Iron Rails, Steam Locomotives, 90 years

Iron Rails, Steam Locomotives, 90 years. . , Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County were served by two major north/south railroads: The Valley Railroad, later the Baltimore and Ohio RR, into Lexington and the Shenandoah Valley RR, later the Norfolk and Western RR, into Buena Vista. Then there was the Richmond and Allegheny RR, later the Chesapeake and Ohio RR, from the east serving both cities. The B&O and C&O shared trackage into Lexington meeting about 1/2 mile east of Route 11 on Old Buena Vista Road. The tracks then came across the river and over this road, then over the trestle in front of you terminating just west of downtown Lexington. A spur track served the Jordan's Point mills and foundry. They arrived about 1881 and left in 1969 after Hurricane Camille destroyed much of the track., All service on the B&O stopped in 1942. Passenger service on the C&O lasted until 1954, freight until 1969. The Railroads replaced the canal system providing faster, lower cost transportation through a system that spanned the country. At its peak there were four passenger, and two freight trains a day going up and down the valley and east to Richmond. The passenger station dated 1883 is still in operation albeit as an office for the ODK National Honor Society and located about a block south of its original location., (Caption):, Photos from David Irving's post in You know you're from Lexington, VA if you remember..., Jordan's Point Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. , Visit the Miller's House website for more information: millershousemuseum.org.