The Blue Ridge Railroad

Backcountry Notes ^ | February 20, 2010 | Jay Henderson

[jay1949]

The Blue Ridge Railroad was chartered and funded by the Virginia General Assembly in 1849 in order to build a rail link between the Piedmont and the Shenandoah Valley. After rejecting a route across Swift Run Gap, the state turned to French-born engineer Claudius Crozet, one of the founders and the first Commandant of the Virginia Military Institute, determined that a series of four tunnels could be built at reasonable expense at Rockfish Gap. [archival images.]

[hennie pennie]

*ping*

[housemouse 1]

Thanks for posting I really enjoy this site and the pictures too.

[hinckley buzzard]

Interesting article and website. Thanks for posting.

[smokingfrog]

Interesting article. My GG Grandfather James Appleton and his brother built the first RR tunnel (the Staple Bend Tunnel near Johnstown, PA) in the US in 1832, but it was only 900 ft long. He was from England and most of the laborers were Welsh and Irish. It would be nice to see those tunnels restored.

Patience and Diligence, like faith, remove mountains --William Penn

[hennie pennie]

I’ve often been curious when reading your postings if this area of the country is where you got your user name from?

[jay1949]

I confess that my username is my familiar name, Jay, plus the year of my birth. Makes it easy to remember.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Actually, I’m from a lot further west in far Southwest Virginia,in the Big Sandy River Valley running along the Kentucky border. It’s about 4 hours west of Blacksburg.

[hennie pennie]

Thanks.

LOL, whenever I see your name, it evokes an image of the panoramic Blue Ridge Mountains . .. . and then, lol, I read your posting.

Thanks for clarifying.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Appalachian plateau in the far west is home for me:

I now live in south central Pennsylvania because of job though.

[hennie pennie]

That is a wonderful map, thank you for sharing it.