South Side Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Southside Railroad was formed in Virginia in 1846. Construction was begun in 1849 and completed in 1854. It connected City Point
, a port on the James River
with the farm country south and west of Petersburg, Virginia
, to Lynchburg, Virginia
, a distance of about 132 miles.
The Southside Railroad was important to the Confederate States of America
during the American Civil War
(1861-1865). Ravaged by the war, it was rebuilt and later became an important part of Norfolk and Western and Norfolk Southern's coal
route from the mountains to port at Hampton Roads
. In addition to coal, most of the route is in active use in the 20th century for intermodal
container and automobile parts and completed vehicle shipments.
in 1846. Construction began from the eastern end in 1849, reaching Burkeville
and a connection with the Richmond and Danville Railroad
in 1852. (The latter was still also building east-to-west, but had been completed east to Richmond
.)
Following a more circuitous route through Farmville
in response to financial incentives from the community, the railroad constructed the famous 21 span High Bridge
across the Appomattox River
valley about 6 miles east of Farmville. The structure was 2,400 feet long and as high as 100 feet in the center, one of the largest in the world when built.
The Southside Railroad was completed to Percival Island across the James River from Lynchburg
in 1854.
Also in 1854, the Southside Railroad acquired the 9-mile long City Point Railroad
. It had been purchased by the City of Petersburg in 1847, and renamed Appomattox Railroad. Completed in 1838, and paralleling the Appomattox River
from Petersburg to its confluence with the James River
at City Point
, the City Point Railroad provided an ideal link for the Southside Railroad to reach a deep water steamship connection on the navigable portion of the larger river.
other transportation entities:
(1861-1865). Beyond the lines of battle until the war's last year, the principal damage it suffered was the financial weakness caused by Confederate compensation policies and currency. During the last year of the war, considerable damage was inflicted by both sides until the conflict finally ended near Appomattox Station on the Southside Railroad at Appomattox Courthouse in April 1865.
Ironically, the City Point Railroad portion of the Southside Railroad was of great value to the Union
forces during the Siege of Petersburg
in 1864-65. General Ulysses S. Grant
used and extended it to move supplies and troops from the port at City Point to the area south and east of Petersburg, operating it as the U.S. Military Railroad.
urged his generals to go home and start rebuilding. To the good fortune of the Southside Railroad, one of his more able young commanders, Major General William Mahone
(1826-1895), did just that.
In the pre-war years, "Little Billy" Mahone of Southampton County
had been educated at Virginia Military Institute
as a civil engineer
. A dynamic man of small stature, from 1853 to 1858, he headed the construction of the well-engineered Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad
, described by occupying Union forces during the Civil War as "decidedly the best road in Virginia." Mahone had been President of the N&P prior to the war, and was well aware of many aspects of the Southside Railroad, as his road connected with it at Petersburg. He was an able leader during the war, best-known as the hero of the Battle of the Crater
in 1864 where he rallied troops and foiled an initial Union success during the Siege of Petersburg.
After the war, Mahone returned to his old job and quickly set about repairing the N&P. Meanwhile, the managers of the Southside Railroad also worked hard to restore service and rebuild bridges, stations, and rolling stock. The war had demonstrated the need to consolidate resources and connections, and the stockholders of the Southside Railroad elected Mahone as president of their road also before the end of 1865.
. He was president of all three by the end of 1867. Mahone wanted to combine them into a single entity and expand westward. He worked diligently lobbying the Virginia General Assembly to gain the legislation necessary to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O), a new line composed of the 3 railroads he headed, extending 408 miles from Norfolk to Bristol, Virginia
in 1870. The letters A, M & O were said to stand for "All Mine and Otelia's." The Mahones lived in Lynchburg, Virginia
during this time, but moved to Petersburg
in or before 1880.
The former Southside Railroad was originally one of 3 A,M & O divisions, and was later consolidated with the former N&P into a single division. The A,M & O did well for several years, but fell on hard times in the financial panic of 1873 which negatively impacted almost all of the railroads. After several years of operating under receiverships, Mahone's role as a railroad builder ended in 1881 when northern interests purchased the A,M, & O and renamed it Norfolk and Western. Mahone was able to arrange for a portion of the State's proceeds of the sale to help found a school to prepare teachers to help educate black children and former slaves. The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute near Petersburg
was forerunner of Virginia State College, which expanded to become Virginia State University
.
from the mines in southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia
to port at Norfolk, where a huge coal pier
was built at Lambert's Point
. The N&W merged with the smaller but also highly efficient Virginian Railway
in 1959, facilitating a more favorable route for eastbound coal than offered by the former Southside Railroad west of Burkeville. However, from that point east, the combination brought an increase to the Southside Railroad alignment as former VGN traffic was rerouted through Crewe
to connect with the former N & P on its way to Lambert;'s Point. Norfolk & Western Railway was combined with the Southern Railway
, another profitable carrier, to form Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in 1982.
Over 150 years after completion, much of the former Southside Railroad route remained in active use until 2005 when the corridor was abandoned and subsequently turned over to the Virginia DCR (Dept of Conservation and Recreation) for conversion to a rail trail linear park called High Bridge Trail State Park
. An estimated $11 million will be spent on the development project, recently $2 million has been made available by federal economic recovery funds aimed at bettering the lifestyle of area residents. High Bridge will undergo its third major construction project and become the gem of the state park. Completion of the bridge is expected to be at the end of the summer of 2010.
City Point
-Places:United Kingdom*CityPoint, an office tower in London, EnglandUnited States*City Point , a neighborhood in New Haven, Connecticut*City Point, Boston, a section of South Boston, Massachusetts...
, a port on the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
with the farm country south and west of Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, to Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, a distance of about 132 miles.
The Southside Railroad was important to the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during 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...
(1861-1865). Ravaged by the war, it was rebuilt and later became an important part of Norfolk and Western and Norfolk Southern's coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
route from the mountains to port at Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. In addition to coal, most of the route is in active use in the 20th century for intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
container and automobile parts and completed vehicle shipments.
Charter, construction, City Point Railroad
The charter for the new Southside Railroad was issued by the State of VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in 1846. Construction began from the eastern end in 1849, reaching Burkeville
Burkeville, Virginia
Burkeville is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 489 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is disputed. The town is located on the crossroads of U.S. Routes 360 and 460....
and a connection with the Richmond and Danville Railroad
Richmond and Danville Railroad
The Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856...
in 1852. (The latter was still also building east-to-west, but had been completed east to Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.)
Following a more circuitous route through Farmville
Farmville, Virginia
Farmville is a town in Prince Edward and Cumberland counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 6,845 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Prince Edward County....
in response to financial incentives from the community, the railroad constructed the famous 21 span High Bridge
High Bridge (Appomattox River)
High Bridge is a historic former railroad bridge across the Appomattox River valley about east, or downstream, of the town of Farmville in Prince Edward County, Virginia...
across the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
valley about 6 miles east of Farmville. The structure was 2,400 feet long and as high as 100 feet in the center, one of the largest in the world when built.
The Southside Railroad was completed to Percival Island across the James River from Lynchburg
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
in 1854.
Also in 1854, the Southside Railroad acquired the 9-mile long City Point Railroad
City Point Railroad
The City Point Railroad was a nine-mile railroad in eastern Virginia established in 1836 which ran from City Point on the navigable portion of the James River to Petersburg, Virginia...
. It had been purchased by the City of Petersburg in 1847, and renamed Appomattox Railroad. Completed in 1838, and paralleling the Appomattox River
Appomattox River
The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James River, approximately long, in central and eastern Virginia in the United States, named for the Appomattocs Indian tribe who lived along its lower banks in the 17th century...
from Petersburg to its confluence with the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
at City Point
City Point, Virginia
City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia that was annexed by the independent city of Hopewell in 1923. It served as headquarters of the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War.- History :...
, the City Point Railroad provided an ideal link for the Southside Railroad to reach a deep water steamship connection on the navigable portion of the larger river.
Connections
By late 1860, the Southside Railroad provided connections with the followingother transportation entities:
- Petersburg
- Petersburg RailroadPetersburg RailroadPetersburg Railroad was chartered in 1830 and opened in 1833. It ran from Petersburg, Virginia south to Garysburg, North Carolina, from which it ran to Weldon via trackage rights over the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad...
extending south to Weldon, North CarolinaWeldon, North CarolinaWeldon is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,374 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Weldon is located at .... - Richmond and Petersburg RailroadRichmond and Petersburg RailroadRichmond and Petersburg Railroad was a regional railroad serving east-central Virginia. It was strategically important to the Confederacy during the American Civil War, when it provided a vital supply and transportation route in late 1864 and early 1865 for Robert E...
extending north to Richmond - Norfolk and Petersburg RailroadNorfolk and Petersburg RailroadThe Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad was built between Norfolk and Petersburg, Virginia and was completed by 1858.It played a role on the American Civil War , and became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad in 1870. The AM&O became the Norfolk and Western in 1881...
(after Sept. 1858) extending east to SuffolkSuffolk, VirginiaSuffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
and NorfolkNorfolk, VirginiaNorfolk 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....
- Petersburg Railroad
- Burkeville
- Richmond and Danville RailroadRichmond and Danville RailroadThe Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856...
northeast to Richmond, southwest to DanvilleDanville, VirginiaDanville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
- Richmond and Danville Railroad
- Lynchburg
- James River and Kanawha CanalJames River and Kanawha CanalThe James River and Kanawha Canal was a canal in Virginia, which was built to facilitate shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western counties of Virginia and the coast....
east to Richmond, building west - Virginia and Tennessee RailroadVirginia and Tennessee RailroadThe Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway...
west to SalemSalem, VirginiaSalem 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...
and BristolBristol, VirginiaBristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
and connections south and west extending all the way to New OrleansNew Orleans, LouisianaNew Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
- James River and Kanawha Canal
American Civil War
The Southside Railroad from Petersburg west was a vital resource for the Confederacy as a supply line for Richmond and Petersburg during 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...
(1861-1865). Beyond the lines of battle until the war's last year, the principal damage it suffered was the financial weakness caused by Confederate compensation policies and currency. During the last year of the war, considerable damage was inflicted by both sides until the conflict finally ended near Appomattox Station on the Southside Railroad at Appomattox Courthouse in April 1865.
Ironically, the City Point Railroad portion of the Southside Railroad was of great value to the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
forces during the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
in 1864-65. General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
used and extended it to move supplies and troops from the port at City Point to the area south and east of Petersburg, operating it as the U.S. Military Railroad.
Post-war, rebuilding, hiring William Mahone
In a meeting at Appomattox about the time of the surrender, defeated Confederate General Robert E. LeeRobert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
urged his generals to go home and start rebuilding. To the good fortune of the Southside Railroad, one of his more able young commanders, Major General 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"....
(1826-1895), did just that.
In the pre-war years, "Little Billy" Mahone of Southampton County
Southampton County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 18,570 people, 6,279 households, and 4,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
had been educated at Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
as a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
. A dynamic man of small stature, from 1853 to 1858, he headed the construction of the well-engineered Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad
Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad
The Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad was built between Norfolk and Petersburg, Virginia and was completed by 1858.It played a role on the American Civil War , and became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad in 1870. The AM&O became the Norfolk and Western in 1881...
, described by occupying Union forces during the Civil War as "decidedly the best road in Virginia." Mahone had been President of the N&P prior to the war, and was well aware of many aspects of the Southside Railroad, as his road connected with it at Petersburg. He was an able leader during the war, best-known as the hero of the Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
in 1864 where he rallied troops and foiled an initial Union success during the Siege of Petersburg.
After the war, Mahone returned to his old job and quickly set about repairing the N&P. Meanwhile, the managers of the Southside Railroad also worked hard to restore service and rebuild bridges, stations, and rolling stock. The war had demonstrated the need to consolidate resources and connections, and the stockholders of the Southside Railroad elected Mahone as president of their road also before the end of 1865.
Atlantic, Mississippi, and Ohio Railroad
In the post-war years, William Mahone became the driving force in the linkage of N&P, Southside Railroad and the Virginia and Tennessee RailroadVirginia 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...
. He was president of all three by the end of 1867. Mahone wanted to combine them into a single entity and expand westward. He worked diligently lobbying the Virginia General Assembly to gain the legislation necessary to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O), a new line composed of the 3 railroads he headed, extending 408 miles from Norfolk to Bristol, Virginia
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
in 1870. The letters A, M & O were said to stand for "All Mine and Otelia's." The Mahones lived in Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
during this time, but moved to Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
in or before 1880.
The former Southside Railroad was originally one of 3 A,M & O divisions, and was later consolidated with the former N&P into a single division. The A,M & O did well for several years, but fell on hard times in the financial panic of 1873 which negatively impacted almost all of the railroads. After several years of operating under receiverships, Mahone's role as a railroad builder ended in 1881 when northern interests purchased the A,M, & O and renamed it Norfolk and Western. Mahone was able to arrange for a portion of the State's proceeds of the sale to help found a school to prepare teachers to help educate black children and former slaves. The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute near Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
was forerunner of Virginia State College, which expanded to become Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
.
Norfolk and Western, Norfolk Southern
The Norfolk and Western itself grew into a great system, and the former Southside Railroad formed a major piece of the line used to transport bituminous coalBituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
from the mines in southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
to port at Norfolk, where a huge coal pier
Coal pier
A coal pier is a transloading facility designed for the transfer of coal between rail and ship.The typical facility for loading ships consists of a holding area and a system of conveyors for transferring the coal to dockside and loading it into the ship's cargo holds...
was built at Lambert's Point
Lambert's Point
Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia, United States...
. The N&W merged with the smaller but also highly efficient Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
in 1959, facilitating a more favorable route for eastbound coal than offered by the former Southside Railroad west of Burkeville. However, from that point east, the combination brought an increase to the Southside Railroad alignment as former VGN traffic was rerouted through Crewe
Crewe, Virginia
Crewe is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,378 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1888 as a central location to house steam locomotive repair shops for the Norfolk and Western Railroad which has a rail yard there for east-west trains carrying Appalachian...
to connect with the former N & P on its way to Lambert;'s Point. Norfolk & Western Railway was combined with the Southern Railway
Southern 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...
, another profitable carrier, to form Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in 1982.
Over 150 years after completion, much of the former Southside Railroad route remained in active use until 2005 when the corridor was abandoned and subsequently turned over to the Virginia DCR (Dept of Conservation and Recreation) for conversion to a rail trail linear park called High Bridge Trail State Park
High Bridge Trail State Park
High Bridge Trail State Park in Southside Virginia is a rail trail converted from a railway line last belonging to Norfolk Southern and having originated as a portion of the Southside Railroad....
. An estimated $11 million will be spent on the development project, recently $2 million has been made available by federal economic recovery funds aimed at bettering the lifestyle of area residents. High Bridge will undergo its third major construction project and become the gem of the state park. Completion of the bridge is expected to be at the end of the summer of 2010.