The years after the Civil War were a time of great expansion of the railroads. Two competing lines planned to build south through the Shenandoah Valley to connect the northern end with what is now Roanoke. Both the SVRR and VRR were routed in part through Rockbridge County.
The Shenandoah Valley Railroad, now part of the Norfolk Southern system, runs through Buena Vista along its route at the western base of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Valley Railroad, which originated in Harrisonburg, was intended to essentially parallel the Valley Pike, now U.S. 11. After leaving Staunton, it entered Rockbridge
County at Raphine and continued on with stations at Midway, Fairfield,
Decatur, Timber Ridge and East Lexington before culminating in Lexington.
In 1882, the SVRR succeeded in reaching Roanoke ahead of the VRR.
Construction on the Valley Railroad had temporarily ceased in 1873, after
the stretch from Harrisonburg to Staunton had been completed, because of a
national financial panic. It wasn’t until 10 years later that the line from Staunton to Lexington was finished. Track would never be laid south of Lexington.
But stone culverts, bridge piers and other evidence of where the railroad was to go were built and can still be seen. Some of the most notable examples of the masonry arches and abutments constructed to span the waterways can be found in Rockbridge County along Plank Road south of Lexington. Take Rt. 251 south from Lexington about 2 miles to Possum Hollow Road on the left, then about a mile to Plank Road. Follow Plank Road south; you’ll see some of this spectacular stonework over the next five miles or so.
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