Washington and Old Dominion Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad (colloquially referred to as the W&OD) was an intrastate short-line railroad located in Northern Virginia
. Its oldest line extended from Alexandria
on the Potomac River
northwest to Bluemont
at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains
near Snickers Gap, not far from the boundary line between Virginia
and West Virginia
. The railroad's
route largely paralleled the routes of the Potomac River and the present Virginia State Route 7
(VA Route 7).
The line followed the winding course of Four Mile Run
upstream from Alexandria through Arlington to Falls Church
. At that point, the railroad was above the fall line
and was able to follow a more direct northwesterly course in Virginia through Dunn Loring
, Vienna
, Sunset Hills (now in Reston)
, Herndon
, Sterling
, Ashburn
, Leesburg
, Paeonian Springs, Hamilton
, Purcellville
and Round Hill
to its terminus at Bluemont, turning sharply to the west only after passing through Clarks Gap in Catoctin Mountain
west of Leesburg. The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail
(W&OD Trail) and several other trail
s have replaced much of the railroad's route.
to reach the coal
fields in the western part of Hampshire County
, Virginia, that are now within Mineral County
, West Virginia
, the AL&H began operating to Vienna in 1859 from a terminal station
on Fairfax Street in old town Alexandria. In 1860, the AL&H reached Leesburg in Loudoun County
. Because of its proximity to Washington, D.C.
, the line saw much use and disruption during the Civil War
. After the war, the name of the line was changed in 1870 to the Washington and Ohio Railroad. The line was extended from Leesburg to Hamilton
in 1870 and to Round Hill
in 1874.
Upon acquisition by new owners in the 1880s, the line's name was changed twice: first to the Washington and Western Railroad in 1882 and in the next year to the Washington, Ohio and Western (WO&W) Railroad. However, the line's trains did not serve either Washington, Ohio
, or the West.
In 1886, the Richmond and Danville Railroad
, a trunk line that connected New York City
, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and New Orleans, leased the WO&W. In 1888, the Richmond and Danville began to operate the WO&W's trains between Washington, D.C., and Round Hill.
In 1894, the newly-formed Southern Railway absorbed the Richmond and Danville Railroad and acquired the WO&W. In 1900, the Southern Railway extended the line westward for four miles from Round Hill to Bluemont (formerly Snickersville). The Southern Railway designated the line as its Bluemont Branch.
By 1908, steam locomotive
s were hauling Southern Railway passenger trains from the new Union Station in Washington, D.C., to Alexandria Junction (north of old town Alexandria), where they switched
to travel westward on the Bluemont Branch. Connecting trains shuttled passengers between Alexandria Junction and the former AL&H terminal in old town Alexandria. On weekends, express trains carried vacationers from Washington to Bluemont and other towns in western Loudoun County in which resorts had developed.
Meanwhile, in 1906, electric trolleys
had begun to run on the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad
(GF&OD) northwest to Great Falls
from Georgetown
in Washington, D.C. This line crossed the Potomac River on the old Aqueduct Bridge
, passed through Rosslyn
, and traveled northwest on a double-tracked line through Arlington and Fairfax County
to an amusement park
(trolley park
) that the railway constructed and operated near the Falls.
In 1911, the owners of the GF&OD formed a new corporation, the Washington and Old Dominion Railway. In that year, the owners concluded negotiations with the Southern Railway to lease the Southern's Bluemont Branch and to take over all service on the branch on July 1, 1912. The lease excluded the portion of the Southern's route that connected Potomac Yard
with the former AL&H terminal in old town Alexandria.
In 1912, the GF&OD became the "Great Falls Division" of the W&OD Railway, while the Southern's Bluemont Branch became a part of the W&OD Railway's "Bluemont Division". The W&OD electrified all of its operations over the next four years, becoming an interurban electric trolley
system that carried passenger
s, mail
, milk
and freight. From that time onward, W&OD trains crossed over Potomac Yard on a long viaduct
constructed earlier for the Southern Railway. In contrast to the Southern Railway's earlier Bluemont Branch service, the W&OD Railway's Bluemont Division did not serve Washington's Union Station.
To join its two lines, the W&OD Railway constructed in 1912 a double-tracked Bluemont Division connecting line that traveled between two new junction
s in Arlington: Bluemont Junction on the Alexandria-Bluemont line and Thrifton Junction on the Georgetown-Great Falls line. The connecting line passed a short distance west of Ballston
, crossing on a plate girder bridge
over a competing interurban electric trolley line (the Fairfax line of the Washington-Virginia Railway
) that carried passengers between Rosslyn, Clarendon
, Ballston, Falls Church, Vienna and Fairfax City
.
The railway distributed direct current (DC)
to its Bluemont Division cars and trains through overhead catenary wires
. Single overhead wires carried the Great Falls Division's electricity
over its tracks. Stationary and movable electrical substation
s containing Westinghouse transformer
s and AC
to DC
converters were located at various points along the railway's routes.
The W&OD's main passenger line ran from Georgetown and Rosslyn through Thrifton Junction, Bluemont Junction and westward to Bluemont. However, after crossing the Potomac River from Georgetown, many W&OD passengers transferred in Rosslyn to the trolleys of the competing Washington-Virginia Railway. Most of the W&OD's freight trains ran between Potomac Yard, Bluemont Junction and either Rosslyn or various locations along the Bluemont Division.
In 1923, the W&OD Railway ceased operating from Georgetown when the federal government replaced the aging Aqueduct Bridge with the new Francis Scott Key Bridge
. At the same time, the railroad constructed a new passenger station in Rosslyn which became its "Washington" terminal.
The W&OD Railway fell upon hard times in the 1930s during the Great Depression
. In 1932, the railway went into bankruptcy
and was placed in receivership. In 1934, the railway abandoned operations on the Great Falls Division between Thrifton Junction and Great Falls.
In 1936, a new corporation
, the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad, assumed operation of the remnants of the W&OD Railway, which by then consisted only of the Railway's Bluemont Division and the portion of the former Great Falls Division that had remained between Rosslyn and Thrifton (which was no longer a junction). Shortly thereafter, in 1939, the railroad abandoned the western end of its line, which had connected the towns of Purcellville and Bluemont.
In 1943, the W&OD Railroad acquired ownership of the section of line between Potomac Yard and Purcellville that the W&OD Railway had earlier leased from the Southern Railway. The Southern Railway retained ownership of the easternmost section of the railroad's route between Potomac Yard and old town Alexandria.
During the 1940s, the W&OD Railroad converted all of its lines' operations from electric to diesel
or gasoline power. During that decade, the railroad discontinued its electrified passenger service in 1941, but temporarily resumed passenger service during the Second World War
using gas-electric motor cars and cars pulled by diesel-electric locomotives
. Passenger and mail service finally ended in 1951; thereafter, the railroad carried only freight.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
(C&O) purchased the W&OD Railroad in 1956, but did not change the railroad's name. In 1963, the C&O abandoned the segment of its line that traveled between Rosslyn, Thrifton and Ballston. The Commonwealth of Virginia then purchased this segment to acquire a right-of-way for the planned route of Interstate 66
(I-66).
Five years later, in 1968, the railroad, which by that time ran only between Alexandria and Purcellville, ceased operations. Shortly thereafter, the C&O sold the remainder of the railroad's route to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Commonwealth then sold most of the route to the Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO) (now Dominion Virginia Power), whose transmission line
s had run along the railroad's right-of-way
. The Commonwealth retained a portion of the route in Arlington immediately east of Falls Church, on which it built I-66, and the section of the route which crossed the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
(presently part of Interstate 395
(I-395)) along the Arlington-Alexandria boundary.
The Norfolk Southern Railway
now operates a spur between the Alexandria waterfront and a Southern Railway main line that earlier had traveled through Potomac Yard. The route of the spur formerly served W&OD trains traveling on the Bluemont Division to the Division's freight and passenger stations in old town Alexandria. As the Southern Railway owned and operated the route of the spur and the stations, this section of track remained in operation after the W&OD closed.
A paved trail in Alexandria's linear Mt. Jefferson Park and Greenway has replaced part of the Bluemont Division's course through that city. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
's W&OD Trail travels in the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
within the Bluemont Division's former right-of-way from the Alexandria/Arlington boundary through Bluemont Junction to Purcellville. The section of the Bluemont Division between Purcellville and Bluemont has not become a part of any trail, as the W&OD Railroad abandoned this section many years before the remainder of its line closed in 1968.
I-66 and its adjacent Custis Trail
now travel on the former right-of-way of the W&OD Railway's Great Falls Division between Rosslyn and Thrifton Junction. The highway and the trail continue to Washington Boulevard
in Ballston along the former route of the Bluemont Division's Thrifton — Bluemont Junction connecting line.
Arlington County's Bluemont Junction Trail now travels on the connecting line's former right-of-way from Washington Boulevard to meet the W&OD Trail near Bluemont Junction. The Junction now contains an Arlington County railroad display that features a Southern Railway bay window caboose that was built in 1972, four years after the W&OD closed.
(U.S. Route 29
) at the Lyon Village
Shopping Center) and Bluemont Junction (presently in Arlington County's Bluemont Junction Park), passing the west end of Ballston along the way. Sometimes termed the "Rosslyn Branch" or the "Spout Run Branch", the line climbed a grade while following the route of Spout Run after leaving Thrifton.
The line closed in sections between 1963 and 1968. I-66 and the Custis Trail replaced the line between Thrifton and Washington Boulevard in Ballston. Arlington County's Bluemont Junction Trail replaced the line between Washington Boulevard and Bluemont Junction.
Website describing the history of the W&OD Railroad.
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
. Its oldest line extended from Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
on the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
northwest to Bluemont
Bluemont, Virginia
Bluemont is an unincorporated village in Loudoun County, Virginia located at the base of Snickers Gap in the Blue Ridge Mountain. At 680 feet , it is the highest community in Loudoun County...
at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
near Snickers Gap, not far from the boundary line between Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The railroad's
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
route largely paralleled the routes of the Potomac River and the present Virginia State Route 7
Virginia State Route 7
State Route 7 is a major primary state highway and busy commuter route in Northern Virginia, United States. It travels southeast from downtown Winchester to State Route 400 in downtown Alexandria...
(VA Route 7).
Four Mile Run
Four Mile Run is a stream in northern Virginia that starts near Interstate 66, at Gordon Avenue in Fairfax County and proceeds southeast through Falls Church to Arlington County in the U.S. state of Virginia...
upstream from Alexandria through Arlington to Falls Church
Falls Church, Virginia
The City of Falls Church is an independent city in Virginia, United States, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The city population was 12,332 in 2010, up from 10,377 in 2000. Taking its name from The Falls Church, an 18th-century Anglican parish, Falls Church gained township status within...
. At that point, the railroad was above the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
and was able to follow a more direct northwesterly course in Virginia through Dunn Loring
Dunn Loring, Virginia
Dunn Loring is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,803 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Vienna
Vienna, Virginia
Vienna is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 15,687. Significantly more people live in zip codes with the Vienna postal addresses bordered approximately by Interstate 66 on the south, Interstate 495 on the east, Route 7 to...
, Sunset Hills (now in Reston)
Reston, Virginia
Reston is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The population was 58,404, at the 2010 Census and 56,407 at the 2000 census...
, Herndon
Herndon, Virginia
Herndon is a town in Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area of the United States. The population was 21,655 at the 2000 census, which makes it the largest of three towns in the county.-History:...
, Sterling
Sterling, Virginia
Sterling, Virginia is a census-designated place in Loudoun County, Virginia. The population as of the 2010 Census was 27,822.It is located northwest of Herndon, east of Ashburn, and west of Great Falls, and includes part of Dulles International Airport and the former AOL corporate headquarters...
, Ashburn
Ashburn, Virginia
Ashburn, Virginia is a census-designated place located in Loudoun County, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C., and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area...
, Leesburg
Leesburg, Virginia
Leesburg is a historic town in, and county seat of, Loudoun County, Virginia, United States of America. Leesburg is located west-northwest of Washington, D.C. along the base of the Catoctin Mountain and adjacent to the Potomac River. Its population according the 2010 Census is 42,616...
, Paeonian Springs, Hamilton
Hamilton, Virginia
Hamilton is a town in the Loudoun Valley of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 562 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Purcellville
Purcellville, Virginia
Purcellville is a town in the Loudoun Valley of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 3,584 at the 2000 census, but has undergone considerable growth since then. Purcellville is the major population center for western Loudoun and the Loudoun Valley...
and Round Hill
Round Hill, Virginia
Round Hill is the name of several communities in the U.S. state of Virginia.*Round Hill, Frederick County, Virginia*Round Hill, Loudoun County, Virginia *Round Hill, Rappahannock County, Virginia...
to its terminus at Bluemont, turning sharply to the west only after passing through Clarks Gap in Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain
Catoctin Mountain, along with the geologically associated Bull Run Mountains, comprises the easternmost mountain ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in turn a part of the Appalachian Mountains range...
west of Leesburg. The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail
Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a popular and unusually-shaped regional park in Northern Virginia. The park's primary feature is the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail , an asphalt-surfaced paved rail trail that runs through densely populated urban and suburban...
(W&OD Trail) and several other trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s have replaced much of the railroad's route.
General history
Originally incorporated as the Alexandria and Harper's Ferry Railroad, construction on the line began in 1855 by the Alexandria, Loudoun and Hampshire (AL&H) Railroad. First intended to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah RiverShenandoah River
The Shenandoah River is a tributary of the Potomac River, long with two forks approximately long each, in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia...
to reach the coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
fields in the western part of Hampshire County
Hampshire County, West Virginia
Hampshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town . Hampshire County was created by the Virginia General Assembly on December 13, 1753, from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties ...
, Virginia, that are now within Mineral County
Mineral County, West Virginia
Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 28,212. Its county seat is Keyser.-Ancient history:...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, the AL&H began operating to Vienna in 1859 from a terminal station
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
on Fairfax Street in old town Alexandria. In 1860, the AL&H reached Leesburg in Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
. Because of its proximity to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, the line saw much use and disruption during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After the war, the name of the line was changed in 1870 to the Washington and Ohio Railroad. The line was extended from Leesburg to Hamilton
Hamilton, Virginia
Hamilton is a town in the Loudoun Valley of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. The population was 562 as of the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in 1870 and to Round Hill
Round Hill, Virginia
Round Hill is the name of several communities in the U.S. state of Virginia.*Round Hill, Frederick County, Virginia*Round Hill, Loudoun County, Virginia *Round Hill, Rappahannock County, Virginia...
in 1874.
Upon acquisition by new owners in the 1880s, the line's name was changed twice: first to the Washington and Western Railroad in 1882 and in the next year to the Washington, Ohio and Western (WO&W) Railroad. However, the line's trains did not serve either Washington, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, or the West.
In 1886, the Richmond and Danville Railroad
Richmond and Danville Railroad
The Richmond and Danville Railroad was chartered in Virginia in the United States in 1847. The portion between Richmond and Danville, Virginia was completed in 1856...
, a trunk line that connected New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and New Orleans, leased the WO&W. In 1888, the Richmond and Danville began to operate the WO&W's trains between Washington, D.C., and Round Hill.
In 1894, the newly-formed Southern Railway absorbed the Richmond and Danville Railroad and acquired the WO&W. In 1900, the Southern Railway extended the line westward for four miles from Round Hill to Bluemont (formerly Snickersville). The Southern Railway designated the line as its Bluemont Branch.
By 1908, steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s were hauling Southern Railway passenger trains from the new Union Station in Washington, D.C., to Alexandria Junction (north of old town Alexandria), where they switched
Railroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
to travel westward on the Bluemont Branch. Connecting trains shuttled passengers between Alexandria Junction and the former AL&H terminal in old town Alexandria. On weekends, express trains carried vacationers from Washington to Bluemont and other towns in western Loudoun County in which resorts had developed.
Meanwhile, in 1906, electric trolleys
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
had begun to run on the Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad
Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad
The Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad was an interurban trolley line that ran in Northern Virginia during the early 20th century.-History:...
(GF&OD) northwest to Great Falls
Great Falls Park
Great Falls Park is a small National Park Service site in Virginia, United States. Situated on 800 acres along the banks of the Potomac River in northern Fairfax County, the park is a disconnected but integral part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway...
from Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
in Washington, D.C. This line crossed the Potomac River on the old Aqueduct Bridge
Aqueduct Bridge
Aqueduct Bridge may refer to:*Potomac Aqueduct Bridge*Aqueduct Bridge , see List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana...
, passed through Rosslyn
Rosslyn, Virginia
Rosslyn is an unincorporated area in Northern Virginia located in the northeastern corner of Arlington County, Virginia, north of Arlington National Cemetery and directly across the Potomac River from Georgetown in Washington, D.C. Rosslyn encompasses the Arlington neighborhoods of North Rosslyn...
, and traveled northwest on a double-tracked line through Arlington and Fairfax County
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
to an amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
(trolley park
Trolley park
In the United States, trolley parks, which started in the 19th century, were picnic and recreation areas along or at the ends of streetcar lines in most of the larger cities. These were precursors to amusement parks. These trolley parks were created by the streetcar companies to give people a...
) that the railway constructed and operated near the Falls.
In 1911, the owners of the GF&OD formed a new corporation, the Washington and Old Dominion Railway. In that year, the owners concluded negotiations with the Southern Railway to lease the Southern's Bluemont Branch and to take over all service on the branch on July 1, 1912. The lease excluded the portion of the Southern's route that connected Potomac Yard
Potomac Yard
Potomac Yard was one of the busiest rail yards on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Today, it refers to the neighborhood encompassing the same, which straddles southeastern Arlington County and northern Alexandria, Virginia, bounded by U.S. Route 1, the George Washington Memorial Parkway,...
with the former AL&H terminal in old town Alexandria.
In 1912, the GF&OD became the "Great Falls Division" of the W&OD Railway, while the Southern's Bluemont Branch became a part of the W&OD Railway's "Bluemont Division". The W&OD electrified all of its operations over the next four years, becoming an interurban electric trolley
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
system that carried passenger
Passenger
A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination....
s, mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
, milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
and freight. From that time onward, W&OD trains crossed over Potomac Yard on a long viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
constructed earlier for the Southern Railway. In contrast to the Southern Railway's earlier Bluemont Branch service, the W&OD Railway's Bluemont Division did not serve Washington's Union Station.
To join its two lines, the W&OD Railway constructed in 1912 a double-tracked Bluemont Division connecting line that traveled between two new junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
s in Arlington: Bluemont Junction on the Alexandria-Bluemont line and Thrifton Junction on the Georgetown-Great Falls line. The connecting line passed a short distance west of Ballston
Ballston, Virginia
Ballston is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia and is home to the Ballston-MU station on the Orange Line of the Metrorail subway system.-History:...
, crossing on a plate girder bridge
Plate girder bridge
A plate girder bridge is a bridge supported by two or more plate girders. The plate girders are typically I-beams made up from separate structural steel plates , which are welded or, in older bridges, bolted or riveted together to form the vertical web and horizontal flanges of the beam...
over a competing interurban electric trolley line (the Fairfax line of the Washington-Virginia Railway
Northern Virginia trolleys
The earliest electric railway, or streetcar line, in Northern Virginia opened in 1892. At their peak, when merged into a single interurban system , the successors of this and several other lines ran between downtown Washington, D.C., Rosslyn and Arlington Junction – present day Crystal City...
) that carried passengers between Rosslyn, Clarendon
Clarendon, Virginia
Clarendon is a neighborhood in Arlington County, Virginia, USA, located between the Rosslyn area and the Ballston area. The main thoroughfares are Wilson Boulevard and Clarendon Boulevard .-Boundaries and geography:...
, Ballston, Falls Church, Vienna and Fairfax City
Fairfax, Virginia
The City of Fairfax is an independent city forming an enclave within the confines of Fairfax County, in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Although politically independent of the surrounding county, the City is nevertheless the county seat....
.
The railway distributed direct current (DC)
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
to its Bluemont Division cars and trains through overhead catenary wires
Overhead lines
Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit electrical energy to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point...
. Single overhead wires carried the Great Falls Division's electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
over its tracks. Stationary and movable electrical substation
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
s containing Westinghouse transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
s and AC
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
to DC
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
converters were located at various points along the railway's routes.
The W&OD's main passenger line ran from Georgetown and Rosslyn through Thrifton Junction, Bluemont Junction and westward to Bluemont. However, after crossing the Potomac River from Georgetown, many W&OD passengers transferred in Rosslyn to the trolleys of the competing Washington-Virginia Railway. Most of the W&OD's freight trains ran between Potomac Yard, Bluemont Junction and either Rosslyn or various locations along the Bluemont Division.
In 1923, the W&OD Railway ceased operating from Georgetown when the federal government replaced the aging Aqueduct Bridge with the new Francis Scott Key Bridge
Francis Scott Key Bridge (Washington)
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, more commonly known as the Key Bridge, is a six-lane reinforced concrete arch bridge conveying U.S. Route 29 traffic across the Potomac River between the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington County, Virginia and the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C...
. At the same time, the railroad constructed a new passenger station in Rosslyn which became its "Washington" terminal.
The W&OD Railway fell upon hard times in the 1930s during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In 1932, the railway went into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and was placed in receivership. In 1934, the railway abandoned operations on the Great Falls Division between Thrifton Junction and Great Falls.
In 1936, a new corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
, the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad, assumed operation of the remnants of the W&OD Railway, which by then consisted only of the Railway's Bluemont Division and the portion of the former Great Falls Division that had remained between Rosslyn and Thrifton (which was no longer a junction). Shortly thereafter, in 1939, the railroad abandoned the western end of its line, which had connected the towns of Purcellville and Bluemont.
In 1943, the W&OD Railroad acquired ownership of the section of line between Potomac Yard and Purcellville that the W&OD Railway had earlier leased from the Southern Railway. The Southern Railway retained ownership of the easternmost section of the railroad's route between Potomac Yard and old town Alexandria.
During the 1940s, the W&OD Railroad converted all of its lines' operations from electric to diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
or gasoline power. During that decade, the railroad discontinued its electrified passenger service in 1941, but temporarily resumed passenger service during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
using gas-electric motor cars and cars pulled by diesel-electric locomotives
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
. Passenger and mail service finally ended in 1951; thereafter, the railroad carried only freight.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
(C&O) purchased the W&OD Railroad in 1956, but did not change the railroad's name. In 1963, the C&O abandoned the segment of its line that traveled between Rosslyn, Thrifton and Ballston. The Commonwealth of Virginia then purchased this segment to acquire a right-of-way for the planned route of Interstate 66
Interstate 66
Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an...
(I-66).
Five years later, in 1968, the railroad, which by that time ran only between Alexandria and Purcellville, ceased operations. Shortly thereafter, the C&O sold the remainder of the railroad's route to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Commonwealth then sold most of the route to the Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO) (now Dominion Virginia Power), whose transmission line
Transmission line
In communications and electronic engineering, a transmission line is a specialized cable designed to carry alternating current of radio frequency, that is, currents with a frequency high enough that its wave nature must be taken into account...
s had run along the railroad's right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
. The Commonwealth retained a portion of the route in Arlington immediately east of Falls Church, on which it built I-66, and the section of the route which crossed the Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway
The Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway consists of a portion of Interstates 95 and 395 in the U.S. state of Virginia. Shirley Highway was the first limited-access freeway in Virginia...
(presently part of Interstate 395
Interstate 395 (District of Columbia-Virginia)
Interstate 395 in Washington, D.C., and Virginia is a 13 mile long spur route that begins at a junction with Interstate 95 in Springfield, Virginia and ends in northwest Washington, D.C. It passes underneath the National Mall near the United States Capitol and ends at a junction with U.S...
(I-395)) along the Arlington-Alexandria boundary.
Bluemont Division, Alexandria-Bluemont Line
Most of the Bluemont Division's passenger cars or trains ran on the W&OD Railway's Great Falls Division's line from Georgetown over the Aqueduct Bridge through Rosslyn to Thrifton Junction. From Thrifton Junction, the trains ran on the Bluemont Division's connecting line to Bluemont Junction, where they met other Bluemont Division passenger cars or trains that ran from old-town Alexandria or Potomac Yard, following Four Mile Run in Arlington. Some of the Bluemont Division cars or trains then continued their trips through Falls Church, Vienna, Herndon, Sterling, Ashburn, Leesburg, Clarkes Gap and Purcellville to terminate in Bluemont, Virginia, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, following a route that was similar to that of Virginia State Route 7.The Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
now operates a spur between the Alexandria waterfront and a Southern Railway main line that earlier had traveled through Potomac Yard. The route of the spur formerly served W&OD trains traveling on the Bluemont Division to the Division's freight and passenger stations in old town Alexandria. As the Southern Railway owned and operated the route of the spur and the stations, this section of track remained in operation after the W&OD closed.
A paved trail in Alexandria's linear Mt. Jefferson Park and Greenway has replaced part of the Bluemont Division's course through that city. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority is an interjurisdictional organization that owns and operates more than 10,000 acres of woodlands, streams, parks, trails, nature reserves, countryside and historic sites in Northern Virginia in the United States. The Authority was organized in 1959...
's W&OD Trail travels in the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park
The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a popular and unusually-shaped regional park in Northern Virginia. The park's primary feature is the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail , an asphalt-surfaced paved rail trail that runs through densely populated urban and suburban...
within the Bluemont Division's former right-of-way from the Alexandria/Arlington boundary through Bluemont Junction to Purcellville. The section of the Bluemont Division between Purcellville and Bluemont has not become a part of any trail, as the W&OD Railroad abandoned this section many years before the remainder of its line closed in 1968.
I-66 and its adjacent Custis Trail
Custis Trail
The Custis Trail is a 4-mile, paved bike trail in Arlington County, Virginia that extends from Key Bridge at Rosslyn westward to the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail...
now travel on the former right-of-way of the W&OD Railway's Great Falls Division between Rosslyn and Thrifton Junction. The highway and the trail continue to Washington Boulevard
Washington Boulevard (Arlington)
Washington Boulevard is a road in Arlington County, Virginia. It begins as a highway, connecting the George Washington Memorial Parkway and Arlington Memorial Bridge with Interstate 395, running past The Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery...
in Ballston along the former route of the Bluemont Division's Thrifton — Bluemont Junction connecting line.
Arlington County's Bluemont Junction Trail now travels on the connecting line's former right-of-way from Washington Boulevard to meet the W&OD Trail near Bluemont Junction. The Junction now contains an Arlington County railroad display that features a Southern Railway bay window caboose that was built in 1972, four years after the W&OD closed.
Stations
The stations on the Alexandria-Bluemont line of the Bluemont Division (with locations of sites in 2008) were:| Station | Location | Coordinates | Jurisdiction | W&OD Trail Mile | Side of Tracks | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Terminal | Northeast corner of Princess Street and N. Fairfax Street | 38.808162°N 77.041347°W | City of Alexandria | ---------- | Operated by Southern Railway | ||
| W&OD locomotive maintenance shed | Northwest of intersection of Massey Lane and Hunting Creek Drive | 38.8224781°N 77.0460114°W | City of Alexandria | ---------- | Northeast | East end of W&OD Railroad; Northeast of Southern Railway junction on east side of Potomac Yard Potomac Yard Potomac Yard was one of the busiest rail yards on the Eastern Seaboard of the United States. Today, it refers to the neighborhood encompassing the same, which straddles southeastern Arlington County and northern Alexandria, Virginia, bounded by U.S. Route 1, the George Washington Memorial Parkway,... |
|
| Alexandria Junction | Mt. Jefferson Park, between Calvert Avenue and Stewart Avenue, west of Jefferson Davis Highway Jefferson Davis Highway The Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway was a planned transcontinental highway in the United States in the 1910s and 1920s that began in Washington, D.C. and extended south and west to San Diego, California; it was named for Jefferson Davis, who, in addition to being the first and only President of... (U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between... ) |
38.8294239°N 77.0544899°W | City of Alexandria | ---------- | Southwest | circa 1918 | Site of track connecting to Washington & Ohio Junction on Washington and Alexandria Railway (Southern Railway main line). Connecting track removed in 1912. Historical markers near site: 1) The Bluemont Line 2) St. Asaph Racetrack |
| St. Elmo | Commonwealth Avenue (northwest side) at intersection with Ashby Street near northwest end of Mt. Jefferson Park and Greenway | 38.833237°N 77.058899°W | City of Alexandria | ---------- | Southwest | 1932 1932 |
Crossing of Washington-Mt. Vernon line of Washington-Virginia Railway Historical marker near site: The Electric Railway |
| Cowdon | Opposite side (east side) of S. Shirlington Road from Mile Zero of W&OD Trail (0.1 mile west of Henry G. Shirley Memorial Highway (I-395)) | 38.8441553°N 77.0854908°W | Arlington County | 0 | South | Historical markers near site: 1) Washington and Old Dominion Trail 2) Tracks Into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad 3) Nauck: A Neighborhood History |
|
| Barcroft | Columbia Pike (VA Route 244) Virginia State Route 244 State Route 244, also known as Columbia Pike, is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is a four-lane road that runs from State Route 236 in Annandale, Fairfax County east to State Route 27 at the Pentagon in Arlington County.-History:Columbia Pike dates to 1810 when the U.S... (south side) & W&OD Trail |
38.8563063°N 77.109569°W | Arlington County | 1.6 | Southwest | circa 1910 | Formerly Arlington Mill station |
| Barcroft Freight House | Columbia Pike (VA Route 244) (northwest side) & W&OD Trail | 38.856686°N 77.109947°W | Arlington County | 1.6 | Northeast | circa 1967 | |
| Glencarlyn | W&OD Trail in Glencarlyn Park (near north side of Arlington Boulevard Arlington Boulevard Arlington Boulevard is a major arterial road in Arlington County, Fairfax County, and the independent City of Fairfax in Northern Virginia in metropolitan Washington, DC, United States. It is designated U.S... (U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 in Virginia U.S. Route 50 is a transcontinental highway which stretches from Ocean City, Maryland to Sacramento, California. In the U.S. state of Virginia, US 50 extends from the border with Washington DC at a Potomac River crossing at Rosslyn in Arlington County to the West Virginia state line near Gore in... ) overpass) |
38.866845°N 77.124667°W | Arlington County | 2.7 | Southwest | 1896–1912 1918 |
Agency station. Formerly Carlin Springs station. Historical marker at site. |
| Bluemont Junction | W&OD Trail between Wilson Boulevard and Bluemont Junction Trail | 38.872834°N 77.1325073°W | Arlington County | 3.4 | Northeast | 1950's | Junction with Thrifton-Bluemont Junction connecting line Wye on east side of tracks. Station and electrical substation within wye Station near south side of electrical substation in 1916. Station adjacent to south side of electrical substation after 1918 Historical markers at site: 1) Bluemont Junction 2) The Great Falls Line 3) Rosslyn Station 4) Bluemont Junction, ca. 1934 Historical marker near site: Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad |
| Torrison | Wilson Boulevard (northwest side) & W&OD Trail | 38.875115°N 77.133958°W | Arlington County | 3.6 | Northeast | ||
| Fostoria | North Ohio Street (west side) & W&OD Trail | 38.8820761°N 77.1462268°W | Arlington County | 4.4 | Southwest | Historical marker near site: Brandymore Castle | |
| Falls Church (East Falls Church) | Lee Highway Lee Highway The Lee Highway was a National Auto Trail in the United States connecting New York City and San Francisco, California via the South and Southwest. It was named after Robert E... (U.S. Route 29) U.S. Route 29 in Virginia U.S. Route 29 is a major north–south route in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It covers from the North Carolina border at the city of Danville to the Key Bridge in Washington, D.C.... (northwest side) & W&OD Trail |
38.887358°N 77.162583°W | Arlington County | 5.6 | Southwest | 1951 Undated circa 1966 |
Agency station Historical marker at site: East Falls Church Station Historical marker near site: East Falls Church Three stations near site |
| Rothsay | W&OD Trail southeast of Oak Street | 38.890611°N 77.176551°W | City of Falls Church | 6.5 | Northeast | Historical marker near site: Train Wrecks | |
| West Falls Church | W. Broad Street (VA Route 7) (east side) & W&OD Trail | 38.891653°N 77.185282°W | City of Falls Church | 7.0 | South | 1890's | Historical marker at site: West Falls Church Station Historical marker near site: Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad |
| Evans | W&OD Trail near Fowler Street | 38.8915798°N 77.1931091°W | Fairfax County | 7.4 | |||
| Green | Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority right-of-way near Interstate 66 Interstate 66 Interstate 66 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. As indicated by its even route number, it runs in an east–west direction. Its western terminus is at Middletown, Virginia, at an intersection with Interstate 81; its eastern terminus is in Washington, D.C., at an... and Avon Lane; 0.4 miles south of W&OD Trail |
38.8892103°N 77.2130942°W | Fairfax County | ---------- | |||
| Dunn Loring | Sandburg Street (west side) & W&OD Trail | 38.891734°N 77.222471°W | Fairfax County | 9.1 | North | 1950's | Agency station. Historical markers at site: 1) Dunn Loring Station 2) Camp Alger 3) Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad |
| Wedderburn | W&OD Trail, 0.2 miles west of Cedar Lane | 38.8962268°N 77.239755°W | Fairfax County | 10.1 | South | Undated | |
| Franklin | W&OD Trail, between Owaissa Road SE and Adahi Road SE (0.1 mile southeast of bridge abutment of Fairfax line of Washington-Virginia Railway on north side of W&OD Trail) | 38.8988987°N 77.2443151°W | Town of Vienna | 10.3 | |||
| Park Street | Park St. SE & W&OD Trail | 38.901013°N 77.259515°W | Town of Vienna | 11.3 | Historical markers near site: 1) Civil War Action at Vienna 2) Electric Trains on the W&OD 3) The Great Falls Line |
||
| Church Street | Church Street NE & W&OD Trail | 38.903232°N 77.265419°W | Town of Vienna | 11.7 | Adjacent to Vienna Station of Washington-Virginia Railway | ||
| Vienna | 231 Dominion Road NE at Ayr Hill Avenue NE (southeast side) & W&OD Trail | 38.904142°N 77.266974°W | Town of Vienna | 11.8 | Southwest | 1894-1912 | Agency station. National Register of Historic Places nomination form for station prepared in 2002 Historical marker at site: Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Historical markers near site: 1) Vienna Station 2) Vienna Centennial Park |
| Clarks Crossing | Clarks Crossing Road (southwest side) & W&OD Trail | 38.921097°N 77.285804°W | Fairfax County | 13.3 | Northeast | ||
| Piney | Piney Branch & W&OD Trail (northwest of Peppermill Place) | 38.925563°N 77.288336°W | Fairfax County | 13.7 | Historical marker near site: Terror by the Tracks | ||
| Lowland | Lowland Station Road & W&OD Trail | 38.928382°N 77.292686°W | Fairfax County | 14.0 | |||
| Hunters | Hunter Mill Road (VA Route 674) (east side) & W&OD Trail | 38.9325737°N 77.3049277°W | Fairfax County | 14.7 | Southwest | before 1912 | Historical markers near site: 1) Hunter Station Circa 1900 2) Hunter Station 3) Strategic Junction: Hunter Mill Road and the AL&H Railroad 4) Crossroads to War |
| Pinecrest | W&OD Trail near Michael Faraday Court | 38.949535°N 77.33245°W | Fairfax County | 16.7 | |||
| Soapstone Siding | W&OD Trail | Fairfax County | |||||
| Sunset Hills | Old Reston Avenue (northwest side) & W&OD Trail | 38.955869°N 77.351789°W | Fairfax County | 17.7 | Northeast | 1966 | Agency station. Formerly Wiehle station. Historical markers near site: 1) Sunset Hills Station 2) Train Wrecks |
| Thornton | W&OD Trail east of Town Center Parkway | 38.956330°N 77.361367°W | Fairfax County | 18.4 | |||
| Jackson | Sugarland Run & W&OD Trail, between Fairfax County Parkway and Herndon Parkway E | 38.959511°N 77.371025°W | Fairfax County | 18.8 | |||
| Coral | Coral Road (northeast side) & W&OD Trail | 38.9657322°N 77.3796594°W | Town of Herndon | 19.6 | Southwest | ||
| Herndon | 717 Lynn Street at Station Street (south side) & W&OD Trail | 38.970170°N 77.385700°W | Town of Herndon | 19.9 | Southwest | 1890; 1905 |
Agency station. Wye northwest of station (northeast side of tracks). Electrical substation attached to southeast side of station. Station listed on National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Historical markers near site: 1) Herndon Station 2) Mosby’s Herndon Station Raid 3) Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad 4) The Rail Strike of 1916 |
| Herndon Heights | Crestview Drive (northwest side) & W&OD Trail | 38.9800163°N 77.3988855°W | Town of Herndon | 20.9 | Northeast | ||
| Oak Grove | Locust Lane & W&OD Trail (near Dominion Lane) | 38.983871°N 77.403995°W | Loudoun County | 21.3 | |||
| Lynn | W&OD Trail | 38.988077°N 77.408059°W | Loudoun County | 21.6 | |||
| Buchanan | Warwick Court & W&OD Trail | 38.996040°N 77.421470°W | Loudoun County | 22.6 | |||
| Sterling | W&OD Trail, north of Ruritan Circle (Old Church Road) (VA Route 859) | 39.006996°N 77.4289852°W | Loudoun County | 23.4 | West | 1927 | Agency station. Formerly Guilford station. Historical marker at site: Sterling Station |
| Smiths | W&OD Trail; 0.4 miles southeast of crossing of Smith's Switch Road and W&OD Trail | 39.0236389°N 77.453565°W | Loudoun County | 25.1 | Historical marker near site: Rails to Dulles Airport | ||
| Normans (Smith's) | 0.1 mile northwest of crossing of Smith's Switch Road and W&OD Trail; 0.03 miles northwest of W&OD Trail rest stop. | 39.0279918°N 77.4607506°W | Loudoun County | 25.7 | Northeast | 1920's | Historical markers near site: 1) Norman's Station 2) Tracks into History: The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad |
| Ashburn | Ashburn Road (VA Route 641) (east side) & W&OD Trail | 39.043974°N 77.487305°W | Loudoun County | 27.5 | Northeast | 1967 | Agency station. Historical marker at site: Ashburn Station |
| Graves | W&OD Trail (west of west end of Graves Lane) | 39.050115°N 77.497644°W | Loudoun County | 28.1 | |||
| Belmont Park | Belmont Ridge Road (VA Route 659) & W&OD Trail | 39.063594°N 77.511082°W | Loudoun County | 29.4 | Historical marker near site: Belmont | ||
| Trap Rock | Luck Stone Quarry & W&OD Trail (0.5 miles west of Belmont Ridge Road (VA Route 659)) | 39.063594°N 77.511082°W | Loudoun County | 29.9 | North | Served Trap Rock Quarry (now Leesburg plant of Luck Stone Corp.). Historical marker near site: Diesel Trains on the W&OD |
|
| Compher | Cochrane Mill Road & W&OD Trail | 39.073773°N 77.528232°W | Loudoun County | 30.6 | |||
| Pleasant View | W&OD Trail (west of intersection of Trailview Boulevard and Breakstone Drive) | 39.081007°N 77.532438°W | Loudoun County | 31.2 | |||
| Lawson | Lawson Road SE (southeast side) & W&OD Trail | 39.0997139°N 77.5464445°W | Town of Leesburg | 32.7 | Northeast | ||
| Leesburg Freight House | Harrison Street SE (west side) & W&OD Trail | 39.1111031°N 77.5640023°W | Town of Leesburg | 34.2 | Northeast | 1966 | Wye on northeast side of tracks Freight House inside of wye Historical marker at site: Leesburg Freight Station Historical markers near site: 1) The Leesburg Lime Company 2) Stationmaster's House 3) The Depot 4) Norman-Harding Barn (The "Wharf") 5) McKimmey's Mill |
| Leesburg Passenger Station | S. King Street (U.S. Route 15 U.S. Route 15 U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US... ) (west side) & W&OD Trail |
39.112156°N 77.566164°W | Town of Leesburg | 34.4 | Northeast | 1906 1909 colorized postcard |
Agency station. Historical marker at site: Leesburg Passenger Station Historical markers near site: 1) Electric Trains on the W&OD 2) The Great Falls Line |
| Dry Mill | W&OD Trail, north of intersection of Dry Mill Road and Woodburn Road | 39.111715°N 77.592852°W | Loudoun County | 35.8 | |||
| Clarkes Gap | Dry Mill Road (northwest side) & W&OD Trail | 39.1378331°N 77.6096374°W | Loudoun County | 38.0 | Northeast | 1930 | Agency station. Historical marker at site: Clarkes Gap |
| Paeonian Springs | Simpson Circle (west side) & W&OD Trail | 39.147768°N 77.619438°W | Loudoun County | 39.2 | South | 1920's | Agency station. Historical marker at site: Paeonian Springs Station |
| Hamilton | Hamilton Station Road (east side) & W&OD Trail | 39.144091°N 77.651303°W | Loudoun County | 40.9 | South | Before 1912 Undated |
Agency station. Historical markers at site: 1) Hamilton Station 2) Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad |
| Ivandale | Ivandale Road (east side) & W&OD Trail | 39.1463955°N 77.6699495°W | Loudoun County | 42.0 | North | ||
| Florance | N. Maple Avenue (VA Route 722) & W&OD Trail | 39.141012°N 77.703284°W | Town of Purcellville | 43.8 | Historical marker near site: Electric Trains on the W&OD | ||
| Purcellville | N. 21st Street (northeast side) and W&OD Trail | 39.1384821°N 77.7161211°W | Town of Purcellville | 44.8 (End) |
South | 1940 1951 |
Agency station. Listed on National Register of Historic Places in 2010. Historical markers at site: 1) Purcellville Station 2) Beyond Purcellville Historical marker near site: Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad |
| Simmons | ---------- | ||||||
| Round Hill Passenger Station | 35 Main Street (southeast side of Main street) | 39.1360397°N 77.7688479°W | Town of Round Hill | ---------- | South | circa 1912 looking south circa 1912 looking west |
Agency station. Electrical substation adjacent to south side of station. |
| Round Hill Freight House | 34 Main Street (northwest side of Main Street) | 39.1360668°N 77.7692932°W | Town of Round Hill | ---------- | North | circa 1912 looking west | |
| Scotland Heights | Scotland Heights Road (northeast side) | Loudoun County | ---------- | Southwest | |||
| Homestead | ---------- | ||||||
| Bluemont Terminal | Railroad Street (VA Route 753), north of Snickersville Turnpike (VA Route 734) | 39.111066°N 77.832169°W | Town of Bluemont | ---------- | Northwest | circa 1905 circa 1912 1939 |
Agency station. Wye on southeast side of tracks, opposite station. Original station constructed circa 1900; later burned. Replaced by smaller station. |
Existing remnants of Bluemont Division, Alexandria-Bluemont Line
The following remnants of the Alexandria-Bluemont Line existed in 2010. Some were photographed in 1997 and in subsequent years:Stations
| Station | Location | Coordinates | Jurisdiction | Operator | Present use | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna | 231 Dominion Road NE at Ayr Hill Avenue NE (southeast side) & W&OD Trail | 38.904142°N 77.266974°W | Town of Vienna | Northern Virginia Model Railroaders, Inc. | Museum and model railroad layout | 2007 | Nomination form for National Register of Historic Places prepared in 2002. |
| Sunset Hills | Old Reston Avenue (west side) & W&OD Trail | 38.955869°N 77.351789°W | Fairfax County | Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority is an interjurisdictional organization that owns and operates more than 10,000 acres of woodlands, streams, parks, trails, nature reserves, countryside and historic sites in Northern Virginia in the United States. The Authority was organized in 1959... |
Vacant | 2009 undated |
Former headquarters office of Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park. |
| Herndon | 717 Lynn Street at Station Street (south side) & W&OD Trail | 38.970170°N 77.385700°W | Town of Herndon | Herndon Historical Society | Herndon Depot Museum Herndon Depot Museum The Herndon Depot Museum, also known as the Herndon Historical Society Museum, is located in the town of Herndon in Fairfax County, Virginia. Built in 1857 for the Alexandria, Loudoun & Hampshire Railroad, the depot later served the Richmond and Danville Railroad, the Southern Railway and the... and visitor center |
video 2006 undated |
Listed on National Register of Historic Places in 1979. |
| Leesburg Freight House | Market Station at Harrison Street SE (west side) and Royal Street SE | 39.112851°N 77.562854°W | Town of Leesburg | Metro Management Services, LLC | Pizza restaurant | 2008 | Moved two blocks north of original location in 1984. Historical marker on building: The Depot |
| Clarkes Gap Passenger Shelter | Simpson Circle (west side) & W&OD Trail | 39.147768°N 77.619438°W | Loudoun County | Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority | Trailside shelter | 2007 | Replaced burned Clarkes Gap station. Preserved by former W&OD Railroad employee. Relocated to former site of Paeonian Springs station by Northern Virginia Regional Parks Authority. |
| Hamilton | Hamilton Station Road (east side) & W&OD Trail | 39.143375°N 77.650509°W | Loudoun County | Loudoun County Milling Company | Mill equipment storage | undated 2010 |
|
| Purcellville | 21st Street N (east side) and W&OD Trail | 39.1384821°N 77.7161211°W | Town of Purcellville | Town of Purcellville | Public meeting space | undated 2009 2009 |
Preserved and restored by Purcellville Preservation Association. Listed on National Register of Historic Places in 2010. |
| Round Hill Passenger Station | 35 Main Street (south side of Main Street) | 39.1360397°N 77.7688479°W | Town of Round Hill | Private property owner | Residence | 1997 | |
| Round Hill Freight House | 34 Main Street (northwest side of Main Street) | 39.1360668°N 77.7692932°W | Town of Round Hill | Private property owner |
Bridges and overpasses
| Crossing | Location | Coordinates | Jurisdiction | W&OD Trail Mile | Remnant | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Road | Russell Road (west side) between W. Glebe Road and Kentucky Avenue | 38.838109°N 77.064588°W | City of Alexandria | ------------ | Abutment Abutment An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching... of former railroad bridge |
undated |
| Four Mile Run Four Mile Run Four Mile Run is a stream in northern Virginia that starts near Interstate 66, at Gordon Avenue in Fairfax County and proceeds southeast through Falls Church to Arlington County in the U.S. state of Virginia... |
W&OD Trail between Columbia Pike and Arlington Boulevard (U.S. Route 50) | 38.864051°N 77.118632°W | Arlington County | 2.3 | Abutments under trail bridge | |
| Four Mile Run | W&OD Trail between Arlington Boulevard (U.S. Route 50) and N. Carlin Springs Road | 38.86762°N 77.125987°W | Arlington County | 2.8 | Abutments under trail bridge | |
| Four Mile Run | W&OD Trail between N. Carlin Springs Road and Wilson Boulevard | 38.873653°N 77.133143°W | Arlington County | 3.4 | Abutments under trail bridge | |
| Four Mile Run | W&OD Trail between Wilson Boulevard and N. Patrick Henry Drive | 38.878464°N 77.137713°W | Arlington County | 3.9 | Abutments under trail bridge | |
| Four Mile Run | W&OD Trail between Lee Highway (U.S. Route 29) and Little Falls Street | 38.888191°N 77.165407°W | Arlington County | 5.9 | Abutments under trail bridge | |
| Piney Branch | W&OD Trail between Ayr Hill Avenue NE and Hunter Mill Road | 38.925642°N 77.288381°W | Fairfax County | 13.6 | Abutments under trail bridge | 2010 |
| Difficult Run Difficult Run Difficult Run is a tributary stream of the Potomac River in northern Virginia in the United States. The term "run" for "stream" is common usage in this part of Virginia and throughout the mid-Atlantic region; another "run" is better known in American Civil War history: Bull Run. Difficult Run... |
W&OD Trail between Ayr Hill Avenue NE and Hunter Mill Road | 38.930942°N 77.29834°W | Fairfax County | 14.3 | Abutments under trail bridge | 2009 |
| Broad Run | W&OD Trail between Sully Road and Panorama Parkway | 39.01845°N 77.444923°W | Loudoun County | 24.6 | Abutments under trail bridge | |
| Beaverdam Run | W&OD Trail between Smiths Switch Road and Ashburn Village Boulevard | 39.031905°N 77.467293°W | Loudoun County | 26.2 | Abutments under trail bridge | |
| Goose Creek Goose Creek (Potomac River) Goose Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River in Fauquier and Loudoun counties in northern Virginia. It comprises the principal drainage system for the Loudoun Valley.-Course:... |
W&OD Trail between Belmont Ridge Road and Cochrane Mill Road | 39.0694962°N 77.5195634°W | Loudoun County | 30.1 | Abutments and piers Pier (architecture) In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato... supporting trail bridge |
2007 |
| Sycolin Creek | W&OD Trail between Belmont Ridge Road and Cochrane Mill Road | 39.0723241°N 77.5247133°W | Loudoun County | 30.4 | Span, abutments and pier of railroad bridge (now trail bridge). | |
| Tuscarora Creek | W&OD Trail between Cochran Mill Road and Lawson Road SE | 39.0955841°N 77.5422603°W | Town of Leesburg | 32.3 | Abutments and piers of railroad bridge south of W&OD Trail | |
| Clarks Gap | W&OD Trail and Dry Mill Road | 39.1395702°N 77.6109248°W | Loudoun County | 38.2 | Stone arch above former W&OD Railroad right of way. | 2007 |
Other remnants
| Remnant | Location | Coordinates | Jurisdiction | W&OD Trail Mile | Side of W&OD Trail | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norfolk Southern Railway spur | Tracks between Pendleton Street (west of intersection with N. Fairfax St.) and CSX main line near Slaters Lane | 38.81694°N 77.039523°W | City of Alexandria | ------------ | ------------ | ------------ | Operating railroad; formerly owned by Southern Railway |
| Floor of electrical substation at Bluemont Junction | Between soccer field and 1972 Southern Railway caboose east of W&OD Trail in Bluemont Junction Park (between Bluemont Junction Trail and Wilson Boulevard) | 38.872955°N 77.132521°W | Arlington County | 3.4 | East | 2009 | In Bluemont Junction Historical Railroad Display |
| Elevated siding Rail siding A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end... with rails and ties Railroad tie A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks... |
0.05 mile west of Lee Highway (U.S. Route 29); south of W&OD Trail | 38.887450°N 77.163076°W | Arlington County | 5.6 | South | Formerly used to unload coal from hopper car Hopper car A hopper car is a type of railroad freight car used to transport loose bulk commodities such as coal, ore, grain, track ballast, and the like. The name originated from the coke manufacturing industry which is part of the steel industry .... s |
|
| Leesburg Stationmaster's Station master The station master was the person in charge of railway stations, in the United Kingdom and some other countries, before the modern age. He would manage the other station employees and would have responsibility for safety and the efficient running of the station... House |
Market Station at Harrison Street SE (west side) and South Street SE | 39.1123206°N 77.563042°W | Town of Leesburg | ------------ | ------------ | 2008 | Moved to Market Station (south of relocated freight station). Used as store. Historical marker on building: Stationmaster's House |
| Round Hill Electrical Substation | Southeast side of Main Street | 39.1359357°N 77.7688774°W | Town of Round Hill | ------------ | ------------ | 1997 | Private residence Enclosed by house Adjacent to south side of former passenger station at 35 Main Street. |
Rail trails
- Trail between E. Raymond Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue in Mt. Jefferson Park and Greenway, Alexandria Coordinates: 38.830164°N 77.055187°W
- Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail (W&OD Trail)Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional ParkThe Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a popular and unusually-shaped regional park in Northern Virginia. The park's primary feature is the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail , an asphalt-surfaced paved rail trail that runs through densely populated urban and suburban...
Other trails
- Unpaved trail connecting Russell Road and Landover Street, Alexandria. Coordinates: 38.836967°N 77.063266°W
- Section of Mount Vernon TrailMount Vernon TrailThe Mount Vernon Trail is a popular running and bike path in Northern Virginia that follows the west bank of the Potomac River from near Theodore Roosevelt Island to Mount Vernon. The northern, urban half is open and has views of Washington, D.C. across the river. The southern below Alexandria is...
adjacent to Norfolk Southern Railway spur between Pendleton Street and E. Abingdon Drive, Alexandria. Coordinates: 38.815507°N 77.038979°W
Linear parks along railroad route
- Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional ParkWashington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional ParkThe Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a popular and unusually-shaped regional park in Northern Virginia. The park's primary feature is the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail , an asphalt-surfaced paved rail trail that runs through densely populated urban and suburban...
Bluemont Division, Thrifton-Bluemont Junction Connecting Line
In 1912, the new Washington and Old Dominion Railway constructed the electrified Thrifton-Bluemont Junction connecting line to connect the Railway's Georgetown-Great Falls line with the Alexandria-Bluemont line. The line travelled between Thrifton Junction (near the present crossing of I-66 and Lee HighwayLee Highway
The Lee Highway was a National Auto Trail in the United States connecting New York City and San Francisco, California via the South and Southwest. It was named after Robert E...
(U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29
U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
) at the Lyon Village
Lyon Village
Lyon Village is a neighborhood, or “urban village” located in Arlington County, Virginia, along Lee Highway . It is approximately one mile west of Rosslyn and less than a mile north of Clarendon, of which it is sometimes considered a sub-neighborhood.A shopping center located at the confluence of...
Shopping Center) and Bluemont Junction (presently in Arlington County's Bluemont Junction Park), passing the west end of Ballston along the way. Sometimes termed the "Rosslyn Branch" or the "Spout Run Branch", the line climbed a grade while following the route of Spout Run after leaving Thrifton.
The line closed in sections between 1963 and 1968. I-66 and the Custis Trail replaced the line between Thrifton and Washington Boulevard in Ballston. Arlington County's Bluemont Junction Trail replaced the line between Washington Boulevard and Bluemont Junction.
Stations
The stations on the Thrifton-Bluemont Junction connecting line of the Bluemont Division (with locations of sites in 2008) were:| Station | Location | Coordinates | Jurisdiction | Side of Tracks | Photo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thrifton | I-66 between Lee Highway and Spout Run Parkway | 38.8969866°N 77.0972228°W | Arlington County | North of Lyon Village shopping center. Named for Hugh A. Thrift. East of junction with Thrifton – Bluemont Junction connecting line. | ||
| Hayes | N. Lincoln Street (east side) and I-66 | 38.890676°N 77.103577°W | Arlington County | South | ||
| Douglas | N. Quincy Street (east side) and I-66 | 38.889619°N 77.108164°W | Arlington County | South | ||
| Waverley Hills | N. Stafford Street and I-66 | 38.888851°N 77.11128°W | Arlington County | Formerly Clements Avenue Station | ||
| Clarenford | N. Utah Street (east side) and I-66 | 38.888162°N 77.114207°W | Arlington County | South | ||
| Lacey | N. Glebe Road (east side) and I-66 | 38.886592°N 77.11757°W | Arlington County | Southeast | ||
| Washington Boulevard | Washington Boulevard and I-66 | 38.8853499°N 77.1187931°W | Arlington County | |||
| Waycroft | N. Buchanan Street and Bluemont Junction Trail | 38.8806°N 77.119198°W | Arlington County | 0.2 mile south of crossing of Fairfax line of Washington-Virginia Railway | ||
| Garrison | N. George Mason Drive at Wilson Boulevard (north side) and Bluemont Junction Trail | 38.87842°N 77.120832°W | Arlington County | Southeast | Undated | |
| Arlington Avenue | N. Jefferson Street and Bluemont Junction Trail | 38.872016°N 77.126295°W | Arlington County | |||
| Bon Air | N. Kensington Street (northeast side) and Bluemont Junction Trail | 38.870886°N 77.128151°W | Arlington County | South | ||
| Bluemont Junction | W&OD Trail between Wilson Boulevard and Bluemont Junction Trail | 38.872834°N 77.1325073°W | Arlington County | East | 1950's | Junction with Alexandria-Bluemont line Historical markers at site: 1) Bluemont Junction 2) The Great Falls Line 3) Rosslyn Station 4) Bluemont Junction, ca. 1934 Historical marker near site: Tracks into History: The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad |
Road
I-66 between Lee Highway (U.S. Route 29) and Washington Boulevard. Coordinates: 38.888851°N 77.11128°WRail Trail
Bluemont Junction Trail between Washington Boulevard and Mile 3.3 of Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail. Coordinates: 38.873582°N 77.124992°WOther Trail
Custis Trail between Lee Highway (U.S. Route 29) and Washington Boulevard. Coordinates: 38.893204°N 77.101101°WLinear park along railroad route
Bluemont Junction Park between Fairfax Drive and W&OD Trail. Coordinates: 38.8756158°N 77.1231866°WExternal links
Photographs and descriptions of markers describing the history of the W&OD Railroad.Website describing the history of the W&OD Railroad.