Fredericksburg, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Virginia Central Railway
Fredericksburg: Timeless.
This embankment, to your left and right, was once a railway, built to link Fredericksburg and Orange, Virginia. Work began in 1853, but was interrupted by the Civil War. When the Union and Confederate armies confronted one another in and around Fredericksburg, this route had been graded through hills and across valleys, but no tracks had been laid. Not until February 26, 1877, did the first locomotive chug into Orange Court House, 35 miles to the west.
For 50 years, this narrow gauge railway hauled lumber, farm products, and passengers. In 1926, the line converted to a wider standard gauge track, to better link to the main north-south rail lines. Profitability proved difficult to sustain though and the last train made the full run in January 1938, after which most of the line was abandoned. Only a one-mile section remained in use, connecting local industries to the main rail line in Fredericksburg.
[Captions:]
This trestle carried the railway across Hazel Run, in the vicinity of Lafayette Boulevard and the Blue and Gray Parkway.
This detail of an 1878 map of Fredericksburg shows the Virginia Central Railway, labeled as "Narrow Gauge R.R.," linking to the mainline Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad in the area between Prince Edward and Charles Streets.
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◀ The Virginia Central advertised travel on the "Battlefield Route," as it passed through the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Wilderness battlefields (photo courtesy of Lawrence Duffee).
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Virginia, Fredericksburg: Timeless. series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1938.
Location. 38° 17.281′ N, 77° 28.915′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It is at the intersection of Virginia Central Railway Trail and Greenbrier Drive, on the left when traveling west on Virginia Central Railway Trail. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: S1 Bunker Hl St, Fredericksburg VA 22401, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Building a Railroad Through a Stream Valley (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fredericksburg (approx. Ό mile away); Lees Position (approx. Ό mile away); Calvin Coolidge (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Battle of Fredericksburg from Lee's Hill, December, 1862
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 2, 2024
2. The Virginia Central Railway Marker along the trail
Credits. This page was last revised on March 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 2, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 245 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 2, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
