RAILFAN GUIDES of the U.S.
RAILROAD
STATIONS, TOWERS, TUNNELS, and BRIDGES
IN VIRGINIA
A
Historical Reference
Allegheny
Ashland
Beaver Dam
Bristol
Charlottesville
Covington
Doswell
Fredericksburg
Glenvar
Merrifield
Milford
Mount Vernon
Richmond
Salem
Staunton
Tug Tower
Vera Tower
Victoria
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RAILROAD SIGNALS HOME
I stumbled across this depot by accident recently after my daughter decided to visit something and follow her GPS instead of taking the highways which would have taken 30 minutes less. There is a saying that everything happens for a reason, maybe coming across this little wonder in the middle of no-where was it! In the "looking down the track" shots, the left one is looking east, the right one is looking west.
In case the sign is not readable, it states that the depot, being in prime Civil War country, was burned on several occasions. The original depot was built in 1840. It was burnt in July 20, 1862, and re-built right away. The second burned on February 29th, 1864, and the third on May 9th, 1864. The depot that stands today was built in 1866 after the third burning.
Also in town of note is "Pops Store"
and a barn that has definitely seen better days.
DOSWELL
FREDERICKSBURG
Glenvar tower was located at the big
curve just behind the Red Barn Antiques place. It stood west of where the
road crossing is today. I really do not know its specific purpose, other
than train order operation, there was nothing but the mainline N&W there.
It was already closed and boarded up in this 1917 view, and was probably torn
down sometime in the 1920s. In its day, there was pusher operation going
up the mountain, it may well have been to help block trains and control movement
of pushers returning to Salem. I think the pusher operation must have
stopped about the time of the introduction of the Class Zs. MERRIFIELD
RICHMOND RICHMOND - Southern Rwy Depot RICHMOND -
Amtrak Station This is Amtrak's station for
Richmond, and is north of the downtown area.
RICHMOND -
Broad Street Station This station was built by the RF&P as their southern
terminus in 1917. The station also served the SAL,
ACL, and the N&W. Service ended here in 1975, and the facility was sold to the
Science Museum of Virginia.
RICHMOND -
Triple Crossing Richmond also has one of the more
famous railroad "things" in the United States, a "triple
crossing", where the RF&P, Southern Rwy, and the C&O once crossed over each
other. So far, the ground level track (ex Southern, now NS) remains, but
with the urban renovation that has been going on, how long will it last?
The middle level track (ex Seaboard Air Line) is also the one that goes by the
depot in the far right photo above. The top track, on a three mile long
viaduct on the north bank of the James River, comes from the small former C&O
yard on the east side of town, and if you can wait long enough for a train, the
pictures on it are spectacular! (better than the two above - I had just
gotten into the downtown area when this freight showed up - so I had no time to
find a good spot to take pix) The picture to the right is the river walk
that passes next to and under some of the sites to behold. For more info,
visit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Crossing ROANOKE
Nicely restored depot, not to far from the live steam
manufacturer, Mountain Car Company (which changed their name in 2016).
Gone but not forgotten is the
Virginian Railway depot on Union Street. The station was torn down in 1995-1996. Picture and info courtesy Ken Miller.
New 8-17-2008
BRISTOL
CHARLOTTESVILLE
This station is still around and is used by
Amtrak and a restaurant - good food, and they have a roof top dining area for
good weather with a good view of the station and diamond crossing.
Pictures
are from a 2012 trip I made there while working in Charlottesville. My
guide to Charlottesville is
here
There is plenty to do and see in Charlottesville.
COVINGTON
Station and HN tower at the junction of the ex RF&P mainline between Richmond and DC, and the ex C&O line which went west from Richmond. To get here, take the Kings Dominion exit
off I95. My guide to Doswell is
here
My guide to Frederiscksburg is
here 
A recent
post card
Forgot to mention, this is an N&W photo, one of the original glass plates.
I went back and looked at the view of the depot, negative 2481, and the tower,
negative 2480, and the light is the same. The other photo I saw, probably from
the 1920s, and distant, was seen in the early 1980s, never got the copy, but I
thought the tower was shown on the north side of the tracks.
The depot
was close to the old grade crossing. Not that near the tower. I seem
to recall one of the old, old Railroad magazines with one of the sketches like
the Ripley's Believe it or Not things, showing a sketch of the tower stating it
was stone, which is obviously was not. Don't have a clue which issue it
was in. Probably the 1940s. Never knew a lot about these towers
until studying it a few years ago, several designs like it, and the design was
changed just about 10 years after introduction to the type like Walton.
Thanks to Ken on the Yahoo Virginian Rwy Group for the above information.
The picture can be found in the Virginia Tech's archives.
JAMES RIVER
I know its not a railroad themed picture, but I couldn't help myself, our gas stations today just don't have any character.....
MILFORD
https://railfanguides.us/va/milford/index.htm
A most impressive and beautiful depot, located in downtown Richmond, right next to I95. If you're anywhere near
Richmond, this would certainly be enough reason to go the extra distance. Also in town is CSX former RF&P yard, and a RR museum just on the other side of
the river from this depot.
I have a comprehensive guide for Richmond
here
These pictures were taken 3/4/2012 when Amtrak's 40th
Anniversary Train was here visiting.
The postcard with the paperclip on it is a more accurate rendition than the
first postcard, but both are probably from the same picture.
I have a
comprehensive guide for Roanoke and Salem
here
An earlier B&W map of the Salem to Christiansburg area is at:
https://railroadsignals.us/xing/miscgrade/nwmap1.jpg
My guide to
Salem is here
STAUNTON
The name of the town pronounced as Stant-n. My guide to Staunton is here
TUG TOWER
This was an N&W tower. Don't know where tho.....
VERA TOWER
Another N&W tower.
VICTORIA
Last Changed: 10-May-2016
