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C&O Milepost 181.4
Station Number: 181
Code Number: 0301
Telegraph Callsign: MO
Charlottesville was the western end of the Piedmont Sub. Chessie’s name trains had their consists changed in Charlottesville and C&O trains also stopped at a Union station shared with the Southern. The C&O was the first railroad to reach Charlottesville and its first depot there was built in 1848. In 1858 the railroad reached the Shenandoah Valley resulting in a tremendous increase in the shipment of goods and raw materials through the town. The original depot was burned by General Sheridan’s troops in 1865. A new one was built to replace it and was itself replaced in 1905 by a large colonial-style brick depot. This depot was the first of its kind on the C&O. At its peak in the 1920’s the Charlottesville Station was handling 13 trains daily.
The Charlottesville depot was sold in 1984 and was converted into office and retail space. According to Garth Groff, renovation of the passenger depot was completed about 1990 and the building is now home to stock brokers and other “suits.” The platforms were enclosed with new wooden walls but the main building was not changed. Garth also reports that the former Union station is also being renovated and converted into commercial space.
The University of Virginia benefitted tremendously when the railroad reached Charlottesville. Enrollment increased substantially due to the University’s increased accessibility. In 1855 a platform for passengers was built to serve the school and in 1860 a siding was built to facilitate the delivery of coal. The UVA stop was gone by 1928 though.
The C&O maintained a sizeable yard, shop, and roundhouse in Charlottesville. The yard facilities included a 115' turntable and a 300 ton coaling tower. The yard was closed in April of 1986. In 1988 the turntable and part of the yard were torn up. At one point, Garth Groff reported that the main and 4 yard tracks remained and were in use by CSX MOW and as a place for locals to turn. Since then, the Buckingham Branch has taken over. The coaling tower is still standing and at one point there were plans to turn it into an apartment building.
Photos |
The Charlottesville Depot |
This image of the Charlottesville depot is from an old postcard. I can’t date this one exactly as the postmark was lost when the stamp came off. The card, however, claims that U.S. and Canadian postage was 1¢. (From a postcard in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
The postmark on this card is double stamped and hard to read, but looks to be October of 1907. (From a postcard in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
The date on this card is July of 1908. (From a postcard in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
I find this card (postmarked July, 1907) interesting for a number of reasons. First, you can see a C&O and an N&W boxcar in the background. The second reason is the writing on the card, which was addressed to a woman in Blacksburg, VA. It says, “Are you married, single, or a widow? Will be in the 'burg during July, when you can reveal the secret.” I find this fascinating. Was the author (who signed the message only with initials) a potential suitor? (From a postcard in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
This is an undated, unused postcard showing the streetside of the depot. (From the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
Charlottesville depot, street side. (Martha Tarrant photo, used with permission).
The street side of the Charlottesville depot on May 29, 1970. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
It’s August of 1974 and it’s train time at the Charlottesville depot. C&O GP7 5892 appears to be shifting the consist of Amtrak‚s James Whitcomb Riley. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
The Charlottesville depot in June of 1974. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
This shot shows the Charlottesville depot as it appeared in 1986. (Ron Huffman photo, used with permission.)
This photo shows what looks like the removal of the platform canopy. The slide was dated June of 1989. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
Charlottesville depot, track side. This photo shows how the platform was closed in (or — actually — removed) and replaced with offices. (December 2002 photo)
The Charlottesville Yard |
E8 4021 leads a 5-car passenger train east in October of 1961. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
It’s May 29, 1970 and the George Washington is arriving in Charlottesville. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
There is a lot to see in this January, 1974 photo. To the left, there is a C&O GP38 and another unit on the turntable. Nearby is B&O GP9 6657 (ex-C&O 6107). Toward the center is a Chessie C&O wide-vision caboose and in the center is an Amtrak passenger train behind a pair of E8’s, one in the simplified C&O/B&O scheme. To the left is a C&O GP9 with a pair of passenger cars. It must have been a busy day. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
Charlottesville Yard on June 25, 1974. There’s been a two car derailment and work is in progress to get the cars back on the rails. I know it was the 1970’s, but is that guy’s suit actually orange? (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
It’s March 2, 1975 and a line of C&O power is waiting for an assignment. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
A few months later and GP9 6214 is waiting for its next assignment with two GP38’s and an SD40. (August 14, 1975 photo. Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
This is a view of the Charlottesville yard in July 1978. (Photo copyright S. Peter Nyce, used with permission)
This little brakeman’s shelter stood under a road overpass so that it didn’t get rained on. This photo was taken on August 22, 1978. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
This photo shows the Charlottesville Yard in September of 1979. The coaling tower is visible in the background to the right. Sharp-eyed readers will also note the steam engine easing onto the turntable in the background on the left. (1979, Gary Morris photo, used with permission)
The yard is full of Chessie System equipment, including both EMD and GE power, in this photo from 1982. (Norman Blackwood photograph. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
The B&O bay window caboose right behind the GP seems a bit out of place amidst all the C&O cabooses. (Photo from August of 1983. Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
This view of the Charlottesville yard — taken in June of 1989 — was taken at the same time and by the same unknown individual as the photo of the removal of the train sheds above. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
The Coaling Tower |
The C&O’s Charlottesville coaling tower in 1978. The tower looks ready to service a hungry steamer even though there’s a 2nd generation diesel in the foreground. (Photo copyright S. Peter Nyce, used with permission)
In this photo from July 28, 1987, the coaling tower is no longer in use. I’m guessing that the sanding tower was, though. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
It’s January 13, 1990 and work is still going on from when the yard tracks were ripped out. (Sam Bone photo. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily.)
The C&O’s Charlottesville coaling tower. (January, 2003 photo by Larry Z. Daily)
The Turntable |
August 14, 1975: a pair of SD40’s sit on the radial tracks with the turntable in the background. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
The C&O’s Charlottesville turntable in 1986. (Photo by Ron Huffman, used with permission)
[NEW] The Charlottesville turntable on July 28, 1987. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
[NEW] The Charlottesville turntable on July 28, 1987. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
C&O GP7 5871 is still in its original paint on April 2, 1966. The notes on the slide simply indicate that this image was taken in Charlottesville, so in my first post of this photo I asked whether anyone could identify the location. Both John Maugans and John DeLong said that the locomotive is parked on one of the radial tracks in the engine terminal. Thanks, guys. AS a follow up, the photo of the turntable above confirms that this is one of the radial tracks; you can see the same white building in both photos. (Photographer unknown. From a slide in the collection of Larry Z. Daily)
This photo, by Jack Spangler, shows the C&O’s crossing of the Southern in Charlottesville. The photo is from 2013 and the former C&O tracks are operated by the Buckingham Branch. They cross Norfolk Southern (formerly Southern Railway) rails in the distance. (Jack Spangler photo. Used with permission.)
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