Virginia Blue Ridge Railway facts for kids
The Virginia Blue Ridge Railway (VBR) was a special kind of train line. It was a historic short line railroad that ran only within the state of Virginia. This railway helped move things around in central Virginia during the 1900s.
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History of the Virginia Blue Ridge Railway
The company that owned the railway was officially started in 1914. Building the actual train tracks began in 1915.
Where the Railway Traveled
The VBR connected two towns: Tye River Depot in Nelson County and Massies Mill. At Massies Mill, it linked up with a bigger train system called the Southern Railway. The tracks followed along the Tye and Piney Rivers for a while. Then, they went into the mountains.
The railway passed through several small communities. These included Roses Mill, Piney River, Canopy, Lowesville, and Buffalo Mine.
What the Trains Carried
When it first started, the railway's main job was to carry chestnut wood. This wood came from the thick forests around the Piney River area. It was taken to local mills to be made into lumber. This continued until World War I.
However, a plant disease called the chestnut blight destroyed many of the chestnut trees. After that, the railway found a new purpose. It started serving mines and quarries in the area. These mines dug up minerals like titanium dioxide and aplite. These minerals are used to make things like paint and glass.
End of the Line and New Beginnings
The Virginia Blue Ridge Railway stopped operating in 1980. Its tracks were no longer used.
But the story didn't end there! In the early 2000s, people started turning parts of the old railway path into a special trail. This project is called a rails-to-trails project. The trail is now known as the Blue Ridge Railway Trail. It's a place where people can walk or bike where trains once traveled.
