Balcony Falls Virginia

"Carrying Coals to Tidewater"

While I plan to provide mostly pictures of train stations on this site, occasionally I will include other "railroad related" shots. This is one of these type of shots. This shows a CSX coal train along the James River in Virginia, near Balcony Falls, in the late spring/early summer of 2006. When I took it I was driving east towards Charlottesville and had decided to follow State Route 130 from Natural Bridge over to Bus. 29 North just outside of Lynchburg VA.

As I was driving, I saw a sign posted for a wayside. Having driven for a while I decided to stop and rest. Once in the parking lot, I saw a well-used path leading south towards what I knew was the James River. I grabbed my camera and decided to follow the path. Soon, I came upon the above scene (minus the train). I stopped, did some "mental picture composition" and took a shot. I waited around to see if I could catch any rail traffic, but after about 5 minutes, hearing nothing I left my perch above the tracks and river. I had to be in Charlottesville that evening.

I was about 1/2 way back up the trail to the parking lot when I heard the un-mistakeable growl of a pair of engines lumbering in the distance. Accordingly, I retraced my steps, waited a few more minutes, and up above is what I got.

The James River Line of CSX (originally known as the James River Line of the C&O), was considered a "secondary route" for the C&O, the "Main Line" being the original line through Louisa, on to Charlottesville, Waynesboro, Staunton, Augusta Springs, Millboro Springs and into Clifton Forge. A few years ago, CSX leased the original "Main Line" to the Buckingham Branch railroad and retained this trackage. Thus, this line is now part of the CSX east-west Main Line through Virginia.

Parts of the James River Line were built on the old Tow-path of the Kanawha and James River Canal. In places the surveying for this tow-path had been done by George Washington. Thus, the C&O during the 1930's proudly announced this connection with the "Father of our Country" and named their new streamline flagship passenger train after him. Some would call this a "PR Stretch" but I must admit I have seen worse.

As should be obvious to anyone looking at the above picture, in times of high water on the James, parts of this line are under water. CSX is aware of this, and accordingly retained running rights on the old "Main Line" when they leased it out. As to whether the "old Main Line," technically the "Mountain Division" will be able to handle all the traffic in its drastically reduced running status is another question. I wonder if anyone at CSX ever asked it?