Chattaroi Railroad
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Page Contents
Chattaroi Railroad
Chattaroi Purchased by the 3Cs in 1887
Researched and chronicled by Scott Jessee and Sandhi Kozsuch
The goal of the initial owners of the Chattaroi in the 1870s was to serve the coal fields at Peach Orchard KY. However, for the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad, it was a vital link to its destination of the Ohio River at Ashland KY.
In 1887, the 3Cs announced they had purchased the Chattaroi, giving them a ready-built railroad for their final 50 miles northward from the Virginia and Kentucky coalfields to the Ohio River at Ashland. This completed segment of the Chattaroi ran from Richardson Ky, northward to Ashland.
But for an unknown reason, the purchase was never consummated during the two years that followed. The 3Cs had also begun construction on the line extending the Chattaroi from Richardson southward to Whitehouse KY, the beginning of its goal of reaching the Breaks on the Kentucky border.
Newspaper: Maysville Daily Evening Bulletin, May 7 1987, provided by the University of Kentucky and the Library of Congress.
Chattaroi Purchased by Collis Huntington – The Ohio & Big Sandy Railroad
In 1889, as a surprise to everyone, Collis Huntington purchased the Chattaroi and changed its name to the Ohio & Big Sandy Railroad (O&BS). Huntington had lost control of the C&O just months before. It was reported that Huntington intended to build the O&BS through the Breaks, with the goal of reaching Norfolk VA.
Chattaroi Timeline
Many thanks to Scott Jessee who did the majority of the research on the Chattaroi, combing through many old newspapers and documents. Additionally, Elmer Sulzer’s ‘Ghost Railroads of Kentucky’ has a good, well-researched history of the Chattaroi.
- 1873 Chartered
- 1873-1880 Existed as a narrow gauge railroad south from Ashland KY for several miles
- 1880 Construction began on upgrading the railroad to standard gauge
- 1882 Chattaroi reaches Peach Orchard
- 1885 Chattaroi enters receivership, and continues operating under receivership for several years
- 1887 Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago announces the purchase of the Chattaroi
- 1888 Railroad reached Richardson KY on the Big Sandy River, a total of 49 miles
- 1889 Chattaroi purchased by Collis Huntington. The name was changed to Ohio & Big Sandy Railroad Company (O&BS)
- 1892 OB&S constructs a new line from Louisa to Richardson, avoiding the old Chattaroi’s steep grades and tight curves. The new line follows the Big Sandy River. Three miles of the Chattaroi from Richardson to Peach Orchard was retained as a branch. The rest of the original grade was abandoned.
- 1892 Chesapeake & Ohio Railway purchases the O&BS.
- 1939 C&O Peach Orchard Branch was abandoned
Interactive Map of the Chattaroi, O&BS, and C&O/CSX
Click this link for a Google interactive map showing you the Chattaroi route (red line) from Walbridge to Richardson, the C&O/CSX current mainline (yellow line), and the short segment of the O&BS intermediate alignment that passes through a short tunnel (green line).
I highly recommend visiting Walbridge to see the old bridge and tunnel, and then traveling highway 1690 following the Chattaroi.
Chatteroi and C&O/CSX Crossing at Walbridge KY
Once the OB&S took control of the Chattaroi in 1892, it was apparent that the railroad desperately needed a new mainline routing that avoided the steep grades, sharp curves, and switchbacks of the Chattaroi. The O&BS built their new alignment to follow the Big Sandy River, which was a few miles longer, but certainly avoided the operational headaches and expenses, and much slower train speeds.
The old Chattaroi mainline was then abandoned, however, you can still drive and see the roadbed, bridge, and tunnel at Walbridge KY. Additionally, my guess is that some sections of KY State Route 1690 are built on the original roadbed.
Below, the Chattaroi bridge and alignment is now a single lane for cars, crossing the C&O/CSX mainline.
O&BS Railroad Tunnel at Walbridge KY
O&BS Tunnel and C&O-CSX Mainline at Walbridge KY
Chattaroi Branch, now a short siding, at Richardson KY
Chattaroi abandoned rails at Richardson KY
More Rails Across the Appalachians information will be added to this page and website in the days ahead. Please let me know if you have any questions, see any edits that should be made, or have any content you are willing to share. Would enjoy hearing from you if you have similar interests in Appalachian Railroads, the 3Cs, the region, or model railroading.
For More Information – Sources and Resources
The following are wonderful resources for those interested in Appalachian Railroads. They also serve as sources of information for Appalachian-Railroads.org
- Association/Archives: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Chesapeake & Ohio Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Norfolk & Western Historical Society
- Association/Archives: Southern Railway Historical Association
- Archives of Appalachia: ETSU, Johnson City TN
- Book: Drury: The Historical Guide to North American Railroads
- Book: Flanary, Lindsey & Oroszi: The Southern Railway
- Book: Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’ and ‘When Steam Ran the Clinchfield’
- Book: Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Book: Irwin & Stahl: ‘The Last Empire Builder: The Life of George L. Carter’
- Book: King: ‘Clinchfield Country’
- Book: Marsh: ‘Clinchfield in Color’
- Book: Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book: Poteat & Taylor: ‘The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century’
- Book: Stevens & Peoples: ‘The Clinchfield No. 1 – Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine’
- Book: Way: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad, the Story of a Trade Route Across the Blue Ridge Mountains’
- Book: Wolfe: Southern Railway Appalachia Division
- Magazine: ‘Trains‘
- Magazine: ‘Classic Trains‘
- Website: Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website: HawkinsRails.net
- Website: StateOfFranklin.net which hosts Johnson’s Depot
- Website: RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin
- Website: SteamLocomotive.com
- Website: WvncRails.org – North Carolina and West Virginia Railroads
- Video: Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1
- Video: Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Article: Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Articles: ‘Johnson City Comet‘
- Article: Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘
- Personal Maps & Memorabilia: Documents, maps and track charts
Contact Us
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.
3Cs Websites
Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org
Contact Us
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.