Predecessors of the Clinchfield Railroad

Home » Predecessors of the Clinchfield Railroad
Clinchfield Railroad

Clinchfield Railroad Predecessors

The Clinchfield Railroad was originally named the Carolina Clinchfield and Ohio Railway (CC&O) before the railroad was leased to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Louisville & Nashville Railway in 1924. There were also several failed attempts in the late 1800s to build along the same route as the Clinchfield.

  • 1886 – Clinch Valley Railroad
  • 1886 – Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad
  • 1893 – Ohio River & Charleston Railway
  • 1902 – South & Western Railway
  • 1908 – Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway
  • 1924 – Clinchfield Railroad

Clinch River Railroad

In 1886 there was an effort to build a line from Russell County and its coal mines to Speers Ferry VA. Like the 3Cs and the Clinchfield it used the banks of the Clinch River to navigate the mountains. Surveys and planning were done, but no construction.

Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago (3Cs) and the Ohio River& Charleston (OR&C)

The two primary predecessors of the Clinchfield Railroad that tried to bridge the Atlanta Ocean with the Ohio River were the:

John T. Wilder envisioned the original concept and routing of the 3Cs and constructed much of the initial roadbed. Once the 3Cs failed financially in 1893, it was sold in bankruptcy to the OR&C. In less than 10 years and with limited investment, the OR&C also failed financially and sold off segments of its completed and uncompleted roadbed to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, the Southern Railway, and George L. Carter’s South & Western Railway.

South & Western Railway (S&W)

The temporary name of the Clinchfield for six years was the South and Western Railway (1902-1908). It was vaguely named so that competitors and land speculators would not be tipped off as to the real routing of the railroad. There was no doubt that George L. Carter had a better business plan, was shrewder, and knew how to secure the needed investment. Additionally, Carter had some very skilled executives in M. J. Caples and John B. Dennis to guide him in the development and construction of the railroad.

The following three railroads were bought or merged with the S&W, to eventually create the CC&O/Clinchfield in 1908.

Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio (CC&O)

The original name for the Clinchfield Railroad, was the Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway. The CC&O was owned by its original shareholders and existed in name and legal documents from 1908 to 1924. At the time it was leased, it became the Clinchfield Railroad (CRR), but continued to operate ‘mostly’ as an independent entity to satisfy regulators and to maximize revenue.

Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Clinchfield Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Clinchfield.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

Clinchfield Railroad

Contact Us at Clinchfield.org

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