Chesapeake Western Railway today

[NW Mailing List]

Having made several trips to Harrisonburg VA recently, I thought some 
members may be interested in the current sate of affairs of the former 
Chesapeake Western Ry (purchased by NW in 1954).

I am amazed by the number of industries (large and small) served by rail 
in the Harrisonburg area. It's a step back in time to the way rail 
service used to be. It seems that NS serves the area daily. Not sure 
about any weekend service.

Currently the former/original CW Ry is active from Elkton to 
Harrisonburg (20 miles) and continuing further west to Dayton (5 miles). 
Gould envisioned this as part of a transcontinental line at one time. 
His dream was very short lived.

Current NS service also extends south of Harrisonburg for 6 miles on the 
former B&O/CW to Pleasant Valley and makes interchange with the 
Shenandoah Valley Railroad which operates the additional 25 miles of 
ex-CW/ex-B&O trackage south to Staunton. And lastly, NS service extends 
north 13 miles to Broadway on former B&O/SOU trackage. NS's former 
B&O/SOU trackage north of Broadway to Strasburg, VA is inactive and 
being considered for Rails-to-Trails or Rails & Trails by the state of 
Virginia.

The CW Ry station (combination passenger & freight) still stands in 
downtown Harrisonburg. Also, a wonderful c.1874 ex-B&O station still 
stands at Pleasant Valley in a beautiful rural setting. The ex-CW/ex-B&O 
diamond crossing in downtown Harrisonburg remains active.

I had forgotten that the CW Ry in it's heyday interchanged with three 
Class-I railroads; SOU in Harrisonburg, NW in Elkton, and C&O in 
Staunton.

John Garner, Newport, VA