Chesapeake & Ohio Railway
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- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
Chesapeake & Ohio Railway – C&O
C&O Stats
- Began Operation: 1837
- Mainline: Hampton Roads VA to Chicago IL
- Primary Cities: Richmond VA, Huntington WV, Hampton Roads VA, Washington DC, Cincinnati OH, Columbus OH, and Chicago IL
- Primary Freight: Coal, Export Goods, Automotive, Agricultural Goods
- Passenger Service: Trains included the George Washington, Fast Flying Virginian, and the Sportsman
- C&O Today: Part of CSX Transportation
- Connection with the Clinchfield: Elkhorn City KY
The Chesapeake & Ohio and the Clinchfield share quite a bit of history. They started as arch enemies, but eventually evolved into a mutually beneficial relationship that provided substantial freight and revenue for both railroads.
Chesapeake & Ohio and the 3Cs Compete for a Major Rail Line
In the late 1880s the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad, a Clinchfield predecessor, began planning for a rail line that extended from the Ohio River near present day Ashland KY, south in the direction of Elkhorn City KY following the Big Sandy River. At that time, the C&O was building westward, hoping to eventually tap the same coal fields. The CC&C eventually failed and was did not complete the project. The Ohio River and Charleston purchased the CC&C in foreclosure in 1893, and soon gave up hopes of building into Kentucky. But like the CC&C, the OR&C eventually failed, going into receivership in 1898, selling off assets and segments of the railroad.
Chesapeake & Ohio: Purchase, and Completion to Elkhorn City
The CC&C and the Chattaroi Railway had completed to Whitehouse KY, but Elkhorn City and other points south were the eventual destinations due to coal speculation. In the early 1890s, the C&O purchased the roadbed within Kentucky.
By 1906, the C&O had reached the outskirts of Elkhorn City. In 1912 a bridge across the Russell Fork River was completed, giving the C&O entrance to the city proper. In 1915 the Clinchfield Railroad finished its line to Elkhorn City from the south. With the combination of the C&O, the Clinchfield, and the Atlantic Coast Line, the goal of connecting Chicago, the Ohio River to the north……and Charleston and the Atlantic ocean to the south had been achieved.
Battle of the Breaks
Between 1898 and 1902, surveys were completed by both the OR&C and the C&O on the rail line between Elkhorn City and Dante VA. This rail line traversed the ‘Breaks of the Big Sandy River’, a very narrow and treacherous gorge with room for only one railroad. The Breaks was also often called the ‘Grand Canyon of the South.’ At one point, the survey teams ran into each other in the wilderness of the Breaks, setting off a race between the two railroads as to who could secure the land and build the rail line. Hasty final surveys and efforts at construction ensued. Eventually the courts decided that the OR&C/S&W/Clinchfield was the victor. The 1905 decree set Elkhorn City as the connection point for the two railroads, and they both agreed not to build past that point.
Clinchfield/C&O Interchange at Elkhorn City
Throughout the 1900s, the Clinchfield and the C&O used the Elkhorn City yard to exchange a large number of trains each day, both manifest freight and coal. In many of these years, the exchange exceeded 100,000 cars per year. Additionally in the yard, there were loaders receiving locally mined coal.
The Clinchfield maintained a round the clock operator at the facilities, as well as a Yardmaster, and multiple clerks.
In the days ahead, I will add much more detail about the C&O, Clinchfield, and Elkhorn City operations.
Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources
- Personal Maps & Memorabilia – Documents, maps and track charts that I have from the CRR, CC&O, and S&W
- Archives of Appalachia
- Book – Drury: The Historical Guide to North American Railroads
- Book – Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’
- Book – Goforth: ‘When Steam Ran the Clinchfield’
- Book – Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Book – Helm: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad in the Coal Fields’
- Book – Irwin & Stahl: ‘The Last Empire Builder: The Life of George L. Carter’
- Book – King: ‘Clinchfield Country’
- Book – Marsh: ‘Clinchfield in Color’
- Book – Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book – Poteat & Taylor: ‘The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century’
- Book – Stevens & Peoples: ‘The Clinchfield No. 1 – Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine’
- Book – Way: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad, the Story of a Trade Route Across the Blue Ridge Mountains’
- Article – Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Article – Flanary: ‘Men Against Mountains, Running Trains on the Clinchfield‘ October 2001
- Video – Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1
- Video – Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Articles – ‘Johnson City Comet‘
- Article – Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘
- Article – Classic Trains: ‘Remembering the Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Article – Railway Age: ‘This Coal Road Is Also A Speedy Bridge Line,’ Sept 1, 1952 edition
- Article – ‘Railway Signaling and Communications‘
- Website – Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website – StateOfFranklin.net which hosts Johnson’s Depot
- Website – RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin
- Website – The Radio Reference Wiki
- Website – SteamLocomotive.com
- Website – Clinchfield Railroad 1982 Track Chart at Multimodayways.org
- Website – Newspapers.com
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Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the Clinchfield or Model Railroads.
3Cs Websites
Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org