This is the best looking loco from Buckingham Branch I have seen. Parked on a siding near Crozet, VA.
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Paul, I haven't heard of the Buckingham Branch Railroad, but I am wondering if this was a branchline of the C&O at one time. We lived over by Warrenton in the 80's and early '90s and drove up to the Blue Ridge many times, driving through Crozet a couple times at least. Can you tell us anything more about the Buckingham Branch?
Mark, their territory is more south of Charlottesville toward buckingham county down route 15. I was told they " own" one of more of the lines through Charlottesville that Amtrak and csx use. They also used to do a fall excursion - need to check on that, I think it involved the NRHS. I need to post the homepage but that is a pain on a kindle.
Yes, that would go towards Buckinham County. Bremo is down that way if I recall. We went down that way once. Thank you for the information. I’m going to look into it some more. We liked Central Virginia. It was more like home. Did not like Northern Virginia.
Mark Boyce posted:Paul, I haven't heard of the Buckingham Branch Railroad, but I am wondering if this was a branchline of the C&O at one time. We lived over by Warrenton in the 80's and early '90s and drove up to the Blue Ridge many times, driving through Crozet a couple times at least. Can you tell us anything more about the Buckingham Branch?
The original Buckingham Branch was indeed a 16-mile branch from Bremo Bluff to Dillwyn but years later they leased the ex-C&O James River line from CSXT. The BB's leased portion of the James River line is 200 miles in length - hardly a branch here especially since CSXT still has rights to operate over it and they do! A Google search would have given you more information such as the below link:
Thank you, 645!!! Yes, there is good information there on Wikipedia. I also received a personal email with other information. Late in the evening, I wasn't going to do any research, but now I have lots and can associate the Buckingham Branch to places I was during our years there and traveling around working for the power company (ie Bremo Bluff) for instance. Thank you!!
645 posted:The original Buckingham Branch was indeed a 16-mile branch from Bremo Bluff to Dillwyn but years later they leased the ex-C&O James River line from CSXT. The BB's leased portion of the James River line is 200 miles in length - hardly a branch here especially since CSXT still has rights to operate over it and they do! A Google search would have given you more information such as the below link:
The C&O James River line is still the CSX mainline through Central Va. The BB leased the old C&O passenger mainline from Richmond to Clifton Forge including a short stretch between Orange and Charlottesville on which the Amtrak Cardinal connects from the NS to the old C&O. I'm not so sure of the terms of the lease but BB is responsible for track maintenance and serving local industries along the line (which are few). CSX guarantees a minimum amount of tonnage and does this by routing empty coal trains from Newport News to Clifton Forge. Loaded coal trains go down CSX's James River line from Clifton Forge to Newport News. There is no connection between BB's original Bremo to Dillwyn trackage (which is connected to the CSX James River line) and BB's Richmond to Clifton Forge line.
Ken
Ken,
Yes, I do see from the map exactly what you are talking about no connection between BB's original Bremo to Dillwyn trackage. How interesting! Well the name lives on, which is a good thing, and rail service still exists to smaller communities in Central Virginia which is another good thing.
BTW, Are you part of the River City 3-Railers. I'm thinking Peter Condon (Piedmont Division) has mentioned you. Did you go to York last fall or spring? Peter introduced me to some other River City gents there.
Mark,
Yes, I'm part of the River City 3 Railers but I haven't been to York in several years. I model the C&O and Virginian and have pretty much obtained everything that I want in those two roads (that is presently made anyhow). For the oddball piece or buildings/scenery I seem to be able to find more and do better pricewise from ebay and other internet resources so I haven't really felt a need to go to York. Also I have one of 3RD Rail's VGN EL-2b's on order. That sort of sucks the air out of the train budget. Maybe one of these days I'll get back there.
Here's a link to the Buckingham Branch's website.
I didn't realize they had added another set of tracks - the old Southern between Burkeville and Clarksville. Getting to be a big operation!
Ken
Ken,
Yes, I see that they have a sizable system. Thank you!!
I also understand not making the trip up to York when you aren't going to buy much. At least now I know who Peter has referred to!
Great information. This is the easy way to get it, goof off for most of the day and more information than you could easily find shows up!
Here is the link to their excursions- they are all sold out it appears: http://buckinghambranch.com/se...er-excursion-trains/
I was going to try to talk Mark into another visit down south but not this year
Ken and 645, you are a cornucopia of knowledge.
Thanks guys.
How about that. I totally missed seeing they have passenger excursion trains! Thank you!!!
Mark Boyce posted:Ken,
Yes, I do see from the map exactly what you are talking about no connection between BB's original Bremo to Dillwyn trackage. How interesting! Well the name lives on, which is a good thing, and rail service still exists to smaller communities in Central Virginia which is another good thing.
BTW, Are you part of the River City 3-Railers. I'm thinking Peter Condon (Piedmont Division) has mentioned you. Did you go to York last fall or spring? Peter introduced me to some other River City gents there.
Ken "in action".....Mark......this is June 2010......the 1st day we set up the complete layout. Boy! Was it hot that......day 95+ with murderous humidity!
Peter
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Peter, Yes I see Ken has a sweat band and cold drink! I remember those Virginia days all too well. The weatherman could just play the same recording over each day, “hazy, hot, and humid, chance of afternoon thunder showers!” 95 degrees, 95 percent humidity. Thank you for the photograph!!
Mom used to go to Crozet about once a month to stock up on frozen goodies like Morton "TV" dinners and cream pies. Then I would have to fight with my brothers to get more than a fork full. Good times. 
Some random thoughts:
Farmer Bill: Right on, that was the Morton foods plant down 240 from Crozet. it still stands but last time I was past there it was the home of one of the "new" local brews "Starr Hill." That was a few years ago, not sure now since that is a stretch of road I don't frequent much. I loved the pot pies and the coconut cream pies too!
Peter and Mark: Ken does not look too happy, methinks he needs an adult beverage in that red cup.
kanawha posted:The BB leased the old C&O passenger mainline from Richmond to Clifton Forge including a short stretch between Orange and Charlottesville on which the Amtrak Cardinal connects from the NS to the old C&O.
This is THE ORIGINAL C&O mainline.
Civil engineer Claudius Crozet blasted the tunnel through the Blue Ridge mountain between what is now Waynesboro and Charlottesville, Va. Hence the community of Crozet on the eastern flank.
The James River Division of the C&O (now CSX) was originally the Richmond & Allegheny RR. The R&A had a branch line that went from Balcony Falls (Glasgow) to Lexington, Va.
The following photo was taken on the night of the fiftieth anniversary of O. Winston Link's first photo of N&W steam. This is where the old N&W passenger station was located at Waynesboro, Va (Basic City). The old C&O station would have been off stage left. N&W's engine facility for the local yard shifter was located off stage right.
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A lot of places I haven’t been to in years! Thank you for the information, Jim!
I do recall the diesel photograph commemorating one of O Winston Link’s famous photographs!
Thanks Bigjim, very cool photo and history. I hope the people trying to restore the original Crozet tunnel have success, there are some neat pictures and history at these sites:
http://www.nelsoncounty-va.gov...t-blue-ridge-tunnel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Tunnel
A commercial message for one of my favorite pub/ grub places, if you get to Crozet, hit the "Fardowners" restaurant- interesting history to the name.
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Back when I was in Elementary school, we learned about Crozet and the Blue Ridge Tunnel in our history book. Today, kids would just look at you funny at the mention of his name!
Paul, That is some more excellent information! I had no idea anyone was working or restoring the old tunnel for use, nor did I know where the name Crozet came from!
Jim, Up here in Western Pennsylvania, we learned in 9th grade Pennsylvania History/Georgraphy class about the Allegheny Portage Railroad, Edgar Thompson and Horseshoe Curve, and the railroad hubs of Pittsburgh and Altoona! Our daughters went to a Christian High School, and I was impressed with some of the things they were taught; but neither they nor the public school teaches much of anything about our railroad heritage.
Big Jim posted:kanawha posted:The BB leased the old C&O passenger mainline from Richmond to Clifton Forge including a short stretch between Orange and Charlottesville on which the Amtrak Cardinal connects from the NS to the old C&O.
This is THE ORIGINAL C&O mainline.
The original C&O started out as the Louisa Railroad from Hanover Junction (near Doswell) to Shadwell, Va (near Charlottesville) from 1836 - 1850. In 1850 the name was changed to the Virginia Central. The Blue Ridge Railroad was set up in 1849 to build westward to Jacksons River (Clifton Forge). This included Crozet's Blue Ridge Tunnel. The Blue Ridge Railroad eventually became part of the Virginia Central. Another company was set up to build further west to the Ohio River and was called the Covington and Ohio. Unfortunately the Civil War intervened, and in 1867 what was left of the heavily damaged Virginia Central and the little that had been constructed on the Covington and Ohio was merged into the new Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad.
The James River Division of the C&O (now CSX) was originally the Richmond & Allegheny RR. The R&A had a branch line that went from Balcony Falls (Glasgow) to Lexington, Va.Sometime around 1880 the Richmond and Allegheny Railroad was formed to build a railroad on the old James River and Kanawha Canal towpath next to the James River. In 1890 the R&A became part of the C&O.The Buckingham Railroad was built around 1890 from Bremo, Va off of the old R&A. It was absorbed by the C&O shortly after it was built. CSX was going to abandon the Buckingham Branch in 1989 , but an ex-C&O/CSX employee instead bought the branch from CSX and set up the Buckingham Branch Railroad and they've been expanding ever since.Ken
Each Summer our family drove up twisting Rt.250 to Howard Johnson on Afton Mountain. I loved the fried clam strips and chocolate shakes! Then on to hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway - Humpback Rocks - funny name.
I don’t recall hearing anything about the tunnel in school. I do remember being puzzled about how the trains made it over the mountain because I never saw them at HoJo.
Ken, Thank you for the additional information! I recall the Virginia Central from Civil War history.
Bill, I recall the Howard Johnson’s. Yes somewhere in my reading about the C&O I learned of the tunnel.
