier and Virginia militia with the aid of Federal prisoners, this redoubt guarded the north entrance of Winchester, Virginia on the east side of the Martinsburg Pike. During later Federal occupations, it was known as Battery No. 10. The fort was set on low ground,...
, mounted onto special dollies and wagons, and hauled by 40-horse teams "down the Valley turnpike to the [Manassas Gap] railroad at Strasburg". Eventually almost all of the B&O locomotives and most of the railroad cars were taken to the Manassas Gap Railroad.
During the summer of 1861, the Manassas Gap Railroad became the first railroad in history to move troops as part of a battle related military movement, as Brigadier General Stonewall Jackson's brigade marched from Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
through Ashby Gap and boarded trains at the Piedmont Station at Delaplane, Virginia
Delaplane, Virginia
Delaplane is a small unincorporated village in Fauquier County, Virginia, located approximately due west of Washington, D.C.. Delaplane is situated along U.S. Route 17 and Interstate 66; bordering Upperville, Virginia to the north, Hume, Virginia to the south, Paris, Virginia to the west, and...
. From there they were transported to the Manassas Junction with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
Orange and Alexandria Railroad
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was an intrastate railroad in Virginia, United States. It extended from Alexandria to Gordonsville, with another section from Charlottesville to Lynchburg...
and debarked to join the fight at the First Battle of Manassas
First Battle of Bull Run
First Battle of Bull Run, also known as First Manassas , was fought on July 21, 1861, in Prince William County, Virginia, near the City of Manassas...
.
1862
In the opening months and winter of 1862 most of the Baltimore & Ohio rolling stock and rail ties that had been captured and stored in Winchester, with the help of W&P Railroaders, were evacuated and used in various other Confederate railroads, such as the Centreville Military RailroadCentreville Military Railroad
The Centreville Military Railroad was a 5.5 mile spur running from the Orange and Alexandria Railroad east of Manassas Junction across Bull Run and up the south side of the Centreville Plateau. Built by the Confederate States Army between November 1861 and February 1862, it was the first...
.
Both the western portion of the Manassas Gap Railroad and the Winchester and Potomac Railroad
Winchester and Potomac Railroad
The Winchester and Potomac Railroad was an historic railroad in the Southern United States, which ran from Winchester, Virginia to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad junction at Harpers Ferry on the Potomac River. The W&P Railroad is now incorporated into the modern CSX Transportation Class I...
were effectively under Union control by the spring, and were going to be used as part of a plan developed by Major General George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
to support Union operations in that area. McClellan's plan was to connect the Manassas Gap Railroad and the W&P Railroad with a line between Winchester, Virginia and Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town, population-wise, in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history...
, creating a "complete circle of rails" from the Union capital at Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
to the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
by either the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad or the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
Orange and Alexandria Railroad
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad was an intrastate railroad in Virginia, United States. It extended from Alexandria to Gordonsville, with another section from Charlottesville to Lynchburg...
.
On May 23, 1862 Colonel Turner Ashby
Turner Ashby
Turner Ashby, Jr. was a Confederate cavalry commander in the American Civil War. He had achieved prominence as Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's cavalry commander, in the grade of colonel, in the Shenandoah Valley before he was killed in battle in 1862...
and the 7th Virginia Cavalry
7th Virginia Cavalry
The 7th Virginia Cavalry also known as Ashby's Cavalry was a Confederate cavalry regiment raised in the spring of 1861 by Colonel Angus W. McDonald, Sr. The regiment was composed primarily of men from the counties of the upper Shenandoah Valley as well as from the counties of Fauquier and Loudoun...
, during the Valley Campaign
Valley Campaign
Jackson's Valley Campaign was Confederate Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's famous spring 1862 campaign through the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia during the American Civil War...
of 1862, tore up rails in the direction of Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg, Virginia
Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, United States, which was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest town, population-wise, in the county and is known for its pottery, antiques, and Civil War history...
, while Colonel Thomas T. Munford
Thomas T. Munford
Thomas Taylor Munford was an American farmer and Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War.-Biography:...
's 2nd Virginia Cavalry
2nd Virginia Cavalry
The 2nd Virginia Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia....
"wrecked track and bridges as far east as Thoroughfare Gap
Thoroughfare Gap
Thoroughfare Gap is an album by American singer-songwriter Stephen Stills, released in 1978. This CD is now available as a three album set on 2 CDs with Stills & Illegal Stills.- Side 1 :#"You Can't Dance Alone" – 4:14#"Thoroughfare Gap" – 3:31...
".
Post Bellum
After the end of hostilities in 1865, the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadBaltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O) gained control of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, and in 1867, the Manassas Gap Railroad as well, merging them to form the Orange, Alexandria and Manassas Railroad. The damaged portions of each were repaired, and new construction resumed up the Shenandoah Valley from Mt. Jackson, reaching Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
in 1868. (Tudor Hall was renamed Manassas
Manassas, Virginia
The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...
and became an incorporated town
Incorporated town
-Canada:Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government.-United States:...
in 1873).
The B&O also acquired or built additional mileage to connect its east-west main line at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Harpers Ferry is a historic town in Jefferson County, West Virginia, United States. In many books the town is called "Harper's Ferry" with an apostrophe....
, with Winchester, Virginia
Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is an independent city located in the northwestern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the USA. The city's population was 26,203 according to the 2010 Census...
, and Strasburg, and south past Harrisonburg to eventually reach Lexington
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
. However, eventually, financial difficulties prevented the B&O from its ultimate goal of reaching Salem
Salem, Virginia
Salem is an independent city in Virginia, USA, bordered by the city of Roanoke to the east but otherwise adjacent to Roanoke County. It is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 24,802 according to 2010 U.S. Census...
, where it could connect with the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway...
(V&T), which became part of William Mahone
William Mahone
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....
's Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad was formed in 1870 in Virginia from 3 east-west railroads which traversed across the southern portion of the state. Organized and led by former Confederate general William Mahone , the 428-mile line linked Norfolk with Bristol, Virginia by way of Suffolk,...
(AM&O) in 1870. The AM&O extended about 400 miles (643.7 km) across the southern tier of Virginia from Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, to Bristol
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
.
In 1881, the B&O's plan to reach all the way south to Salem effectively became moot. In that year, the AM&O, in receivership since the mid 1870s, was acquired by Philadelphia-based interests competing with the B&O who also controlled the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
Shenandoah Valley Railroad (N&W)
Shenandoah Valley Railroad was a line completed on June 19, 1882 extending down the Shenandoah Valley from Hagerstown, Maryland USA through the West Virginia panhandle into Virginia to reach Roanoke, Virginia and to connect with the Norfolk and Western Railway . The development of this railroad had...
, a parallel line also building up the Shenandoah Valley from the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
which thereby achieved the connection with the original V&T near Salem the B&O had sought. At the junction, the newly created Norfolk and Western turned a tiny flag stop named Big Lick into the new railroad city of Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
, a few miles northeast of Salem.
Modern Times
In 1896, most of the original Manassas Gap Railroad became part of the Southern RailwaySouthern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
system, and eventually became an important part of the modern-day Norfolk Southern rail system.