Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad was built between Norfolk
and Petersburg, Virginia
and was completed by 1858.
It played a role on the American Civil War
(1861-1865), and became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad
(AM&O) in 1870. The AM&O became the Norfolk and Western (N&W) in 1881. About 100 years later, the Norfolk and Western was combined with the Southern Railway
, another profitable carrier, to form the Norfolk Southern Railway
in 1982.
In the 21st century, almost all of the original well-engineered N&P, including the corduroy roadbed through the Great Dismal Swamp and 52-mile tangent alignment is still in service. It forms part of a major coal
export route terminating at Lambert's Point
near Hampton Roads
. In addition to coal, most of the route is in active use in the 20th century for intermodal
container and automobile parts and completed vehicle shipments.
. The representatives of inland port cities such as Richmond
and Petersburg correctly foresaw that building the new railroad would lessen their role in export shipping trade. Dr. Francis Mallory
(1807-1860) a former Representative in the United States Congress
and later a member of the Virginia General Assembly
was named the railroad's first president.
(1826-1895), of Southampton County
, and construction began. A civil engineer
and graduate of Virginia Military Institute
, he designed and built drawbridge
s across the busy Eastern and Southern branches of the Elizabeth River
near Norfolk. Mahone, who had gained previous experience building plank roads, is credited with the design and implementation of an innovative roadbed through the Great Dismal Swamp
near Norfolk, Virginia
, employing a corduroy
log foundation laid at right angles beneath the surface of the swamp
. Still in use today, Mahone's design withstands immense tonnages of coal
traffic through the swamp. He is also responsible for engineering and building the famous 52 mile-long tangent
track between Suffolk
and Petersburg which is also part of a major artery of modern Norfolk Southern rail traffic.
In 1855, Mahone married Otelia Butler (1837-1911). She was the daughter of the late Dr. Robert Butler from Smithfield, Virginia
, who had been Treasurer of the State of Virginia. Otelia, who was said to have been a "cultured" lady, and William Mahone settled in Norfolk. A Yellow Fever
epidemic swept through Norfolk in 1855 and within several months, killed 2,000 people, nearly a third of the population. However, the Mahones went to stay with his mother in Courtland
, about 40 miles away, until the epidemic passed. Construction of the new railroad was delayed for more than a year due to the many deaths and resulting financial hardships to those financing the project. Ever frugal, Mahone was widely credited with staying within a very tight budget while maintaining his high engineering standards, earning considerable public esteem along the line.
. From Scott's historical Scottish novels, she chose the place names of Windsor
, Waverly
and Wakefield
. She tapped the Scottish Clan "McIvor" for the name of Ivor
, a small Southampton County
town.
No one seems to know how Zuni
, a station located between several of the others, was named. However, when they reached a location in Prince George County
not far from the end of the line in Petersburg, apparently the couple could not agree. It is said that they invented a name based upon their "dispute", and that is how Disputanta
was named. In 1858, the railroad was completed and William Mahone was named its president in 1860.
were already forming. In 1861, the railroad had 85.5 miles of track, 13 stations, 6 wood-burning steam locomotives, and 98 freight and passenger cars. Mahone was envisioning joining his 2 neighboring railroads to the west to create a through-line across the entire southern tier of Virginia to Bristol, Tennessee
. However, the War interrupted that work.
After Virginia voted to cede on April 17, 1861, local officials began to establish control of federal property at Norfolk. However, the valuable shipyard was guarded by troops. While still a civilian, Mahone helped bluff the federal troops to abandon the Gosport Shipyard
in Portsmouth by running a single passenger train into Norfolk with great noise and whistle-blowing, then much more quietly sending it back west, and then returning the same train again (again with much noise, etc.) creating the illusion in Portsmouth across the Elizabeth River
just out of sight of large numbers of arriving Confederate troops. Combined with carefully placed misinformation to those manning the shipyard, the ruse worked, and not a single Confederate soldier was lost as the Union authorities quickly set fire to the yard and ships and abandoned the area, retreating to Fort Monroe
across Hampton Roads
.
Initially serving under General Walter Gwynn
who commanded Norfolk's defenses, William Mahone soon became a prominent officer in the Confederate Army. Early in the War, the N&P was valuable to the Confederacy and transported ordnance to the Norfolk area where it was used in during the Confederate occupation. Once Norfolk fell in the spring of 1862, most of his railroad was in enemy hands and Mahone became a full-time military leader, leading troops in many campaigns in and around Virginia. Meanwhile, Otelia worked as a nurse in Richmond. Brigadier General Mahone became the hero of the Battle of the Crater
during the Siege of Petersburg
in 1864, and was with Confederate General Robert E. Lee
at the surrender at Appomattox Court House
in April, 1865.
, becoming its president as well. Reviving his prewar dream, he became the driving force in the linkage of N&P, South Side Railroad and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O), a new line extending from Norfolk to Bristol, Virginia
which was formed in 1870 after several years of lobbying of the Virginia General Assembly by Mahone and his political allies. William and Otelia Mahone moved to Lynchburg, where headquarters were established. The letters A,M & O were said to stand for "All Mine and Otelia's."
The A,M,& O operated successfully for several years, but fell behind in bond payments during the financial panic of 1873. The bondholders worked well with Mahone until 1876, when they had other receivers appointed. After several years of operating under receiverships, Mahone's role as a railroad builder ended in 1881 when northern interests purchased the A,M, & O and renamed it Norfolk and Western.
Mahone was able to arrange for the proceeds of the sale of the AM&O (including the former N&P) to help found 2 schools for teachers. The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute near Petersburg
was forerunner of Virginia State College, which expanded to become Virginia State University
. The other school he helped fund became Norfolk State College, which expanded to become Norfolk State University
in Norfolk, Virginia
.
The former South Side Railroad was originally one of 3 A,M & O divisions, and was later consolidated with the former N&P into a single division. The A,M & O did well for several years, but fell on hard times in the financial panic of 1873 which negatively impacted almost all of the railroads. After several years of operating under receiverships, Mahone's role as a railroad builder ended in 1881 when northern interests purchased the A,M, & O and renamed it Norfolk and Western. Mahone was able to arrange for a portion of the State's proceeds of the sale to help found a school to prepare teachers to help educate black children and former slaves. The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute near Petersburg
was forerunner of Virginia State College, which expanded to become Virginia State University
.
from the mines in southwestern Virginia and southern West Virginia
to port at Norfolk, where a huge coal pier
was built at Lambert's Point
. The N&W merged with the smaller but also highly efficient Virginian Railway
in 1959, facilitating a more favorable route for eastbound coal than offered by the former South Side Railroad west of Burkeville. However, from that point east, the combination brought an increase to the South Side Railroad alignment as former VGN traffic was rerouted through Crewe
to connect with the former N & P on its way to Lambert's Point. Norfolk & Western Railway was combined with the Southern Railway
, another profitable carrier, to form Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in 1982.
Over 150 years after completion, much of the former Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad route is still in active use and is a vital portion of Norfolk Southern Railway
, a Class I railroad
which has its headquarters in Norfolk, only a short distance from the coal piers at Lambert's Point.
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 Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
and was completed by 1858.
It played a role on the American 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...
(1861-1865), and became part of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad
Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad was formed in 1870 in Virginia from 3 east-west railroads which traversed across the southern portion of the state. Organized and led by former Confederate general William Mahone , the 428-mile line linked Norfolk with Bristol, Virginia by way of Suffolk,...
(AM&O) in 1870. The AM&O became the Norfolk and Western (N&W) in 1881. About 100 years later, the Norfolk and Western was combined with the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
, another profitable carrier, to form 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...
in 1982.
In the 21st century, almost all of the original well-engineered N&P, including the corduroy roadbed through the Great Dismal Swamp and 52-mile tangent alignment is still in service. It forms part of a major 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...
export route terminating at Lambert's Point
Lambert's Point
Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia, United States...
near Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
. In addition to coal, most of the route is in active use in the 20th century for intermodal
Intermodal freight transport
Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation , without any handling of the freight itself when changing modes. The method reduces cargo handling, and so improves security, reduces damages and...
container and automobile parts and completed vehicle shipments.
A railroad for Norfolk
Although railroads emerged as a new transport technology in the 1830s, and a line of the Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad reached nearby Portsmouth in 1835, Norfolk was to wait 20 more years for a railroad line. In 1851, the authority to build the line was finally obtained followed many years of lobbying by Norfolk area politicians who were attempting to overcome opposition in the Virginia General AssemblyVirginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
. The representatives of inland port cities such as Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Petersburg correctly foresaw that building the new railroad would lessen their role in export shipping trade. Dr. Francis Mallory
Francis Mallory
Francis Mallory was an American naval officer, physician, politician, and railroad executive.-Biography:...
(1807-1860) a former Representative in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
and later a member of the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
was named the railroad's first president.
William Mahone: Engineering and building the N & P
In 1853, the new Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad hired as its chief engineer 26-year old William MahoneWilliam Mahone
William Mahone was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. Small of stature, he was nicknamed "Little Billy"....
(1826-1895), of Southampton County
Southampton County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 18,570 people, 6,279 households, and 4,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
, and construction began. A civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
and graduate of Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, he designed and built drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
s across the busy Eastern and Southern branches of the Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River (Virginia)
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads harbor at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located along the southern side of the mouth of the James River, between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk...
near Norfolk. Mahone, who had gained previous experience building plank roads, is credited with the design and implementation of an innovative roadbed through the Great Dismal Swamp
Great Dismal Swamp
The Great Dismal Swamp is a marshy area on the Coastal Plain Region of southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina between Norfolk, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina in the United States. It is located in parts of southern Chesapeake and Suffolk in Virginia, as well as northern...
near 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....
, employing a corduroy
Corduroy
Corduroy is a textile composed of twisted fibers that, when woven, lie parallel to one another to form the cloth's distinct pattern, a "cord." Modern corduroy is most commonly composed of tufted cords, sometimes exhibiting a channel between the tufts...
log foundation laid at right angles beneath the surface of the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
. Still in use today, Mahone's design withstands immense tonnages of 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...
traffic through the swamp. He is also responsible for engineering and building the famous 52 mile-long tangent
Tangent
In geometry, the tangent line to a plane curve at a given point is the straight line that "just touches" the curve at that point. More precisely, a straight line is said to be a tangent of a curve at a point on the curve if the line passes through the point on the curve and has slope where f...
track between Suffolk
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
and Petersburg which is also part of a major artery of modern Norfolk Southern rail traffic.
In 1855, Mahone married Otelia Butler (1837-1911). She was the daughter of the late Dr. Robert Butler from Smithfield, Virginia
Smithfield, Virginia
Smithfield is a town in Isle of Wight County, in the South Hampton Roads subregion of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the United States. The population was 8,089 at the 2010 census....
, who had been Treasurer of the State of Virginia. Otelia, who was said to have been a "cultured" lady, and William Mahone settled in Norfolk. A Yellow Fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic swept through Norfolk in 1855 and within several months, killed 2,000 people, nearly a third of the population. However, the Mahones went to stay with his mother in Courtland
Courtland, Virginia
Courtland is an incorporated town in Southampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,270 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Southampton County....
, about 40 miles away, until the epidemic passed. Construction of the new railroad was delayed for more than a year due to the many deaths and resulting financial hardships to those financing the project. Ever frugal, Mahone was widely credited with staying within a very tight budget while maintaining his high engineering standards, earning considerable public esteem along the line.
Naming stations
Otelia Mahone became a well-known character of sorts in her own right. Popular legend has it that Otelia and William Mahone traveled along the newly completed railroad naming stations from Ivanhoe, a book she was reading by Sir Walter ScottWalter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet was a Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet, popular throughout much of the world during his time....
. From Scott's historical Scottish novels, she chose the place names of Windsor
Windsor, Virginia
Windsor is an incorporated town in Isle of Wight County in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States. It is located near the crossroads of U.S. Route 460 and U.S. Route 258. The population was 916 at the 2000 census...
, Waverly
Waverly, Virginia
Waverly is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,309 at the 2000 census.-History:Popular legend has it that William Mahone , builder of the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad , and his cultured wife, Otelia Butler Mahone , traveled along the newly...
and Wakefield
Wakefield, Virginia
Wakefield is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,038 at the 2000 census.Wakefield is famous for being the "Peanut Capital of the World" and the location of the famous , as well as the site of Airfield Conference and 4-H Educational Center...
. She tapped the Scottish Clan "McIvor" for the name of Ivor
Ivor, Virginia
Ivor is an incorporated town in Southampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 320 at the 2000 census.- Overview :Popular legend has it that William Mahone , builder of the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad , and his cultured wife, Otelia Butler Mahone , who had been raised in...
, a small Southampton County
Southampton County, Virginia
As of the census of 2010, there were 18,570 people, 6,279 households, and 4,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...
town.
No one seems to know how Zuni
Zuni, Virginia
Zuni is an unincorporated community in Isle of Wight County in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia in the United States.Zuni is home to a dentist's office, a Ruritan club, a general store, a gas station, and two churches and is served by its own Post Office. The name is properly...
, a station located between several of the others, was named. However, when they reached a location in Prince George County
Prince George County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,047 people, 10,159 households, and 8,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 124 people per square mile . There were 10,726 housing units at an average density of 40 per square mile...
not far from the end of the line in Petersburg, apparently the couple could not agree. It is said that they invented a name based upon their "dispute", and that is how Disputanta
Disputanta, Virginia
Disputanta is an unincorporated community in Prince George County, Virginia, United States in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
was named. In 1858, the railroad was completed and William Mahone was named its president in 1860.
Civil War
By the time the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad was completed, the clouds of conflict which would become the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
were already forming. In 1861, the railroad had 85.5 miles of track, 13 stations, 6 wood-burning steam locomotives, and 98 freight and passenger cars. Mahone was envisioning joining his 2 neighboring railroads to the west to create a through-line across the entire southern tier of Virginia to Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol, Tennessee
Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...
. However, the War interrupted that work.
After Virginia voted to cede on April 17, 1861, local officials began to establish control of federal property at Norfolk. However, the valuable shipyard was guarded by troops. While still a civilian, Mahone helped bluff the federal troops to abandon the Gosport Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard and abbreviated as NNSY, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navy's ships. It's the oldest and largest industrial facility that belongs to the U.S. Navy as well as the most...
in Portsmouth by running a single passenger train into Norfolk with great noise and whistle-blowing, then much more quietly sending it back west, and then returning the same train again (again with much noise, etc.) creating the illusion in Portsmouth across the Elizabeth River
Elizabeth River (Virginia)
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads harbor at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. It is located along the southern side of the mouth of the James River, between the cities of Portsmouth and Norfolk...
just out of sight of large numbers of arriving Confederate troops. Combined with carefully placed misinformation to those manning the shipyard, the ruse worked, and not a single Confederate soldier was lost as the Union authorities quickly set fire to the yard and ships and abandoned the area, retreating to Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe was a military installation in Hampton, Virginia—at Old Point Comfort, the southern tip of the Virginia Peninsula...
across Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
.
Initially serving under General Walter Gwynn
Walter Gwynn
Walter Gwynn was a civil engineer and soldier who became a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
who commanded Norfolk's defenses, William Mahone soon became a prominent officer in the Confederate Army. Early in the War, the N&P was valuable to the Confederacy and transported ordnance to the Norfolk area where it was used in during the Confederate occupation. Once Norfolk fell in the spring of 1862, most of his railroad was in enemy hands and Mahone became a full-time military leader, leading troops in many campaigns in and around Virginia. Meanwhile, Otelia worked as a nurse in Richmond. Brigadier General Mahone became the hero of the Battle of the Crater
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade The...
during the Siege of Petersburg
Siege of Petersburg
The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...
in 1864, and was with Confederate General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
at the surrender at Appomattox Court House
Appomattox Court House
The Appomattox Courthouse is the current courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892. It is located in the middle of the state about three miles northwest of the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, once known as Clover Hill - home of the original Old Appomattox Court House...
in April, 1865.
Atlantic, Mississippi, and Ohio Railroad
After the war, Mahone led the rebuilding of the N&P, and soon became involved in the South Side Railroad, which ran from Petersburg to LynchburgLynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, becoming its president as well. Reviving his prewar dream, he became the driving force in the linkage of N&P, South Side Railroad and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad
The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad was an historic railroad in the Southern United States, much of which is incorporated into the modern Norfolk Southern Railway...
to form the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad (AM&O), a new line extending from Norfolk to Bristol, Virginia
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
which was formed in 1870 after several years of lobbying of the Virginia General Assembly by Mahone and his political allies. William and Otelia Mahone moved to Lynchburg, where headquarters were established. The letters A,M & O were said to stand for "All Mine and Otelia's."
The A,M,& O operated successfully for several years, but fell behind in bond payments during the financial panic of 1873. The bondholders worked well with Mahone until 1876, when they had other receivers appointed. After several years of operating under receiverships, Mahone's role as a railroad builder ended in 1881 when northern interests purchased the A,M, & O and renamed it Norfolk and Western.
Mahone was able to arrange for the proceeds of the sale of the AM&O (including the former N&P) to help found 2 schools for teachers. The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute near Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
was forerunner of Virginia State College, which expanded to become Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
. The other school he helped fund became Norfolk State College, which expanded to become Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University
Norfolk State University is a four-year, state-supported, coed, liberal arts, historically black university located in Norfolk, Virginia. It is member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the Virginia High-Tech Partnership.-Academics:...
in 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 former South Side Railroad was originally one of 3 A,M & O divisions, and was later consolidated with the former N&P into a single division. The A,M & O did well for several years, but fell on hard times in the financial panic of 1873 which negatively impacted almost all of the railroads. After several years of operating under receiverships, Mahone's role as a railroad builder ended in 1881 when northern interests purchased the A,M, & O and renamed it Norfolk and Western. Mahone was able to arrange for a portion of the State's proceeds of the sale to help found a school to prepare teachers to help educate black children and former slaves. The Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute near Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
was forerunner of Virginia State College, which expanded to become Virginia State University
Virginia State University
Virginia State University is a historically black and land-grant university located north of the Appomattox River in Chesterfield, in the Richmond area. Founded on , Virginia State was the United States's first fully state-supported four-year institution of higher learning for black Americans...
.
Norfolk and Western, Norfolk Southern
The Norfolk and Western itself grew into a great system, and the former Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad formed a major piece of the line used to transport bituminous coalBituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
from the mines in southwestern Virginia and southern 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...
to port at Norfolk, where a huge coal pier
Coal pier
A coal pier is a transloading facility designed for the transfer of coal between rail and ship.The typical facility for loading ships consists of a holding area and a system of conveyors for transferring the coal to dockside and loading it into the ship's cargo holds...
was built at Lambert's Point
Lambert's Point
Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia, United States...
. The N&W merged with the smaller but also highly efficient Virginian Railway
Virginian Railway
The Virginian Railway was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The VGN was created to transport high quality "smokeless" bituminous coal from southern West Virginia to port at Hampton Roads....
in 1959, facilitating a more favorable route for eastbound coal than offered by the former South Side Railroad west of Burkeville. However, from that point east, the combination brought an increase to the South Side Railroad alignment as former VGN traffic was rerouted through Crewe
Crewe, Virginia
Crewe is a town in Nottoway County, Virginia, United States. The population was 2,378 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1888 as a central location to house steam locomotive repair shops for the Norfolk and Western Railroad which has a rail yard there for east-west trains carrying Appalachian...
to connect with the former N & P on its way to Lambert's Point. Norfolk & Western Railway was combined with the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
, another profitable carrier, to form Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in 1982.
Over 150 years after completion, much of the former Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad route is still in active use and is a vital portion of 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...
, a Class I railroad
Class I railroad
A Class I railroad in the United States and Mexico, or a Class I rail carrier in Canada, is a large freight railroad company, as classified based on operating revenue.Smaller railroads are classified as Class II and Class III...
which has its headquarters in Norfolk, only a short distance from the coal piers at Lambert's Point.