Richmond Railroads

Images of Rail

by Jeff Hawkins

During the second half of the 20th century, the railroads that operated in the Mid-Atlantic region offered a wide variety of subject matter for railroad enthusiasts and photographers to marvel at. A prime location to witness this activity was in Richmond--a railroad melting pot. As with any major city, the railroads played a significant role in Richmond's growth and development. As a result of being served by five different railroads, a labyrinth of railroad infrastructure emerged, including the Triple Crossing, a world-renowned landmark. Millions of travelers have passed through Broad Street and Main Street Stations on famous streamliner passenger trains such as the Silver Meteor and the George Washington. Images of Richmond Railroads documents the past 60 years of railroading in the Capital City, which has seen drastic changes as a result of corporate mergers, urban development, and technological advances.

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Mike Barker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, if brief, overview of Richmond, VA rail history. The book is built on captions for many, many archival photographs (all B/W, no color). I would have preferred a little more narrative, but there is plenty of information in the captions. One of the most compelling aspects for me was development of the Carytown area of Richmond, most particularly how rail was merged with highway along the Powhite Expressway. I also had my first introduction to the so-called Blue Shingle Mansion in that same general area. Lots of tidbits to follow up on with other reading!