Chesapeake and Ohio eastern end lines

The C &O's very eastern end reached the tidewater area city of Newport News.  Located across the water from Norfolk, Newport News was the point at which many a coal train reached to empty the loads of West Virginia soft coal in waiting ships for export or shipment up and down the U.S. coastline.

The very, very old passenger shed at the waters edge allowed passengers to reach the ferry boats headed for Norfolk.  At the time of this photo, August 1977, Amtrak still served this station.  The U.S. Navy shipyard is directly adjacent to this area and walking along the station grounds looking up at an aircraft carrier was rather impressive.  Of course, things are now different and this area may be off limits today.

One of the coal dumpers used by the C & O is shown here on a quiet Sunday in 1977.

A modest engine servicing facility was located here.  At the time, the C & O proclaimed to have no deferred maintenance on its lines.  That weed growth sure seemed to say otherwise.

A general overview of the yard as viewed by a closed tower.

The station located at Lee Hall, Va.  Photos courtesy of Gary Madden.

The station at Williamsburg.  A very popular destination owing the the theme park nearby, Amtrak still serves this station today.  Both photos courtesy of Gary Madden.

Some views of the terminal located in Richmond, Va.  Those former steam era coaling towers are a common site along the C & O.  All of the above from August 1977.

Chessie System business car number 25 is laying over at Richmond.

Some early CSX action in Richmond.  Taken in 1991 by Gary Madden.

A series of photos showing U33C 3300 leading a westbound empty hopper train out of Richmond. 1977.  If you look carefully at the first picture, you will see a wooden trestle in the background.  Just east of downtown and on the west (north) end of the yard, the railroad splits into two mainlines.  One line follows the James River west and was predominately freight only.  The other line heads north a few miles before turning west.  It then crosses the R,F & P at Doswell and then across the hilly northern Virginia countryside toward Charlottesville.   This line saw most of the passenger traffic run by the C & O.  Amtrak's Cardinal still uses this line today.

The station and tower at Gordonsville, Va.  In the right photo, we are looking due east and the track to the right heads toward Richmond.  The track curving to the left heads north to a connection with the old Southern at Orange, Va.  Although the C & O crosses the Southern in Charlottesville, the direct interchange is at Orange.  The C & O ran a through freight, as well as, its Washington, D.C. bound passenger train via this connecting line.

Charlottesville Station in 1975.

The C & O seemed to maintain an engine facility every few miles along its lines.  With tall imposing coaling towers, they make for a classic C & O scene.  March 2, 1975.

Five years later, I'm back for another visit.  The day is brighter, but not much has changed.  October 1980.

Staunton, Virginia.  1975

The next few images are from the James River Line. 

Balcony Falls, Va. in 1992.

I normally do not post pictures without knowing the photographer.  I will make an exception here only because this photo was taken on Agfachrome and it has begun to fade.  This is a common problem with older Agfachrome slides.  The shot is taken at Lynchburg and is of a westbound train in 1974.

The C & O purchased a rather rare EMD model, the GP39.  It is basically a GP38 with a turbocharger added.  The only external difference is the single wide turbo exhaust on the roof.  The C & O made things even easier with their numbering system!  Class unit, 3900 leads a westbound through Lynchburg on October 20, 1980.

Buchanan, Virginia.  October 1980.  That blue Camaro was mine.

Eagle Rock, Virginia.

We will continue on to Clifton Forge on the next page.