Chesapeake & Ohio Railway

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Clinchfield Railroad

Chesapeake & Ohio Railway – C&O

The Chesapeake & Ohio and the Clinchfield share quite a bit of history. They started as arch enemies, but eventually evolved into a mutually beneficial relationship that provided substantial freight and revenue for both railroads.

C&O Stats

  • Began Operation: 1837
  • Mainline: Hampton Roads VA to Chicago IL
  • Primary Cities: Richmond VA, Huntington WV, Hampton Roads VA, Washington DC, Cincinnati OH, Columbus OH, and Chicago IL
  • Primary Freight: Coal, Export Goods, Automotive, Agricultural Goods
  • Passenger Service: Trains included the George Washington, Fast Flying Virginian, and the Sportsman
  • C&O Today: Part of CSX Transportation
  • Connection with the Clinchfield: Elkhorn City KY

Chesapeake & Ohio and the 3Cs Compete for a Major Rail Line

In the late 1880s the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad, a Clinchfield predecessor, began planning for a rail line that extended from the Ohio River near present day Ashland KY, south in the direction of Elkhorn City KY following the Big Sandy River. At that time, the C&O was building westward, hoping to eventually tap the same coal fields. The CC&C eventually failed and was did not complete the project. The Ohio River and Charleston purchased the CC&C in foreclosure in 1893, and soon gave up hopes of building into Kentucky. But like the CC&C, the OR&C eventually failed, going into receivership in 1898, selling off assets and segments of the railroad.

Chesapeake & Ohio: Purchase, and Completion to Elkhorn City

The CC&C and the Chattaroi Railway had completed to Whitehouse KY, but Elkhorn City and other points south were the eventual destinations due to coal speculation. In the early 1890s, the C&O purchased the roadbed within Kentucky.

By 1906, the C&O had reached the outskirts of Elkhorn City. In 1912 a bridge across the Russell Fork River was completed, giving the C&O entrance to the city proper. In 1915 the Clinchfield Railroad finished its line to Elkhorn City from the south. With the combination of the C&O, the Clinchfield, and the Atlantic Coast Line, the goal of connecting Chicago, the Ohio River to the north……and Charleston and the Atlantic ocean to the south had been achieved.

Battle of the Breaks

Between 1898 and 1902, surveys were completed by both the OR&C and the C&O on the rail line between Elkhorn City and Dante VA. This rail line traversed the ‘Breaks of the Big Sandy River’, a very narrow and treacherous gorge with room for only one railroad. The Breaks was also often called the ‘Grand Canyon of the South.’ At one point, the survey teams ran into each other in the wilderness of the Breaks, setting off a race between the two railroads as to who could secure the land and build the rail line. Hasty final surveys and efforts at construction ensued. Eventually the courts decided that the OR&C/S&W/Clinchfield was the victor. The 1905 decree set Elkhorn City as the connection point for the two railroads, and they both agreed not to build past that point.

Clinchfield/C&O Interchange at Elkhorn City

Throughout the 1900s, the Clinchfield and the C&O used the Elkhorn City yard to exchange a large number of trains each day, both manifest freight and coal. In many of these years, the exchange exceeded 100,000 cars per year. Additionally in the yard, there were loaders receiving locally mined coal.

The Clinchfield maintained a round the clock operator at the facilities, as well as a Yardmaster, and multiple clerks.

In the days ahead, I will add much more detail about the C&O, Clinchfield, and Elkhorn City operations.

Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Clinchfield Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Clinchfield.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

Clinchfield Railroad

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3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org