The Big Stony Railway is a historic intrastate railroad that operated in 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...

.

Located in the southwestern part of the state, it extended from Big Stony Junction on the New River in Giles County

Giles County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 16,657 people, 6,994 households, and 4,888 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 7,732 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...

 to the 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...

 border near Kire. At the border, it connected with the Interior and West Virginia Railroad, which ran to the Virginia border near Laurel Branch

Laurel Branch, West Virginia

Laurel Branch is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, West Virginia, United States. Laurel Branch is located near the Virginia border southeast of Union....

 in Monroe County

Monroe County, West Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,583 people, 5,447 households, and 3,883 families residing in the county. The population density was 31 people per square mile . There were 7,267 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...

. From the border, the Virginia and Potts Creek Railroad ran to Potts Creek

Potts Creek, Virginia

Potts Creek is an unincorporated community in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States. It is also the name of a watercourse in the same area, Potts Creek .*...

 in Alleghany County

Alleghany County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 12,926 people, 5,149 households, and 3,866 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 5,812 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...

. The railroad followed the course of Big Stony Creek to the Virginia-West Virginia border, where it began following Potts Creek, a tributary of the James River

James River (Virginia)

The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...

 . The total distance between Big Stony Junction and Potts Creek is approximately 39 miles (62.8 km).

Construction started in 1892 from the New River and reached Interior by 1896. In 1905, the line was acquired by the Norfolk and Western Railroad, which extended the line to the Virginia-West Virginia border and chartered the additional companies to complete the line to Potts Creek. The line reached its greatest extent by 1910. In 1934, the upper 34 miles (54.7 km) of the line were abandoned. The remaining 5 miles (8 km) of the line are operated as the Potts Valley Branch of Norfolk Southern, and serve a lime plant at Kimballton.