The photos included in this website are copyrighted, and are used to depict modern railroading in and around my hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia.

The railfan community in this area of central Virginia is blessed as the city is intersected

by three primary mainlines and one secondary mainline of two major Class One railroads, those being Norfolk Southern and CSX.

NS serves Lynchburg on the north/south line of the former Southern Railway, and east/west line of the former Norfolk and Western Railway. There is also a secondary NS mainline that enters the city from the southeast. This line is the former Lynchburg and Durham Railroad.

CSX serves the city on the east/west line of the former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. This line hugs the south bank of the James River as it makes it’s way through town.

Traffic is interchanged between the two railroads, using the Southern’s Old Main Line. This line leaves the NS mainline at Durmid and heads downtown to the old Lynchburg Yard(Southern), where CSX and NS pick up and set off cars.

Rail traffic through Lynchburg covers all the various modes, including intermodal, hopper trains, both loaded and empty coal, grain, manifest, sulfur, and passenger. Amtrak train # 19, the southbound Crescent, is scheduled to arrive at 10:06 PM daily, with the northbound # 20 to arrive at 6:07 AM. With funds now approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia, two more trains are due to start probably in October of 2009. These trains will be run between Lynchburg and New York City.

The city stretches out and up from it's origin along the southern bank of the James River. There is a lot of renewal happening in the downtown area, as the city tries to build on its' rich past.

Some of the old buildings in the area are being rebuilt and put to use for housing, shops, and art galleries. The N&W freight house, built by the original Norfolk and Western Railroad, has been restored and the upper level is being used for offices, while the lower level houses The Depot Grille. This railroad theme restaurant features great food and service, lots of railroad memorabilia, and all the while outside the front door about a hundred feet or so, the CSX James River Sub mainline can provide a show.

Amazement Square is a children's museum with lots of hands-on exhibits. N&W's long-abandoned X Tower is slated to become a refreshment stand as part of the complex.  A new skateboard park located adjacent to to X Tower has been completed.

Point of Honor is located on Cabell Street in downtown Lynchburg. Legends of duels fought for honor gave this remarkable Virginia landmark its name. Completed in 1815 by Dr. George Cabell, Sr., his Federal style mansion features carefully restored interiors that preserve the classical designs popularized in 19th century. Point of Honor was the home of Col. Robert Latham Owen, president of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad (an N&W predecessor) during the Civil War.

A new addition to the Lynchburg Riverfront is the Langley Fountain located at the foot of Ninth Street Hill. The fountain is mounted on top of an original Ninth Street Bridge pier dating back to 1836.

With NS as the predominant railroad in the number of rail lines and trains, most of the foreign power shows up on NS' trains, including Union Pacific, BNSF, Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, and many lease units. The number of foreign units on CSX has also increased.

The Hill City is known in railroad circles for its' many trestles in the area. All are located on Norfolk Southern. The two most famous are the ex-Southern Railway's James River Trestle and the ex-Norfolk & Western Railway's Cotton Mill Trestle. Others located in the city are the Blackwater Creek and Campbell Avenue Trestles, both on the Southern. Harris Creek Trestle, on the Southern, lies several hundred feet north of the James River Trestle in Amherst County. Pos’m Creek and Beaver Creek Trestles, on the N&W, are located a couple of miles east of the city in Campbell County. 

The L&D passes under the Southern just a little south of the Cotton Mill Trestle at Durmid. The L&D is the trackage of the former Lynchburg & Durham Railroad that runs in a north/south direction out of Kinney Yard.. It no longer reaches it’s other namesake city. Traffic on this line is comprised mostly of empty hopper trains that come north to Lynchburg. There is a also a daily local

The crossing at the ex-N&W Kinney Yard offers a good place to watch. This location is referred to as Rutherford. It is advisable to stay out of the yard, however. Another great photo spot that is located within a few miles east of the yard is Eastbrook Curve. The curve is located between Pos’m and Beaver Creek Trestles. County maps and Mapquest are helpful in finding these locations.

The other yards in Lynchburg are Sandy Hook (CSX) and Montview (NS, ex-Southern).

As with Kinney Yard, please stay out of these yards. In the post 9/11 era, the railroads are reacting more harshly toward trespassers.

I hope that you enjoy this look at Lynchburg’s railroading.