Bay Coast Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Bay Coast Railroad operates the former Eastern Shore Railroad
line from Pocomoke City, Maryland
, to Norfolk, Virginia
. The Bay Coast Railroad interchanges with the Norfolk Southern Railway
at both Norfolk, Virginia
and Pocomoke City, Maryland
.
Construction of a rail line from Pocomoke City to Cape Charles was completed on October 25, 1884, and operated as the New York, Philadelphia and Norfolk Railroad (NYP&N). Its founder, Alexander Johnston Cassatt (1939-1906), designed a barge large enough to carry 18 railcars. His barges provided the new railroad with its connection across the Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk by April 1885. The railroad's co-founder, coal magnate William Lawrence Scott
, financed construction of the new town of Cape Charles in 1884 at the point where the railroad's northern section met the Chesapeake Bay. From its inception, the NYP&R operated profitably and contributed to an economic boom on the Delmarva peninsula that continued until the Great Depression.
After World War II, railroad passenger use declined in favor of the automobile. Passenger service on the NYP&N ended on January 12, 1958.
In an effort to preserve freight rail service on the Eastern Shore of Virginia
, Northampton
and Accomack
Counties formed the Accomack-Northampton Transportation District Commission. The commission purchased the rail line in 1976 and selected Virginia and Maryland Railroad Company as its operator. Eastern Shore Railroad
, Inc. replaced Virginia and Maryland as the operator in 1981. In 2005, Cassatt Management, LLC was selected as operator and the railroad acquired its current name.
. A car float, crossing 26 miles (41.8 km) of the Chesapeake Bay
from Cape Charles to Norfolk, comprises the middle portion. The southern end of the system is a terminal track around Little Creek, Virginia, connecting with Norfolk Southern, CSX Railroad, and Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad.
s of 25 and 15 car capacity to link the 26 miles (41.8 km) water route across the Chesapeake Bay between Cape Charles and Norfolk — using the north and south terminals of the now defunct Little Creek-Cape Charles Ferry
. This car float operation has been in continuous service since April 1885, and is one of only two remaining in the United States (the other being New York New Jersey Rail, LLC).
. It originally served the former Texas Electric Railway
in Dallas, Texas as car number 316. When Texas Electric ceased operating in 1948, its fleet of interurban railcars was sold for salvage. Car number 316 was used as a cabin at a ranch in Fort Worth, Texas
until its recent restoration for the Bay Creek Railway.
Eastern Shore Railroad
The Eastern Shore Railroad, Inc. was a Class III short-line railroad that began operations in October 1981 on the 96 mile former Virginia and Maryland Railroad line on the Delmarva Peninsula...
line from Pocomoke City, Maryland
Pocomoke City, Maryland
Pocomoke City, dubbed "the friendliest town on the Eastern Shore", is a city in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Although renamed in a burst of civic enthusiasm in 1878, the city is regularly referred to by its inhabitants simply as Pocomoke...
, to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. The Bay Coast Railroad interchanges with 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...
at both Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Pocomoke City, Maryland
Pocomoke City, Maryland
Pocomoke City, dubbed "the friendliest town on the Eastern Shore", is a city in Worcester County, Maryland, United States. Although renamed in a burst of civic enthusiasm in 1878, the city is regularly referred to by its inhabitants simply as Pocomoke...
.
History
William Lawrence Scott
William Lawrence Scott was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. His body is buried at Erie Cemetery.-Family:...
, financed construction of the new town of Cape Charles in 1884 at the point where the railroad's northern section met the Chesapeake Bay. From its inception, the NYP&R operated profitably and contributed to an economic boom on the Delmarva peninsula that continued until the Great Depression.
After World War II, railroad passenger use declined in favor of the automobile. Passenger service on the NYP&N ended on January 12, 1958.
In an effort to preserve freight rail service on the Eastern Shore of Virginia
Eastern Shore of Virginia
The Eastern Shore of Virginia consists of two counties on the Atlantic coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The region is part of the Delmarva Peninsula and is separated from the rest of Virginia by the Chesapeake Bay. Its population was 45,553 as of 2010...
, Northampton
Northampton County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 12,389 people, 5,321 households, and 3,543 families residing in the county. The population density was 63 people per square mile . There were 6,547 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
and Accomack
Accomack County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 33,164 people, 15,299 households, and 10,388 families residing in the county. The population density was 84 people per square mile . There were 19,550 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
Counties formed the Accomack-Northampton Transportation District Commission. The commission purchased the rail line in 1976 and selected Virginia and Maryland Railroad Company as its operator. Eastern Shore Railroad
Eastern Shore Railroad
The Eastern Shore Railroad, Inc. was a Class III short-line railroad that began operations in October 1981 on the 96 mile former Virginia and Maryland Railroad line on the Delmarva Peninsula...
, Inc. replaced Virginia and Maryland as the operator in 1981. In 2005, Cassatt Management, LLC was selected as operator and the railroad acquired its current name.
Current operations
BCR has three distinct operating areas. The 64.1 miles (103.2 km) northern portion of its rail system connects with Norfolk Southern in Pocomoke City (north) and the system's car float in Cape Charles, VirginiaCape Charles, Virginia
Cape Charles is a town in Northampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,134 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cape Charles is located at ....
. A car float, crossing 26 miles (41.8 km) of the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
from Cape Charles to Norfolk, comprises the middle portion. The southern end of the system is a terminal track around Little Creek, Virginia, connecting with Norfolk Southern, CSX Railroad, and Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad.
Chesapeake Bay car float
BCR uses two tug boat-guided railroad car floatCar float
A railroad car float or rail barge is an unpowered barge with rail tracks mounted on its deck. It is used to move railroad cars across water obstacles, or to locations they could not otherwise go, and is pushed by a towboat or towed by a tugboat...
s of 25 and 15 car capacity to link the 26 miles (41.8 km) water route across the Chesapeake Bay between Cape Charles and Norfolk — using the north and south terminals of the now defunct Little Creek-Cape Charles Ferry
Little Creek Ferry
The Little Creek-Cape Charles Ferry was a passenger ferry service operating across the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay from the 1930s until 1964. Known also as the Princess Anne-Kiptopeke Beach Ferry or Little Creek-Kiptopeke Beach Ferry, the service connected Virginia Beach, Virginia with Cape...
. This car float operation has been in continuous service since April 1885, and is one of only two remaining in the United States (the other being New York New Jersey Rail, LLC).
Bay Creek Railway
In 2007, Bay Creek Railway began operating a self-propelled dining car along BCR track, making one to two hour round trips from Cape Charles. This passenger excursion service uses a restored interurban railcar, built in 1913 by St. Louis Car CompanySt. Louis Car Company
The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
. It originally served the former Texas Electric Railway
Texas Electric Railway
The Texas Electric Railway is an historic interurban railroad that operated from Dallas, Texas, to Sherman, Denison, Corsicana, Plano, and Waco. It was built in 1908 by the Texas Traction Company and later renamed the Texas Electric Railway after a merger in 1917.The wood frame passenger depot in...
in Dallas, Texas as car number 316. When Texas Electric ceased operating in 1948, its fleet of interurban railcars was sold for salvage. Car number 316 was used as a cabin at a ranch in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
until its recent restoration for the Bay Creek Railway.
Engine roster
| Locomotive number |
Model | Type | Propulsion | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400 | EMD GP15-1 EMD GP15-1 The EMD GP15-1 is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between June, 1976 and March, 1982. Intended to provide an alternative to the rebuilding programs that many railroads were applying to their early road switchers, it is generally employed as a yard switcher... |
Four-axle road switcher Road switcher A road switcher is a type of railroad locomotive used for delivering or picking up cars outside of a railroad yard. Since the road switcher must work some distance away from a yard, it needs to be able to operate at road speeds, it must also have high-visibility while it is switching, and it must... |
Diesel | GM Electro-Motive Division |
| 2000 | EMD GP10 | Four-axle road switcher | Diesel-electric | GM Electro-Motive Division |
| 2001 | EMD GP10 | Four-axle road switcher | Diesel-electric | GM Electro-Motive Division |
| 2014 | EMD GP38 | Four-axle road switcher | Diesel | GM Electro-Motive Division |
| 2085 | ALCO MRS-1 ALCO MRS-1 The ALCO MRS-1 is a type of diesel-electric locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company for the United States Army Transportation Corps... |
Military road switcher | Diesel-electric | American Locomotive Company American Locomotive Company The American Locomotive Company, often shortened to ALCO or Alco , was a builder of railroad locomotives in the United States.-Early history:... |
| 2090 | ALCO MRS-1 | Military road switcher | Diesel-electric | American Locomotive Company |
See also
- Train ferry: United States for a list of current and former car floats and train ferries