Parkersburg to Clarksburg-Waist of the B&O Main-Part I (2024)

Parkersburg to Clarksburg-Waist of the B&O Main
part i

The late summer night temperature was in the mid-sixties for one who may have been standingat the Parkersburg High Yardduring the early morning hours of August 31, 1985. As the city still slept, a headlight emerged in the distance from the east with the approach of a train as had happened many thousands of times before. The familiar sound of EMD locomotives gained in pitch as the train approached the beginning of the yard near the former location of SY Tower. As it moved into the yard, one would have seen a trio of GP40-2s with B&O #4136, B&O #4434, and C&O #4415 on the lead with a historical train of sorts. This was Train 89 that departed Grafton earlier and made its run over the Parkersburg Branchpassing through the sleepy towns and tunnels that dotted the 104 mile run during the dead of night. One ofuncounted trains to pass over these rails between Grafton and Parkersburg, it nonetheless was one of the most significant.After128 years of existence, this was the lastregularly scheduled timetable train to traverse the Parkersburg Branch.

Prologue

It has been almost three decades now since the towns and hollows betweenParkersburg and Clarksburg last echoed with the sound of passing trains. A constant mainstay that was as common as mail delivery and passing automobile traffic, the railroad abruptly fell silent in 1985 ending a century and a quarter of what was perceived as everyday life.Local folks living along the route who were not necessarily privy to goings on of the railroad at some point were surely stricken with the curiosity of what happened to the trains and later bewildered as the track was being removed. All that was---the people, the trains, prosperity and depression, and sadly, the tragediessuffered bytowns and railroad alike---combine to form this unique chapter of West Virginia and Baltimore and Ohio Railroad history coming to an end. Thefine people of Wood, Ritchie, Doddridge, and Harrison Counties have done well to preserve this deep rooted heritage.

Known in B&O railroad circles simply as “The Branch”, theline from Grafton to Parkersburg indeed began life asone but ultimately became a link in a substantially larger corridor. As the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad expanded west through construction and acquisitions, the Parkersburg Branch became a section of a trunk mainline extending from Cumberland to St. Louis. Its route was strategic as a gateway railroad connecting the East Coast with the Midwest and for well over a century filled this roletransporting freight and passengers to points close and afar. The territory the railroad traversed was archetypal West Virginia passing throughsmall towns yet servicing with more complexity the cities ofParkersburg and Clarksburg. It possessed a charm that harkened to earlier times as much of the landscape along the route remained the same.As the railroad passed through northern West Virginia, it wound through the creek valleys touching the towns and crossing the drainage basins on numerous bridges. Unquestionablywere the tunnels that defined the Parkersburg Branch. These were the signature elementof the line and embellished its existence as afascinating section of railroad. Mark Twain referred to it "as the longest subway in the world".In the later years of the Branch, these tunnels, unique from a rail enthusiastperspective, would prove tobe more of a liability.

Many B&O name trains passed over these rails. Time (QD)freights such as Gateway 97, Cincinnati 97, and Cumberland 94 were staples for many years. Later years witnessed theadvent of trailer on flat car trains (TOFC) such as the Manhattan and St. Louis Trailer Jets. During the glory years of passenger trains, the stately National Limited along with the

Diplomat and theelegant but ill-fated Cincinnatian called the Branch home. Added to this are a multitudes of other named and unnamedtrains, freight and passenger, local and long distance that ran the route. Presidents, the famous and near famous, but mainly people going about life in anonymity, rode its rails bythethousands for more than one hundred years. All were afforded superior service that was a hallmark of the B&O.

In 1985, all that was came to end. The Chessie System, itself on the eve of transition into CSX Transportation, dropped what was considered a bombshell at the time announcingthat the railroad between Cumberland and Cincinnati would be downgraded from mainline status. Within three years,all operations hadceased andtrack removal began between Parkersburg and Clarksburg eliminating the railroad altogether. This was a controversial abandonment both in railroadcircles and therail enthusiastcommunity that continues as a topic of debateto this day. Whether perceived or real be it sentiment or shortsightedness, pros and cons simultaneously coexist on the impact of this decision in the context of past, present, and future.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad has a storied history and is well documented. Published volumes are bountiful but a glaring exception to this is relativelyfewworks that cover the mainline west of Grafton onwardto St. Louis. Smaller population densities and access to rural locales likely account for the primary reasonof limited coverage and the Parkersburg Branch fits firmly in this category.Lack of operation was certainly not a factor. As a result, photographs and reference material are surprisingly sparse for aroute that was prominent in the B&O network. In a related matter, the Parkersburg Branch is the source of my greatesthistorical railregret. My work travels during the early 1980s took me to locations between Parkersburg and Clarksburg and I would see trains on the lineon most of those forays. Regrettably, a camera did not accompany my other tools and the rationalization set in that I would take photos "someday". Needless to say, someday came and went in 1985and the opportunities were lost forever.

I have opted to exclude Grafton from this piece although there will be references to itin the content. The reasons for this are twofold.First, the focus here is on the abandonedsection of the Parkersburg Branch although Parkersburg and Clarksburg still retain active service. Second and most importantly, Grafton is a dynamic location in B&O history and still a player in modern day CSXT operations. Quite simply, it is avolume of and in itself that has beenasubject covered by noted published authors such as Jay Potter and Bob Withers among numerous others. Any in depth effort on my part would pale in comparison althoughI doplan to include a general page about Grafton in the future.

CSXT operations will not be included in thispage but for few exceptions. These will only be used as a basis for comparison and a discussion summary of the post 1985 abandonment. At first, I considered including CSXT images in this piece but decided that separate articlesin the future would be moresuited for that purpose.

Finally, readers who are familiar with the Parkersburg Branch and its history will undoubtedly recognize many of the images contained herein as they appear on other web pages or in the common domain. Through the generosity of these individuals and organizations, I have been graciously permitted to share them on this page for the creation of this piece. These contributors will be listed in the credits at the conclusion.

An often published company map depicting the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad near its peak. The Parkersburg Branch is highlighted in red outlining its location within the St. Louis mainline and its relationship to B&O network as a whole. In addition to most of the Parkersburg Branch, there are numerous other lines on this map that no longer exist.

Condensed History

​B&O fulfilled the building of the railroad to Wheeling not only from commitmentbut because it would be a profitable undertaking as well. But as early as the 1840s, it already had its eyes on westward expansion by building a more direct line connecting the markets of Cincinnati and St. Louis. Thus, it was no surprise that the B&O was firmly invested in the construction of the Northwestern Virginia Railroad for it was the initial step in the expansion to the Midwest. Once the railroad was completed between Grafton and Parkersburg in 1857, B&O set its sights on taking outright control. In 1856, the B&O and NVRR had signed an agreement whereas the former would complete the building of the road and operate the line for five years.

TheCivil War wrought havoc on the B&O because of its strategic location as a borderline between the North and South. For the first time in history, the railroad became a military priority both in the transport of troops and material as well as a key target for the disruption of such. The campaigns in Western Virginia during the outset of the war are lesser known than in the East, but it was here that the railroad first demonstrated its impact on modernizing warfare. The Northwestern Virginia Railroad played a vital role in the transport of Union troops from Ohio to the East and the area was subject to raids by the Confederates attempting to thwart these movements. Similarly, Western Virginia was a tinderbox of divided loyalties and forces were in motion that eventually led to the creation of the pro union West Virginia in 1863. The B&O, through means direct and indirect, played a role in the formation of the new state born amidst the turmoil of war.

​After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Admiral Yamamoto said “I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant”.Thegiant wasAmerican industrial might and the lifeblood of that was the rail system. How quickly this country mobilized for war production is an incredible chapter in history and the railroad was integral in this conversion. At the outset of the war, eight scheduled QD freights traversed the Parkersburg Branch in addition to at least a dozen timetable passenger runs. This did not take into account the extra trains already running the line and the numbers swelled proportionately with troop movements, oil trains, and second sections of scheduled runs directly related to the war effort. The impact of the wartime traffic taxed the Parkersburg Branch to capacity on a single track mainline with passing sidings and block operators. Maintenance on the line was time sensitive due to traffic volume. Very little was done during the war years except what was vitally necessary which usually translated into the aftermath of a derailment. One project B&O was able tocomplete during thisvolatile time was to daylight the flood prone Tunnel 23 at Kanawha, the westernmost of the tunnels on the Branch, in 1943.

Once the war ended in 1945, traffic levels remained high as the country was beginning the process of demobilization. Passenger levels on the Branch ran high and trains such as the National Limited often ran in two sections to accommodate the volume. It was this immediate postwar traffic level that created a false optimism on the part of the B&O and other roads that this ridership would be sustained. Reflective of this spirit was the highly publicized launch of the Cincinnatian in 1947 in the hope that a daylight market Baltimore-Cincinnati train was viable. The trainset was a masterpiece in streamlined styling highlighted by four shrouded P7d classPacifics as pooledpower. At firstexcitement prevailed that therun would be a success---unfortunately, ridership peaked onlyat holiday periods. Ironically, due to the small capacity of the train, riders were turned away.The sad reality, however, that B&O soon realized it was a novelty andthe swan song for the wartime levels. The public exodus from passenger rail had begun and the sparsely populated route of the Cincinnatian could not sustain a profitable operation. In 1950, the train was transferred to the Cincinnati-Detroit market where it fared much better. Symbolic of the changing times, decade of the 1950s would witness further contraction on a larger scale.

B&O, not unlike other major roads in the immediate postwar years, was optimistic about the future of passenger service. Ads such as these touting the National Limited, Diplomat, and the Cincinnatian reflected that hope. Sadly, it was short lived and by the 1950s, patronage had begun a rapid decline.

The 1950s signaled the true vanguard of change during the postwar era. B&O was transitioning from steam to diesel power and by 1958, this would be complete. Upgrades along the Parkersburg Branch had been forestalled during World War II and in 1951, Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) was finally implemented. Freight traffic remained steady on the line for most of the decade but rapid decline was occurring with passenger operations. Passenger trains on secondary and branch lines weresystematically abolished due to loss of ridership toautomobiles. Consequently, the transfer ofpatrons from these connectinglines to the Parkersburg Branch dwindled. The first long distance train casualtyrunning the Branch wasthe Diplomat which ended service between Washington and Cincinnati in 1960.Over the road trucking in conjunction with highway development was making inroads and cutting into the freight business. By the end of the decade, B&O was suddenlyin serious financial trouble and became the target of merger proposals by the 1960s.

As the New York Central Railroad and the C&O Railway became the primary roads interested in acquiring B&O, the road was in dire straits. B&O stock values plummeted and it was in desperate need of equipment.The ICC approved theacquisition of the B&O by C&O in 1963although both retained the individual corporate identities. The financiallyrobust C&Oquickly began resuscitating B&O withequipmentand funding for critical system improvements. In early 1963, B&O embarked on a tunnel clearance project on the Parkersburg Branch enabling the movement of larger freight cars and trailer on flat car (TOFC) trains. This opened the market to Cincinnati and St. Louis that was previously restricted for these movements.1965 was the last year of the National Limited in its full glory but it continued on for a few years longer as a stripped shell of its former self before fading into oblivion.The passenger train had finally succumbed to automobiles and the airline industry.

The early 1970s were toprove an eventful period. Passenger rail wasnearing its end as operated by the B&O and the majority other roads.The Metropolitan would be the last train to traverse the Branch under the B&O flag. On May 1, 1971, Amtrak took over the operation of the national network and for the first time since 1857, no passengers would ride the rails between Parkersburg and Clarksburg because the route was initially excluded. By late 1971 and through political pressure exerted by Representative Harley Staggers,a train returned to the route aptly named the West Virginian.By 1972, this train had morphedinto the

Potomac Turbonotable if but for itsdesign by United Airlines. Distinctly different from standardpassenger equipment, it proved a failure as it wasill equipped to operate over the mountain grades east of Grafton.Plagued with operational problems, standard road power often was used to assist it before finally assigned on a permanent basis. The train was avictim of low ridershipwest of Martinsburg, WV and was discontinued in 1973. Amtrak tested the waters again in 1976 with a Washington-Cincinnati train named the Shenandoah which would remain on the Branch into the early 1980s.

In 1971, there were still ten (10) scheduled through trains running the Parkersburg Branch. The total was evenly divided with five eastbound and five westbound entailing manifest and TOFC "jets". Ironically, this was the same number of scheduled timetable trains that existedat the outset of World War II. As was the pattern throughout its history, the total number of trains was higher with bulk (coal, grain, etc.) movements, second sections, and of course, local traffic. Unquestionably, the most significantdevelopment of the 1970s was the formation of the Chessie System in 1972 which combined the C&O, B&O, and Western Maryland into one operational entity. Each road retained its separate identity despite reorganizations and consolidations.Locomotives were painted in a colorful paint scheme sub lettered with the reporting mark of the owner.The Chessie System became the last face of the B&O not only on the Parkersburg Branch butelsewhere for the remainder of itsoperational existence.

Below is a list of daily scheduled manifest and TOFC trains that traversed the Parkersburg Branch on the B&O St. Louis main line as of September 1971:Eastbound Westbound

Advance Manhattan (AMTN) Cincinnati Jet (CTNJ)
Manhattan (MHTN) St. Louisan (STLN)
Manhattan Trailer Jet (MHJT) Cincinnati 97 (CI97)
Cumberland 94 (CU94) Gateway 97 (GW97)
88 (St. Louis-Cumberland) St. Louis Trailer Jet (SLTJ)

Operations

The Parkersburg Branch was predominately a single track main line populated with sidings at roughly 8-10 mile intervals during its peak. Except fora fewstandard passing sidings, the remaining were staggered or lapped sidings. These were constructed as two separate tracks on either side of the main with offsetting connecting points. In theory, these increased the operational length of the siding beyond the physical dimensions and were most effective with meets of opposing trains. Depending on the lengths of the meeting trains and if they could both utilize the sidings, a crafty dispatcher would route both trains through on a pass with neither requiring a stop.

B&O operating practice was predominately eastbound trains governed as priority. There were deviations depending on whether trains were on schedule or if a high priority westbound train was involved such as Train #1, the National Limited. For many years lasting into the early 20th century, train orders controlled the movements of trains with specific instructions to the point which a stop or meet was required. Signals began to appear on the Parkersburg Branch during the 1920s in the form of color position lights and these were used in conjunction by the block operators positioned along the route at passing sidings. Depending on the signal indications, the operators would align the switches on the main or sidings according to instructions from a dispatcher.

B&O had planned a conversion to CTC (Centralized Traffic Control) during the 1940s but World War II postponed its implementation for another decade. Although CTC would improve the efficiency of the railroad, it was a job killer. The block stations locatedbetween Parkersburg and Clarksburg were eliminated and replaced by asingle dispatcher at Grafton by 1951. This dispatcherviewed a board with a track diagram for the Parkersburg Branch and from a desk controlled the passing siding switches and signals along the route remotely.CTC did not totally eliminate train orders---OB Tower at Parkersburg and MD Tower at Clarksburg remained as train order points into the Chessie System era.

The theory and practice of routing meeting trains through a lap siding. A coordinated move with train lengths,speed, and the proficiency of the block operator or dispatcheras factors.

The chart below depicts the sidings as they are noted in the 1970 B&O timetable. During the intervening years between World War II and 1970, othersidings existed and were eithereliminated or modified. Alapped siding at Cornwallis was taken out of service as were conventional sidings at Long Run and Petroleum. The lap siding at Salem was converted to a longer conventional single siding. Wilsonburg was also a lap siding but was converted to a storage siding in later years.

A block chart depicting the passing sidings located between Parkersburg and Clarksburg as they existed in 1970. Elimination and modificationat a few locations since the 1940s hadoccurred.Sidings on thechartare exaggerated for clarity and the lengths are calculated capacity.

For a railroad spanning the breadth of northern West Virginia, the Parkersburg Branch is notgenerally associated with the movement of coal trains although this type of traffic did traverse the route. Instead, it was the road of priority manifest trains moving east and west and of course, passenger trains great and small. This remained as the traffic pattern until the 1950s when the passenger trains began disappearing from the timetables. From the mid 1960s to the closing of the line in 1985, manifest prevailed but the association changed to that of the route of the trailer (TOFC) trains.

Throughout the history of the Parkersburg Branch, the motive power ran the gamut as the steam locomotiveprogressed in development. Of note was that the largest and most powerful of steam locomotives were not necessarily assigned to the line. Power such as 4-8-2 Mountains and articulated models such as EM1 2-8-8-4s were not regular Branch visitors. The mainstays on the line were the 2-8-0 Consolidations and2-8-2 Mikados (MacArthurs during World War II)in freight service with various classes of 4-6-2 Pacifics pulling the passenger varnish. Complete steam servicing facilities were located at Parkersburg and Clarksburg with water stops at Petroleum,Cornwallis, Central Station,and Rock Run near Smithburg in between. The stop at Central Station was gone by the World War II era.

Train #76, The Cincinnatian, moves east through Belpre, OH in June 1947 soon to cross the Ohio River and enter Parkersburg. This train was introduced in January 1947 with great fanfare but within three years, it was discontinued between Baltimore and Cincinnati due to low ridership. Although short lived, a beloved trainif for no other reason than appearance sake. A beautiful trainset powered by four magnificently streamlined P7d Pacifics in gleaming Royal blue. Image Richard J. Cook/Allen County Museum

The early diesel erawas exemplified byEMD E units in passenger service and F units for freight during the transition from steam. By theearly 1950s, EMD four axle (GP series)hood units entered the scene and became the backbone of the B&O fleet lasting through the Chessie System era into the formation of CSX. Six axleEMD power such as the SD35, SD40, and SD50 traversed the Branch but these units were typically used as helpers on the West End grades east of Grafton. TheBranch also hosted models by Alco and Baldwin although in mostinstances, these were smallerlocomotives used in yard andlocal branch lineservice. Grades alongthe Parkersburg Branch were alesserissue in thediesel era since multiple units could be lashed together to match the tonnage.

The Parkersburg Branch was the artery for the B&O Monongah Division. Connecting with the mainline were numerous secondary and branch lines that funneled coal from mines scattered across northern and central West Virginia. Though the vast volume of this tonnage moved east via Grafton and the West End, a considerable amount also moved westward over the Branch. This was also an area deeply associated with the oiland gas industry in addition to glass manufacturing.Manifest traffic of various sorts was prevalent as well especially in the era predating the Interstate Highway system.As one would expect, Parkersburg and Clarksburg were the hubs for this concentration of industry with sporadic shippers scattered along the Branch. Longer distance trains contained blocks of cars for Parkersburg and Clarksburgwith locals distributing cars to and from these points.

The two premier passenger trains to traverse the Parkersburg Branch were the National Limited and the Diplomat. Throughout most of their careers, these trains--both eastbound and westbound--passed between Parkersburg and Clarksburg during the nightwhich explainsthe dearth of photos on the Monongah Division. Pictured here in different locales are, left, the eastbound National Limited Train #2 departing St. Louis in 1940. At right is Train #4, the Diplomat, passing through Vincennes, IN in 1950. Both images Otto Perry-Denver Western Library.

Grades

The Branch grades do not compare with ones eastof Grafton but it was hardly a flat piece of railroad between Parkersburg andClarksburg. Grades at a few locationsdid exceed 1% which is not stiff but certainly a respectable climb and explainsthe practice of doubleheading power during the steam era to maintain trains atspeed. The grades still faced diesels but additional units could easily beadded to accommodate the tonnage. Eastbound trains overwhelmingly faced more ofthe ascending grades and conversely, westbounds drifted down more descendingones. The toughest stretch of railroadtraversed by both was the region between Cairo andWalker. It was a climb to Silver Run from either direction justas it was a climb from Petroleum in either direction. The longest continuous climb was foreastbounds from West Union to Wolf Summit with the ascent between Long Run andIndustrial the steepest section. Eastbounds alsofaced noteworthy ascents from Walker toEaton and Cornwallis to Ellenboro.The toughest span for westbounds was Cairo toTunnel #21 at Eaton and Wilsonburg to Wolf Summit. Extremes in elevation above sea level ranged fromParkersburg at 614 feet to Wolf Summit at 1119 feet----505 feet of difference.

Connecting Lines

As the B&Ocorridor through the Monongah Division, the Parkersburg Branch was the funnel connecting points east and west as a sector of the St. Louis main line. During the peak years of operation, a spider web of secondary and branch lines radiated from the mainline at various points along the80 mile stretch between Parkersburg and Clarksburg. Beginning at Parkersburg, a connection to the Ohio River Line which spanned the valley betweenKenova and Wheeling. Also, a B&O branch--originally theLittle Kanawha Railroad--extended to Elizabeth paralleling the Little Kanawha River into Wirt County. This line was eventually abandoned excepting for a small remnant at Parkersburg that became the short line Little Kanawha River Railroad.Although across the river in Ohio, Belpre was the western boundary of the Monongah Division and a connection to the former Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad.

Small short lines that connected with the Parkersburg Branch include the Laurel Fork & Sand Hill, a smallrailroad constructed from the B&O at Petroleum to the town of Volcano during the great oil boom. Continuing east, the Cairo and Kanawha Railroad extended from its connection with the B&O at Cairo to McFarlen situated along the South Fork Hughes River. The Harrisville Southern interchanged with the B&O at Cornwallis and terminated at theRitchie County seat of Harrisville. A narrow gauge line (P&H) once traversed the countryside from Pennsboro to Harrisville and later extended beyond. These small lines faced extinction by the early 20th century and were relegated to memory.

Clarksburg was a quintessential B&O town with secondary lines intersecting with the Parkersburg Branch. The Short Line connected with the main at the west side of town and extended to New Martinsville where it connected to the Ohio River Line.Another B&O line---the MR --ran from Clarksburg through Haywood and continuing to Fairmont. Extending south from town was a former West Virginia & Pittsburgh route to Weston that was ultimately acquired by the B&O.

Parkersburg

This 1904 topo map provides a look at the railroad layout in the Parkersburgvicinity at its peak. The Parkersburg Branch (green) enters town from the east along the Little Kanawha River and crosses the Ohio as a continuation of the mainline to Cincinnati. The Ohio River Railroad (B&O-red)parallels its namesake as a route between Wheeling and Kenova. Both the High and Low Yards are active and the Little Kanawha Railroad (B&O-purple)occupies the south bank of the streamfor which it is named as a route to Elizabeth. Also across the river in Ohio, the B&O line to Marietta (yellow) diverges from the main at Belpre.

Even as B&O was constructing its route from Grafton to Wheeling, the company had its eyes on Parkersburg as an eventual launching point for westward expansion. In fact, as early as 1842, a rail line to Parkersburg was considered the long term primary objective instead of Wheeling. The reasons for this were twofold; first, a railroad to Parkersburg offered a more direct route across Ohio to Cincinnati and eventually, St. Louis. Second, in an era before locks and dams were built on the Ohio River, Parkersburgofferedbetter stability inwater levels because it was farther downstream. This was a critical factor in the years before a bridge was builtas freight and passengers were transferred by water from the West Virginia sideto the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroadconnection at Marietta, OH. Once a bridge across the river from Parkersburg to Belpre was completed in 1871, the river became a moot factor. An engineering masterpiece upon its completion, it was the longest bridge of its type in the world for several years. The stone used for its piers was quarried in the West Union area.

A look at the Parkersburg riverfront frozen in time as it was 1952. The aerial image places into context the expanse of the B&O Ohio River bridge. Adjacent to it is the 5th Street suspension bridge and the flood wall can be seen below both. Note the boxcars at the terminal in the foreground. Readers familiar with Parkersburgcan spot what still exists in this image as well as what vanished from the wrecking ball. Image courtesy Parkersburg WV-A Vintage portrait.

The Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike had been completed a short two decades once the rails of the Northwestern Virginia Railroad reached Parkersburg in 1857. As a superior means of travel, the railroad was the choice for commercial movements of freight and passengers west of Grafton. During the Civil War years and through Reconstruction, the Parkersburg Branch and connection continuing into Ohio was a rail monopoly within the area until the construction of the Ohio River Railroad in the 1880s. This line paralleled the Ohio River between Wheeling and Kenova providing north and south rail service as it intersected the east west route at Parkersburg. Commerce flourished along the ORR in the river valley and this line was ultimately absorbed into the B&O in 1912 creating a prosperous rail region exclusive to the road. The 1890s witnessed the construction of the Little Kanawha Railroad which paralleled the namesake stream along its south bank to Elizabeth in Wirt County. This line, too, fellunder full B&O ownership during the 1930s.

Set the dial on a time machine for Parkersburg circa 1974 and this is the result. In addition to the Ohio River bridge, the downtown freight terminal and the Low Yard along the river leave an impression time stamped in this image.Parkersburg was still a B&O crossroads for not only East-Midwest traffic but also Wheeling and Pittsburgh freight on the Ohio River line. Photo by Arnout Hyde, Jr. /courtesy Teresa Hyde

Parkersburg became the epicenter of a region that experienced a great oil and gas boom from the late 19th century into the early 1900s. To the north along the Ohio River was the Sistersville region and extending east an area bordering the Little Kanawha River at Elizabeth. Another sector east of Parkersburg lay directly on the route of the railroad at Petroleum and Cairo. Earlier oil and gas booms located at Burning Springs prior to the Civil War and at Volcano immediately afterward contributed substantially to the growth of the area.

Ohio River Bridge

A late 1800s view taken from what is present day looking upstream along the Ohio. The 1871 bridgepresents a solitary appearance as the only span crossing the Ohio River at this date. In the foreground is the original Ohio River Railroad bridge spanning the Little Kanawha River at its mouth. Both bridges lookfragile and wouldultimatelybe replacedas steam locomotives became larger and heavier. Dan Robie/John G. King collection

The Ohio River Bridge was replaced in two phases. First were the approaches built upon the original piers on both the Parkersburg and Belpre sidescompleted by 1900.This was followed by heavier truss spans over the rivercompletedby 1905. Upgrading the bridge was a necessity due to steam locomotive development resulting in larger and heavier models. No significantmodifications weredone until 1972 when a barge struck apier and exploded. As a result, an entire truss span was replaced with thebridge closed to traffic until repairs were completed.

The primary B&O Parkersburg passenger station was located just east of the Ohio River bridge on the block bounded by Green and Avery Streets. Constructed in 1883 of Victorian design, this brickstructure hosted thousands of passengers traveling east and west for nearly ninety years. As with many stations across the country, once passenger rail declined these structures were neglected often falling into disrepair before facing demolition.The B&O station was razed in 1973 in an era before preservation efforts gained favor. When Amtrak service returned to the city from 1976-1981, a small “Amshack” trailerwasused for passengers. Parkersburg was a major stop for the B&O on the St. Louis mainline despite its mid-sized city status in regards to population. All of the long distance trainscalled as well as the secondary ones. On a route that was sparsely populated, B&O needed passenger base wherever it could be found. The other station in Parkersburg at Ann Street served the Ohio River line and this structure will beincluded in a future piece about the Ohio River line.

Crew change completed, the St. Louis Trailer Train heads across the Ohio River bridge in this circa 1980 photo. This TOFC (trailer on flatcar) hotshotwill continue its trip across Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois until terminating at Cone Yard in East St. Louis. Image Karl Underwood/Todd M. Atkinson collection

Steam was in its twilight when this June 1956 photo of Train #23, the West Virginian, captured its arrival at Parkersburg. Although lacking the stature of the National Limited and Diplomat, this train filled the niche of serving all the whistle stop communities along its route. Photo Richard J. Cook/courtesy Allen County Museum All rights reserved.

The center of Parkersburg operations along the mainline was the “High Yard". Consisting of more than 36,000 feet of storage capacity,this was the primary classification point for inbound and outbound freight cars both to points east and west and for the industrial base in the Parkersburg area. In its prime, the yard was complete with a roundhouse and turntable during steam era operations but still remained in use with the onset of diesels. A transfer track diverged from the high yard for trains to connect with the Ohio River line and "Low Yard". Always an integral connection between the two B&O lines, the transfer track took on extra significance during the 1963 tunnel project between Parkersburg and Clarksburg. Rerouted trains over the Short Line and Ohio River line used this track to reenter the mainline to proceed westward through Ohio. Eastbound trains did likewise except in reverse order.

Chessiecats at the roundhouse service area in 1983. The Parkersburg terminal provided supplemental power for mainline trains in addition tolocal and yard jobs. Image courtesy Dave Dupler.

When the St. Louis mainline was downgraded and the Parkersburg Branch severed, the High Yard in effect became the secondary yard. Since through trains were no longer passing, the operation shifted to car storage and a staging point for the coal trains crossing the river to the power plant at Relief, OH. Local traffic destined for industries in Belpre also originated here. Initially, the former mainline remained intact east to Walker to service Westvaco Lumber. Once operations ceased there, the former mainline track was subsequently removed from Walker to just east of the Parkersburg city limit at Stewart. In reality, the sever point is now located at the east end of the High Yard.

B&O Class B-54 4-6-0 #256 at the Parkersburg roundhouse circa 1920. The Ten-Wheelers were the passenger power early in the century until displaced by the 4-6-2 Pacific. The 4-6-0s did survive in secondary service into the twilight years of steam. Image courtesy Ken Adams/North Bend Rail Trail Foundation.

In 1989, the Parkersburg roundhouse burned to the ground, atarget of arson. In addition, the turntable was removedpreventing the turning of locomotives to lead in which direction was necessary. The loss of the roundhouse and turntable was a symbolic ending of the B&O/Chessie transition to CSXT coinciding with the loss of the mainline. Locomotive turning has since been done on the wye across the river in Belpre as needed.

Parkersburg as it was a half century ago. GP30 #6973 leads apaused Cincinnati 97 at OB Tower in the High Yard on a glorious summer day in 1964. The wood C6 class caboosesfurther sweeten this image.Both B&O andits mainline have long since perished but scenes such as this preserve the memories for posterity. Image courtesy Dave Dupler/Art Markley collection.

Parkersburg once flourished with heavy industry which generated carloads of traffic for B&O. Although most industry was related to oil and gas, a substantial amount of various manufacturing existed in the region as well. Chemicals at DuPont plant in Washington and the Shell refinery in Belpre, OH increased rail traffic proportionately as did the American Viscose Corporation.A listing of the shippers served by the B&O from the main line and High Yard during the 1940s is extensive: US Quarry Tile Company, Corning Glass Company, Vitro Agate Company, Standard Oil Company, Pure Oil Company, Cut Rate Lumber Company, Union Live Sales Stock Company, Kieckhafer Container Corporation, WV State Road Commission, Parkersburg Rig and Reel Company Plants #3, #4, and #6, Acme Fishing Tool Company, Parkersburg Grocery Company, Northrup Equipment Company, Monongahela Power Company, Parkersburg Mill Company, Citizens Coal Company, Citizens Lumber Company, Ohio River Sand and Gravel Company, Southern States Corporation, Peerless Milling Company, Parkersburg Distributing Company, Parkersburg Storage and Transfer Company, Ideal Corrugated Box Plants #1 and #2, Plate Construction Company, Parkersburg Tri-Pure Water Company, Central Distributing Company, Graham Packing Company, Berdine Brothers, Spur Distributing Company, Parkersburg Rig and Reel Company #2, Grossman Shoe Company, Citizens Transfer and Storage, Universal Supply Company, and the Berry Hatchery.

B&O GP40-2 GM50 again passes through Parkersburg on a run over the St. Louis main this time on the point of a St .Louis Trailer Train. It is crossing over Worthington Creek preparing to enter the High Yard. Image Karl Underwood/Todd M. Atkinson collection

Not unlike other industrial centers, the Parkersburg region declined in the latter 1900s as heavy manufacturing closed, downsized, or was lost to imports. The area today is still busy but certainly not with the number shippers as in past years.

Along the Little Kanawha

Moving east from the limits of Parkersburg, the B&O main line (green) paralleled the Little Kanawha River and State Route 47 for roughly eight miles. Along the way, it passed through small communities such as Stewart, Jackson,and Nicolette. Of note is Jackson where the first passing siding east of Parkersburg was located.

B&O also occupied the opposite bank of the Little Kanawha as well until the route was abandoned in 1937. This is the branch line that followed the river to Elizabeth as seen on this sector of a 1904 topo map.

East of Parkersburg, the B&O mainline followed the comparatively level terrain of the Little Kanawha River in contrast to the small gradients it would encounter to the east. Once clear of the of the east end of the Parkersburg High Yard and SY Tower, single track main crossed Worthington Creek and remained so until reaching the first passing siding at Jackson (JA Tower). In the pre CTC days, an operator was stationed there.

There was very little in the way of industry along this stretch of track. Once east of Parkersburg, the Branch became essentially single track mainline with on line shippers sporadically spaced. One exception was atStewart with the US Quarry Tile Company located beyond the east Parkersburg yard lead at SY Tower.

The railroad in this region east of Parkersburg was readily accessible and a number of photos have appeared from this area. If the line were still active today, it would no doubt be popular with untold numbers of digital images taken. Today, however, only roadbed remains and the westernterminus of the North Bend Rail Trailis located in the vicinity of Happy Valley.

An eastbound Philadelphia Trailer Train holds the siding at Jackson in this circa 1980 photo. It must have been another priority train en route such as Gateway 97 or the St. Louis Trailer Train for this train to take the siding. Image Karl Underwood/ Todd M. Atkinson collection

Western Maryland power added its own touch of class and color during the Chessie System era with GP35 #3576 leading B&O GP40-2 #4333near Nicolette. The year is circa 1979 and the train is Cumberland 94 running east on the Parkersburg Branch towards Grafton. Image courtesy Dave Dupler/Art Markley collection

Davisville Towards Walker

The Parkersburg Branch (green) continues to follow the cozy confines of the Little Kanawha River from Davisville to just past Kanawha (Station). At the mouth of Walker Creek, the railroad turns east and follows the stream to the town bearing the same name. With the flat river valley now behind, the line begins thetrek through its toughest stretch between Parkersburg and Clarksburg.

Although the railroad paralleled theLittle Kanawha River east of Parkersburg, it meandered away from it directly to avoid the sharp bends. At Davisville, it returned to the waters edge and remained so before leaving the valley east of Kanawha at Walker Creek. The only recorded shippers of consequence located in this areawere the Ames True Temper distribution facility at DavisvilleandStillwell Tie Hoist Siding at Kanawha; if there were others, they disappeared early in the 20th century.

The Potomac Special runs eastbound along the Little Kanawha River near Davisville in 1972. B&O GP9 #6603 is equipped for passenger service with heat generators. The air reservoir tanks are relocated on the roof which resulted in the moniker of "torpedo tube" for thisvariant of a GP9. Image Dan Robie/ John G. King collection

All of the passenger trains that traversed the Parkersburg Branch obviously passed through these communities but Davisville and Kanawha were flag stops only. The last timetable train that listed these locations as such was the original West Virginian that ran the route until 1958.

A remarkable image taken at Kanawha Station circa 1920. The three adorable children were the subject of this century old photo but the photographer was also kind to the rail historian. Frozen in time with the children is the railroad layout as it wasin this small community complete with depot, water tank, and auxiliary siding. Image Dan Robie/ John G. King collection

A 2003 Google Earth capsuleoutlining the location of the long lost Tunnel 23. The cut is no longer sharply defined as additional excavating of the area has taken place throughout the years since 1943. As B&O was daylighting the tunnel, it built a shoo-fly track around it to keep trains moving alongitsmainline corridor in World War II America.Tunnel 23, also known asFarrell's Tunnel, was relatively short in length at 287 feet.

In 1943, B&O undertook its first tunnel clearance project, a precursor to the one thatwould occurtwo decades later on a grander scale. Tunnel #23, the westernmost of the group on theParkersburg Branch, was among the shortest at 287 feet. The problem it presented to the B&O was not a clearance issue but a maintenance nightmare. Located on the curve at the mouth of Walker Creek, it was susceptible to high water from the Little Kanawha River. The solution was to daylight the tunnel and improve the right of way to better protect it from flooding. So serious had been the issue that B&O completed this project during mid World War II when traffic volumewas chaotic and other line of road improvementspostponed.

Walker to Petroleum

A 1926 topo map of the B&O main line from Walker to Petroleum. The railroad followed Walker Creek then passed through Tunnel 22. At Eaton, the line bored through Tunnel 21, the divide between the Walker and Goose Creek drainageswhence the railroad paralleled the latter to Petroleum. In the late 19th century, Petroleum was near ajunction for the Laurel Fork and Sand Hill Railroad which straddled the Wood-Ritchie County line to the boom town of Volcano. The map areais expanded here as to include it.

Walker

Once outside the railroad sphere of Parkersburg, the town of Walker begins a stretch of small hamlets and communities that populate the Parkersburg Branch for the next seventy miles until reaching Clarksburg. Each had its own charms and characteristics with varying degrees of importance to the railroad that was an integral part of the landscape for one hundred thirty years.

Walker was the location of a block station (B&O call letters WA) and passing siding. The most notable on line shipper for the B&O was Westvaco which constructed a lumber collection yard there in 1960. After the B&O mainline was abandoned between Walker andWolf Summitin1985, Westvaco continued to operate for several more years at the site until shifting its operation to Millwood along the CSX Ohio River Sub.

It was at Walker in March 1988 that track crews with torch in hand and wreck out train in support first cut the rails that forever severed the B&O St. Louis main line. Thus began thesteadyremoval of track between Parkersburg and Clarksburg that would continuewith sectionalized severing inOhio between Belpre and Cincinnati over the course of the next couple of years. Once Westvaco ceased operations during early 1990s, CSX removed the remaining stub of track from Walker to the east end of Parkersburg.

Between Walker and Eaton was Tunnel 22 also known as Rodemer's Tunnel. At 338 feet and with no hindrances, B&O opted to bypass the 338 foot longbore with a cut rather than improve its clearance. Itis one of three that was bypassed during the 1963 project. Tunnel 22 was the site of a recorded ICC accident that occurred on June 30, 1950. At 3:25 PM,

Train #29,an unnamed westbound mail and express,passed a clear signal approximately 1300 feet from the east portal of Tunnel 22 and entered the bore at 48 MPH which exceeded the 45 MPH limit of this section of railroad. The train was double headed with two 4-6-2 class Pacific locomotives, numbers #5301 and #5048. The total consist for the train was sixteen cars of various types including coach, baggage, and refrigerated express cars.

Upon entering the tunnel, the engineer of the lead locomotive heard a sound indicative of a broken rail and the train began to derail before the brakes could be applied. Both locomotives derailed to the right moving along the north wall of the tunnel and derailed to the right after exiting the west portal. Both locomotives sustained considerable damage as did the first three cars. The north wall of the tunnel was heavily damaged and the track inside destroyed. The engineer in the second locomotive was killed and the engineer and fireman in the lead locomotive sustained injuries. A railway express employee also sustained injury. Train #12, the eastbound Metropolitan Special, had passed through Tunnel 22 forty-five minutes earlier and reported no unusual conditions. All equipment was determined to be in good order at the time of the accident. The ICC conclusion was the derailment was attributable solely to a broken rail.

Icicles formed by water seepage through the tunnel line the ceiling in Rodemer's Tunnel in the frigid cold of winter. Its solitude is broken only by thewhistling windthat carries the whispers of ghosts and echoes of trains long since passed. Image courtesy Alan Nichols

Eaton

Eaton was a flag whistle stop for secondary passenger trains for many years and a small dep was once located here. No online shippers were in existence---certainly notsince the 19th century at the latest. The location was best known for Tunnel 21,one of the longest---and tragic---bores on the B&O system.​

The concrete portal of brand new Tunnel #21 glistens as a Trailer Jet (perhaps the first one) passes through on October 29, 1963 in this B&O publicity photo. Eaton Tunnel was one of a series of clearance improvements made on the Parkersburg Branch in 1963 that opened TOFC (piggyback) service between New York and St. Louis. Photo Baltimore and Ohio Railroad

​The original Eaton Tunnel (also known as Bee Tree)was brick lined at a length of 2020 feet and a nightmare for train crews during the steam era. Long and tight, the bore became an inferno filled with heat, smoke, and cinders as trains passed through it. It was one of three tunnels on the Parkersburg Branch that ventilation plants were installed circa 1916with huge fans to alleviate the tortuous trip through the bore. The plant was installed at the west portal and manned by an operator who would light the boiler to provide the power for the fans. Block operators at Walker or Petroleum notified the ventilator operator as to the approach of a train depending on direction.

March 1988: Death of a railroad. The Parkersburg Branchbegins its transition from railroad to dotted line on a map. Rail removal train moves through the east portal ofEaton Tunnel as the track removal is underway. The new Eaton Tunnel, constructed 1963, saw a mere 22 years of operational existence.Image courtesy of Alan Nichols

At this time, I wish to acknowledge Alan Nichols for the images above and the ones to follow moving east along the route. He had the foresight to document the removal of the Parkersburg Branch during 1988 realizing thehistorical significance. Needless to say,his inputenhances this piece immensely from what it otherwise would be.

The east portal of Eaton Tunnel with "21" and "1963" stamped in its façade. Dan Robie 1991

During the 1963 tunnel project, the work commenced on Tunnel 21 to increase its clearance for TOFC (piggyback) trains and larger freight cars when disaster struck. The roof of the tunnel collapsed and trapped three workers inside in a mass of rubble. Because of the scope of the collapse, B&O deemed the repair effort futile and the decision was made to drill a new bore. It is appropriate heretomention the three workers because there seems to be conflicting information about these brave men. I have found sources that cite three men are entombed inside the old tunnel and others that list one with two having been removed with one surviving and the other succumbing to injuries. Since I am not positiveas towhichone is correct, both accounts are presented. In either scenario, it was a tragedy and the old tunnel is now a sealed tomb. The new Tunnel #21 completed in 1963 was still lengthy at 1840 feet but slightly shorter than the original. Being of more modern construction, the portals and lining are smooth concrete and contrast sharply with the other ParkersburgBranch tunnels in design and appearance.

A trio of Geeps in the early CSX "blue belly" rendition lead a rail train east of Eaton Tunnel as track removal continues. One wonders how the crews of these trains felt as this storied piece of railroad steadily disappeared behind them. Image courtesy of Alan Nichols 1988

Petroleum

In a statewhere the hills and valleys are graced with colorful town names, the rails of the B&O mainline were not exempt from such passage and touched upon a few of them. Moving eastward, we now come to one and another closely aligned with it during the late 1800s----Petroleum and Volcano.

The depot at Petroleum circa 1915. Typical of standard B&O architecture, this structure and others like it fulfilled multiple roles in small towns serving as a passenger and freight stations in addition to mail and telegraph. Truly the centers of the community. We can only guess as to why the man is leaning in the window but by looking at the casks and flour sacks on the platform, his work is not yet done. A rather stately house on the hill above. Image Dan Robie/John G. King collection

Shortly after the Northwestern Virginia Railroad was constructed through the area, the first oil fields were drilled in 1859. In fact, there is contention that this may have been the first well drilled in the United Statespredating the Drake well in Titusville, PA. WhetherPetroleum can make the claim as the first onedrilledmay be debatablebut what is not was the size of the field on which it sat. The region would soon thrive as the oil industry boomed attractingspeculators from the Northeast seeking the riches it would create.Bythis name or any other, Petroleum earned the title.

Payment from the Laurel Hill and Sand Hill Railroad to the B&O in the amount of 70 cents dated March 28, 1882. Produce shipped from Parkersburg to Volcano Junction for less than a buck. Image courtesy North Bend Rail Trail Foundation

In the immediate years following the Civil War, another huge oil field was discovered a few miles north of Petroleum at the town of Volcano. This strike created intense excitement as speculators moved and a town was seemingly built overnight. Wells sprang up everywhere at varying depths as the oil continued to flow. A great problem was realized that there was no efficient means to transport the black gold. There was no water transportation and the only answer was the construction of a railroad. A line was built and incorporated as the Laurel Fork and Sand Hill Railroadwhich connected to the B&Owest ofPetroleum at a point dubbed as Laurel orVolcano Junction. The builders of the railroad had grandiose plans of extending this line from Volcano to Marietta on the Ohio River but these dreams were never realized.Volcano was a boom town with nary any room for more extension and a pipeline from Parkersburg was constructed to transport the oil directly. Unfortunately, the prosperity of Volcano was short lived as the dreams literally went up in smoke. A catastrophic fire destroyed the town in 1879 and although some oil would continue to flow afterward, the glory was gone. Thecommunity was not rebuilt as the people and prosperity moved elsewhere and today it is a ghost town.

This circa 1910 postcard is the opposite view of the image above. Visible in thisscene at Petroleum is the rear of thedepot and the three story hotel that survived into the new millennium until consumed by fire.In the background two homes andthe center of spirituality and small towncharm---the community church.We thank Elizabeth for sending this cardtoa thoughtful recipient who in turn made available for future generations to admire. Image courtesy North Bend Rail Trail Foundation

B&O built a depot atPetroleum and as the railroad grew, it became the location of a block station manned by operators. The B&O call letters for this location were (UM) and a passing siding was located here for many years but its importance diminished over time. After World War II, it was no longer a block location as B&O hadeliminated most with the implementation of Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) in 1951. ThePetroleum passing sidingdisappeared from the employee timetable thereafter as a location for meets but remained listed as an agent siding in the early 1960s.

An eastbound view of the B&O mainline at Petroleum. This image is undated, perhaps circa 1940, but preserves a look of the layout with the depot and the westbound color position light (CPL) The days of the great oil boom were gone by this date but Petroleum still remained as a flag passenger stop for the B&O. Image courtesy Ritchie County Historical Society.

The incomparable Brooks Pepper, fifty year employee of the B&O and latercontributor for "The West Virginia Hillbilly" magazine, recounted a story of aChristmas Day derailment that occurred near his home at Petroleum after he retired in 1968. I could find no official report on this derailment but thedate is late 1960s-early 1970s. He had awakened that day only to see a train stopped on the mainline which his home faced. Mr. Pepper described it as having trailers and he ventured out on a bitter cold day to investigate. Hetold offinding the train sprawled across two bridge crossings of Goose Creek (Bridges 43 and 44) with cars scattered andderailed in the creek bank.The direction of the train was westbound --probably the St. Louis Trailer Jet-- andhe foundthe crew unharmed but cold from the frigid weather. Soon, relief help was on its way to clear the mess that was determined to have been caused by a broken rail on Bridge 44.

If Brooks Pepper were still living in 1988, he would have been saddened by the sight of this rail train moving through Petroleum removing his beloved B&Oin its wake. CSXT GP40 #6218 still adorned with the Chessie catleads across Bridge 43 over Goose Creekeast of town as the Parkersburg Branch steadily disappears behind it. Image courtesy Alan Nichols

Today, Petroleum harbors a field of memories from the past. The great oil fields arepages in history now just asis the Laurel Fork and Sand Hill Railroad that once connected it with the boom town of Volcano well over a century ago. And so, too, is the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.But the North Bend Rail Trail continues to outline its existence as hikers and bikers traverse an area rich in lore.

Silver Run to Cornwallis

B&O followed the Goose Creek drainage to Tunnel 20 and continued to the crest at Tunnel 19 at Silver Run. From there, it dropped downgrade and paralleled Silver Run Creek to Cairo and the North Fork of Hughes River. A cluster of four more tunnels lay ahead before reaching Cornwallis. The town of Cairo and present day North Bend State Park are the familiar landmarks of this sector.

East of Petroleum, the railroad penetrated the first ofsix tunnels that lined the route to Cornwallis. Tunnel 20 was a short 254 feet in length and instead of working on this bore during the clearance project, B&O permanently solved the obstacle by daylighting it. A short cut exists where once Tunnel 20 stood.

Silver Run

Today there are a few homes scattered about in the vicinity of Silver Run but little remains to remind one of a tiny but busy hamlet that existed here a century ago. Situated at the crest of grades from either direction, it was a battlefield for trains fighting gravity for 130 years. In spite of the remote setting, Silver Run was enticing to photographers and a comparatively surprising number of images exist of the location spanning different eras.

The east portal of Silver Run Tunnel minus its bricked façade. Taken during the time of clearance project although from look of the track, line had not yet been closed.The "lady ghost"was surely curious about this work taking place. Image courtesy North Bend Rail Trail Foundation

Between Parkersburg and Clarksburg, the railroad passed through many a rural region but perhaps there was no location as remote as the outpost of Silver Run. In the era when a block station was located here, operators had to walk from the vicinity of Cairo to reach their place of work. At least at other locations, the sites were within townshipsprovidingeasier access. Not so at Silver Run. For the third trick operator who manned thestation during the dead of night, he surely felt that he was the last person on earth.

The Philadelphia Trailer Train exits the east portal of Silver Run Tunnel circa 1980. From the photographer vantage point, an image that testifies to the ruggedness of the area. More photos were taken at the east end of Tunnel 19 because itwaseasier to accessthan the west portal. Image Dan Robie/John G. King collection

Silver Run was among themore arduouslocations operationallyon the Parkersburg Branch and more so during the steam era. East of the tunnel was located the block station (B&O call letters SR)and passing siding that was situated on a grade. If a westbound train was held at the siding waiting for an eastbound to clear, it had to start from a dead stop on the grade and there upon enter Tunnel 19. Silver Run Tunnel was among the longest at 1376 feet and was not equipped with a ventilator fan such as Tunnel 21 at Eaton. Steam locomotives would enter the bore filling it with smoke, cinders, and intolerable heat as they pulled the train on the grade slowly gaining speed. These instancesmay have presented train crews the toughest operational situation on the Parkersburg Branch.

C&O SD40 #7516exits Tunnel 19with a coal train bound for the Haywood Power Plant north of Clarksburg in September 1976. The Parkersburg Branch is, oddly enough, not generally associated with coal traffic and an eastbound loaded train is even more of an anomaly. This exceptional image by the late Art Markley captures not only the contour of the grade but a line that has been refurbished with welded rail. Image courtesy Dave Dupler/Art Markley collection

The paint is Chessie System butthe locomotive number tells us that is now the CSX era.GP40 #6569 backs into Silver Run Tunnel shoving awreck out train westbound through the bore. At this particular time, the track removal is taking place near Petroleum. One of the last images ever taken of a train at Silver Run. Image courtesy Alan Nichols 1988

Here is the #6569 preparing to run around the rail train at the Silver Run siding. All of the passing sidings on the Parkersburg Branch were utilized during the track removal. Once the trains moved west from Clarksburg, the power would lead the train to the last passing siding still in existence. The power would then uncouple and move to the rear of the train and shove it to the current working removal point. Since the power was already turned, the loaded train was ready for the return trip east. Note the excellent condition of this track soon to vanish. Image courtesy of Alan Nichols.

the Lady Ghost

It is only natural that the Parkersburg Branch with the time span of its existence and the mere nature of its topography would play hosts to apparitions and legends. The remote settings and the numerous tunnels provided fodder for such accounts and no location has more so than Silver Run and its lady ghost. For many years, railroad crews and operators alike reported seeing thespecter of a woman with dark hair in a white dress along the railroad at Silver Run. Legend has it that she roams the right of way on the blackest of nights searching for her lost lover from long ago.

Amajor attraction of the North Bend Rail Trail is the exploration of the tunnels whether it be the physical structure or possibly the search for the unexplained--whether it be real or imagined. Tunnel 19beckons the curious on both counts as a highlight of the Rail Trail and Parkersburg Branch lore.

Cairo

Yet another town along the Parkersburg Branch with a unique name---shared with a city in Egypt and one inIllinois where the Ohio meets the Mississippi----is the community east of Silver Run. Cairo (in this instance pronounced Ker-ro), former oil boom town along the banks of the North Fork of Hughes River, is rich in early industrial and railroad history. B&O was the major player but the short line railroads of the town and region served were colorful enterprises.

The 1850s were a period of fossil fuel discovery in this region of West Virginia. Coinciding with the oil boom along the Little Kanawha River at Burning Springs, a lesser known find took place along the North Fork of the Hughes River near Cairo. Veins ofa substance similar to coal was were found here which also had qualities of oilbecause it burned for a longer period of time. This compound, later determined to be a natural form of asphalt, drew speculators from the East in search of riches. Unfortunately, the onset of the Civil War postponed these ambitions for a decade.

A westbound view along the B&O at Cairo during the early 1900s. The depot is visible in the distance at right as is the new truss bridge across the river. In the left distance is the new Bank of Cairo and inthe foreground diverging leftare the tracks of the C&KV. A thriving community in this era. Dan Robie/John G. King collection

Once the hostilities ceased, the speculators returned to Cairo in quest of mining the asphalt not onlyas a fuel source but for use in paving roads. The major obstacle, as it was during the early industrial period was transport. Of course, the practicalsolution was byconstructing a railroad. Enter the first short line to connect with B&O at Cairo, the narrow gaugeCalico Railroad. From the junction with B&O at Cairo, the Calico followed the North Fork of the Hughes approximately twenty miles to the Ritchie Mines, source of the asphalt veins. Passenger cars were eventually placed into service and throughout its short existence the Calicoprovided vitally needed transportation for both workers and residents of southern Ritchie County. In turn, the short line funneled both people and commerce to the B&O most of which moved eastward. The beginning of the end for the Calico Railroad came in 1876 when tragic explosions at the Ritchie Mines effectively ended its reason for existence. Attempts were made to renew the mining but decline and exhaustion prevailed. Shortly thereafter, the railroad was abandoned and the rails removed. But this right of way wouldcarry trains once again before the turn of the century.

An eastbound B&O manifest, possibly Cumberland 96, crosses the girder plate bridge at it passes the Bank of Cairo in this circa 1980 image. B&O GP40-2 #4339 leads several other EMD units on this vintage Chessie era consist. This scene also presents the trackside layout at Cairo with the grade crossing flashers, the westbound CPL, signal box, and excellent track condition. In addition to the photographer, the train has anotherinterested onlooker at the bank.Scanned image courtesy Railroad Model Craftsman magazine/James Ankrom.

Oil was discovered in the Mcfarlon area along the old Calico Railroad right of way during the 1890s and a Parkersburg lumber operator who had purchased the roadbed rebuilt the line. In addition to haulingtimber for his interests, this new railroad was to tap the Mcfarlon oil field for transport to the B&O at Cairo. This new line, christened the Cairo and Kanawha Valley, served the area along the North Fork of the Hughes River for thirty years hauling, timber, oil, mail and passengers. The year 1929 was the end of the C&KV as both passengers and bulk freight were moving to the developing road systems in the region.

Thousands of trains had passed by this spot in Cairo since the Northwestern Virginia Railroad was completed in 1857. Trains carrying troops through several wars, high priority freights, regal passenger trains, trailer jets, work trains and more---all that were the face of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroadfor 130 years. The train in this photo, CSXT Work 6080, is the final chapter in the glorioushistory of the Parkersburg Branch through here. As the rails are pulled behind it, this is indeed the last train to ever pass through Cairo. Image courtesy of Alan Nichols 1988.

Cairo was a moderately busy location for the B&O until the late 1920s. Several shippers, associated with both it and the two short lines, were located along the line. Traffic associated with the oil boom and supplies that supported the industry were hauled to Cairo in addition to general manifest. By the World War II era, the only remaining on line shipper that remained for B&O was Heaton Agate Company located on the east end of town.

During the height of the oil boom, Cairo was a commercial center for the local region. The town prospered and this resulted in the construction of thelandmark Bank of Cairo in 1897. During this peak period, the passenger station was a busy stop for businessmen, workers, and local residents. Connecting traffic from the Calico Railroad and later Cairo and Kanawha Valley kept the ticket agents at Cairo busy. When the boom faded and Cairotransformed toa sleepy village along the B&O, it remained a flag whistle stop for secondary passenger trains. Many years later the oil boom erais a distant memoryaswas its prominence along the railroad.Long associatedwith theneighboring North Bend State Park, it is now a popular access point to the North Bend Rail Trail as well.

In terms of sheer ruggedness, the region traversed by the B&O east of Cairo extendingthrough Cornwallis to almost Ellenboro was the topographic extreme along the Parkersburg Branch. The railroad passed through five tunnels between Cairo and Cornwallis as it crossed from the North Fork Hughes River drainage to that of the tributary Bonds Creek. Population bordered on the uninhabited but scenically, a picturesque setting of hills and streams. Railroads dare to go where few others do and the builders of this line during the 1850s were put to the task.

A 1996 Google Earth image of the area that lies between Cairo and Cornwallis. The Northwestern Virginia Railroad avoided the snaking bends of the North Fork Hughes River when the railroad was constructed--as a consequence, five tunnels and three river crossings were necessary to bypass the bends. The tunnel locations are easily identified here from the 1963 clearanceproject by B&O that bypassed or daylighted them resulting in the cuts.

Cornwallis

A1926 topo map of the Cornwallis area as it wasduring theearly 1900s heyday. The Parkersburg Branch paralleled the North Fork Hughes River passing through Tunnel 14 into town. At Cornwallis, B&O leaves theriver then enters Tunnel 13 as it continues eastward.Picking up where B&O left the North Fork of Hughes River was theshort line Harrisville Southern Railroad that ran between Cornwallis and Harrisville.East of Cornwallis B&O enters the Bonds Creekand Hushers Run valleysas itpassed through two more tunnels.

Silver Runmight have been the most isolated block station for B&O but the township that bore that distinction was Cornwallis. Off the beaten path from major roads---and still true today--- it was a sleepy community named for Lord Cornwallis of Revolutionary War acclaimthat not unlike its neighboring towns, shared in the great oil boom of the 1890s. Surrounded by hilly terrain and nestled in the valley of the North Fork Hughes River, to B&O it was a block station location for many years. It was also flanked east and west with the greatest concentration of tunnels on the Parkersburg Branch.

A circa 1900 image at Cornwallis during the height of the oil boom. Wells were drilled at any locationthat oil could be extracted which accounts for the derricks on the hillsides as well. The railcars are near the B&O and Harrisville Southern junction. Image John G. King collection/also listed West Virginia Regional History Archives

The quiet village that is now Cornwallis still reveals telltale hints of a booming past if one looks close for the clues. Random oil wells operate in dispersion as a subtle reminder of a booming industry a century ago. Near the mouth of Bonds Creek can be seen traces of a long ago abandoned railroadthat ran from this location to the seat of Ritchie County, the Harrisville Southern. And of course bisecting the town is the roadbed of another abandoned railroad, the B&O Parkersburg Branch, former component of a mainline from Cumberland to St. Louis.

If the sightseersthat trek the North Bend Rail Trail today could enter a time machine and adjust the setting for one hundred years ago, theviewfinder would fill with a booming oil industry. They would alsostep away from the trail since it has morphed into an active B&O Railroad busy with mainline trains andconnecting movements with the Harrisville Southern. People would be more prevalent as the population was substantially greater due to more residents and workers.

A wide angle view of Cornwallis during its oil boom glory of the early 1900s. This photo was evidently used to identify oil wells as they are designated with letters of the alphabet. A good look at the layout of the town with the railroad and the North Fork Hughes River. The letter "U" at far left is also the hill pierced by Tunnel #14. Image West Virginia and Regional History

Cornwallis was an active B&O block station (call letters CO) until it was displaced by CTC in 1951. The passing siding remained in useafter the World War II years but was gone by 1970. During the steam era, the location was equipped with two water tanks as it was at an interval along the route that refills were necessary. B&O listed one active on line shipper as of 1948---the Henaghan & Hanlon Oil Company. There was apparently enough oil related activity for this company to remain in business at this comparatively late date.

Incorporated in 1907, the Harrisville Southern was another short line railroad within the confines of Ritchie County that connected with the B&O. From its junction with the big road at Cornwallis, the H&S followed the course of the North Fork Hughes River nine miles to the town of its namesake, Harrisville. Of the short line roads that served the region, the Harrisville Southernfunctioned much like a larger road. It operated two daily runs timed to connect with B&O passenger trains at Cornwallis and during its prime, funneled passengers to and from the station at Cornwallis. The line prosperedhauling freight in accordance with the oil boom years and to a thriving business at Harrisville.

Unfortunately, progress in road development ultimately doomed this small railroad. Just as with the other small lines that connected with B&O serving rural regions, trucks and automobiles sapped the lifeblood of its existence until none remained. By the mid 1920s, the fate of the Harrisville Southern was sealed and the line abandoned. Shortly thereafter, the rails were pulled and the remaining equipment sold.

The stillness of the Cornwallis night was shattered at 2:22 AM on May 31, 1956 with a catastrophic accident involving Train #1, the westbound National Limited. Unbeknownst to the locomotive crew as the train was passing through Tunnel 13, a massive slide from above the west portal of the tunnel had inundated the track at the approach to the Bonds Creek bridge with rock and fill. As the train emerged from the tunnel, the engineer had no chance to brake the train as it struck the slide at 45 MPH. The lead unit, E6A #52, broke in half with the cab section landing in Bonds Creek and the rear half coming to rest on the creek bank. Trailing unit #61X, an E6B, was severely damaged as it came to rest on the east bank of the creek. The first three cars in the trainset were heavily damaged with the remaining derailed cars suffering moderate damage. Exceeding the train damage is the tragic toll this accident took on crew and passengers. Sadly, the engineer and fireman were killed and forty-five injuries of varying degree were sustained by passengers and railroad personnel.

ICC determined that the 615 ton rock slide had occurred shortly before the National Limited arrived at Cornwallis. An eastbound manifest had traversed the location an hour and a half earlier and passed without incident. B&O maintenance of way employees also cited no previous slippages at this location and in conclusion, the ICC attributed the tragic accident solely to the rock slide. The North Bend Rail Trail Foundationerected a plaque---purchased by the family of the engineer---in remembrance of this accident. It is located on the west bank of Bonds Creek at the scene of the tragedy.

Between Cornwallis and Ellenboro

Another excellent image of Parkersburg Branch removal from the collection of Alan Nichols. Moving eastbound by the deactivated color position light at Milepost 352.2 with the track ahead. To the right is what appears to be a remnant of the Cornwallis block station taken out service almost forty years earlier and at left the roadbed from the former passing siding. Soon there will beonly roadbed where the mainline is.Image courtesy Alan Nichols 1988

The region east of Cornwalliswas a remote stretch of railroad on the Parkersburg Branch. Just as to the west, the line bypassed sharp creek bends and followed the valleys as possible. This facilitated the construction of four more tunnels east of Cornwallis none of which were exceptionally long with Tunnel 12 the longest at 577 feet. Tunnel 13 will forever be associated with the 1956 National Limited derailment but in terms of construction, Tunnel 10 is the most unique not only in this sector but on the entirety of the Parkersburg Branch. This bore is cut through solid rock and was never timber lined or later brickarched as were the other tunnels. Originally named as Patterson's Tunnel,it received the second name of Dick Bias Tunnel in honor of the founder of the North Bend Rail Trail Foundation. The remaining bore in this region was Tunnel 11 which was daylighted in 1963.

This 1996 Google Earth viewoffers a glimpse of the remote territory between Cornwallis and Ellenboro. Three of the four tunnels are extant with only Tunnel 11 having been daylighted during the 1963 clearance project. East of Tunnel 12, the railroad left Bonds Creek and continued east along Hushers Run.

Not surprisingly, B&O listed no active online shippers in this region as of 1948. If any did ever exist, they probably disappeared very early in the history of the Parkersburg Branch. The sheer isolation of this stretch of railroad in addition to few roads was prohibitive to any business of consequence locating here. A most lonely stretch of railroad indeed.

East of Tunnel 10, the railroad continued along the Hushers Creek drainage for the next few miles where upon it entered the town of Ellenboro. B&O listed no online shippers between these pointsat least from the mid- 20th century until the line abandonment.

Ellenboro is a transition on the eastward trek to Clarksburg. From this point onward, the railroadfaithfully followed creek drainages as it passed from one community to the next. The remaining tunnels along the route were further spaced in contrast to the high concentration that existed between Cairo and Ellenboro. US Route 50 becomes a familiar parallel following the path of the railroad as it touched the towns along the route. The original Route 50 was a virtual reflection of the railroad matching its coursecontinuously but for few exceptions. Whenthe highwaywas upgraded to four lanes in the early 1970s as West Virginia Corridor D, it bypassed the town centers thereby not adhering to the railroad as before.

Ellenboro

This topo map focuses on the region to the east and west of the Ellenboro/Lamberton area. Tunnels serve as bookends with Number 10 at the west extremity and Tunnel 9 to the east. The railroad continued toparallel Hushers Run through this sector.

Ellenboro, incorporated in 1903, indirectly owes the origin of its name to the building of the railroad during the 1850s. The name was chosen in honor of Ellen Mariah Williamson, eldest daughter of the family that granted the railroad a right of way through the area.

An agent ticket stubdated 1913 for a trip from Salem to Ellenboro. Looks like the agent decided upon a fare of .65 instead of .63. A good deal either way. Image courtesy North Bend Rail Trail Foundation

All of the passing sidings on the Parkersburg Branch were utilized for the facilitation of meets. During the steam era, the sidings at Cornwallis and Rock Run were certainly prominent as water stations. But in terms of a sheer strategic location, the siding at Ellenboro may have proved the most viable. During the World War II years when extra movements competed with scheduled freights and passenger trains, the railroad was especially busy at night. This is also when the premier passenger trains, the National Limited and Diplomat, also traversed the Branch and without delay. A dispatcher or block operator that held these trainsbetter had good reason to do so.

Eastbound freight trains were typically heavy sincehigher proportion of loads moved this direction. Trainsrunning east from Parkersburg ran slower than their westbound counterparts due to grades and curvature. The gradients on the Branch were short but steep enough to affect the speeds of the trains and dispatchers in the pre CTC era maintained vigil with block operators as to their progress. Enter the Ellenboro siding. As scheduling and traffic patterns often dictated, it was this geographical location along the Branch that dispatchers often arranged the meet of an eastbound freight to clear in order that the

National Limited and Diplomat could pass unimpeded on the nocturnal railroad.

An eastbound view circa 1900 of the Ellenboro depots---the freight house on the left and the passenger station at right. Not sure what theprimary subject was in this image---the structures or the men.Either way, history is grateful for the photograph. Image courtesy of Ritchie County Historical Society

The B&O depot at Ellenboro remained an active location until after the World War II years. As passenger trains declined and their numbers abolished, it eventually lost its status as a scheduled stop. It did, however, remain a flag stop for the West Virginian through the late 1950s. B&O maintained a blockstation here (call letters BU) until itwas eliminated by the onset of CTC operation in 1951. I could find no actual listing for Lamberton on a timetable as a scheduled or listed flagstop. If it ever was, it was eliminated at least by the early 1900s. Since it was adjacent to the town of Ellenboro, the facilities there likely sufficed for both.

As of 1948, B&O listed three active on line shippers in the Ellenboro and Lamberton region--McDougall & Cunningham and the West Virginia Farm Bureau Service. The Hope Construction and Oil Company was located just to the east between Lamberton and Tunnel #9.

Moving east from Lamberton, the railroad continued to parallel Hushers Run until reaching the headwater at Tunnel 9. During the 1963 clearance project, B&O opted to daylight this 855 foot bore, Butchers Tunnel,the second longest tunnel on the Parkersburg Branch to meet this fate. Prior to the tunnel removal, US Route 50 circumvented the hill that contained Tunnel 9 by running a semi-circle to the north. After the hill and tunnel were removed, a new US Route 50 bridge was built directly across the cut which eliminated the circuitous bypass.

Although not directly railroad related, this image is also reflective of a bygone era. The Washington Inn atLamberton was representative of many such businesses that once populated the US Route highway system. The Interstate highway system and other four lane bypasses doomed these businesses that were mainstays in local economies and often charming. Many that do remain in existence have seriously declined or are in disrepair. Image courtesy North Bend Rail Trail Foundation.

End of Part I-Parkersburg to Clarksburg-Waist of the B&O Main

All credits will be listed at conclusion of Part II

Part II-Parkersburg To Clarksburg-Waist of the B&O Mainwill resume with a section devoted to the Parkersburg Branch tunnels and then continue eastward from Pennsboro. Click hereto continue.