Washington Subdivision
Encyclopedia
The Washington Subdivision is a railroad line leased and operated by the Buckingham Branch Railroad
in the U.S. state
of Virginia
.
The line runs from Orange southwest to Charlottesville, and was a CSX Transportation
line until 2004. At Charlottesville, the North Mountain Subdivision continues west; the Piedmont Subdivision splits to the east at Gordonsville. Amtrak
's Cardinal operates over the entire line.
. The rest, from Gordonsville northeast to Orange, was built as the Orange and Alexandria Railroad
in the 1850s. A new alignment of the O&A was later built between Orange and Alexandria, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
(the Virginia Central's successor) leased the Gordonsville-Orange stretch.
Through mergers, the O&A became part of the Norfolk Southern Railway
and the C&O became part of CSX Transportation
. CSX had trackage rights
over the Norfolk Southern Railway
's Washington District (former O&A) from Orange to Alexandria until those rights were terminated on March 20, 1994. In 2004, the Buckingham Branch Railroad leased the Charlottesville-Gordonsville portion from CSX and subleased the Gordonsville-Orange piece, still owned by Norfolk Southern.
Buckingham Branch Railroad
Buckingham Branch Railroad is a Class III short-line railroad operating over 200 miles of historic and strategic trackage in Central Virginia...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Virginia
Virginia
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...
.
The line runs from Orange southwest to Charlottesville, and was a CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
line until 2004. At Charlottesville, the North Mountain Subdivision continues west; the Piedmont Subdivision splits to the east at Gordonsville. Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Cardinal operates over the entire line.
History
The part from Charlottesville to Gordonsville was part of the 19th century Virginia Central RailroadVirginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad was chartered as the Louisa Railroad in 1836 by the Virginia Board of Public Works and had its name changed to Virginia Central Railroad in 1850. It connected Richmond with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Gordonsville in 1854, and had expanded westward past the Blue...
. The rest, from Gordonsville northeast to Orange, was built as 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...
in the 1850s. A new alignment of the O&A was later built between Orange and Alexandria, and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(the Virginia Central's successor) leased the Gordonsville-Orange stretch.
Through mergers, the O&A became part of the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
and the C&O became part of CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
. CSX had trackage rights
Trackage rights
Trackage rights , running rights or running powers is an agreement whereby a railway company has the right to run its trains on tracks owned by another railway company....
over the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
's Washington District (former O&A) from Orange to Alexandria until those rights were terminated on March 20, 1994. In 2004, the Buckingham Branch Railroad leased the Charlottesville-Gordonsville portion from CSX and subleased the Gordonsville-Orange piece, still owned by Norfolk Southern.