several rail companies active in Appalachia

Brief history of several rail companies active in Appalachia

Baltimore & Ohio

Perhaps the longest running of American railroads, B&O was among the first large scale railroads built, and inspired practices that following railroads implemented as standard operating procedures.

chartered in 1827 in Baltimore to compete with the canal freight traffic
first short, horse drawn rides for pleasure given in 1830
the early 1830s experimented with steam/coal power and carriage designs through competitions
reached the Ohio River in 1853
much damaged by Civil War
prospered through World War Industry
merged into Chesapeake & Ohio in 1964.

Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railway

chartered as Western Rail Road Company in 1852.
1879 reorganized by the state and name changed to CF & YV Railway.
entered Appalachians in 1889 via Mount Airy and what's now Flat Rock
1895 financial difficulties ended in public auction sale in 1898 to Wilmington & Weldon Railroad, which soon became the Atlantic Coast Line.
Southern Railroad formed the Atlantic and Yadkin Railroad to buy the northern half of ACL's lines
Southern Railroad absorbed the line in 1950 after a long period of decline
the remainder of the ACL lines were phased out in a 1973 merger that turned ACL and Seaboard Air Line into Seaboard Coast Line

Clinchfield Railroad

planned for future durability and income potentials
innovative at overcoming the obstacles provided by the mountains
in 1886 the Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago Railroad, a precursor line, was chartered.
CCC sold at public auction in 1993 and formed the basis for the Ohio River and Charleston Railroad Company
in 1902, George Carter bought OR&CR and formed the South & Western
a new charter in 1908 merged the S&W and several others into the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railway
in 1924 the Railway was leased and began operating as Clinchfield Railroad
merged into the CSX system in 1982

Norfolk Southern Railroad

The result of the early 1980s merger between Norfolk & Western and Southern Railways, NS should not be confused with the Norfolk Southern Railway, which was incorporated into Southern in the 1970s. You can visit the NS website at www.nscorp.com

Norfolk & Western

formed as Atlantic, Mississippi, & Ohio Railroad in a 1870 merger of Southside Railroad Company (1846), Norfolk & Petersburg (1849),Virginia & Tennessee Railroad (1849), and the never to be built Virginia & Kentucky Railroad
in 1881the AM&O was sold at auction to C. H. Clark for $8,605,000, becoming Norfolk &Western
in 1890, N&W acquired Shenandoah Valley Railroad (1870)
1888 flooding carried away bridges
in 1917acquired the Virginia Carolina
in 1980s, after a long history of acquiring smaller railroads and coming out on top in mergers, merged with Southern Railroad to form Norfolk & Southern.

Southern Railway Company

officially incorporated in 1894, already the largest system in the South.
early years were full of acquisitions and leases of smaller railroads
among the first to get on board the diesel train, being almost completely diesel by 1953
in 1916 SR's Murphy Branch line was the only line still able to get supplies to Asheville after a major flood
in 1988 Murphy Branch was bought by the State of NC and leased toThe Great Smoky Mountains Railway for excursions

Western Maryland Railway

chartered by Maryland in 1852 as the Baltimore, Carroll & Frederick RR to facilitate the agriculture trade
became Western Maryland Railroad in 1853
by 1870 WM was actively involved in the coal craze
became Western Maryland Railway in 1908 during a receivership
acquired by Chesapeake & Ohio in 1968
consolidated into Chessie Systems in 1973

Western North Carolina Railroad

chartered in 1855 to connect the North Carolina Railroad at Salisbury to the French Broad River, and thereby the Mississippi.
heavily damaged during the Civil War, but without the heavy pre-war debts that plagued the industry
Richmond & Danville RR Co. buys the State shares in 1884
Southern Railway Company formed from R&D, WNC & NCR in a 1892 reorganization

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For a list of flood years and effects on the railroads, go here>>.