Appalachia, Virginia

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Appalachia, Virginia

Appalachia, a small town in Wise County, southwestern Virginia (36°54′23″N 82°46′55″W, 1,647 feet in elevation) emerged as a quintessential Appalachian coal hub in the late 19th century. Founded in 1891 amid the region’s coal boom, the town’s growth was inextricably linked to railroads which facilitated the extraction and transport of bituminous coal from the surrounding mountains. That transformed a remote area into a bustling junction where three railroads converged. Population peaked at around 3,000 in the 1940s, supported by mining and rail jobs, before declining to about 1,400 today amid coal’s downturn.

The Louisville & Nashville Railroad (L&N) extended its Cumberland Valley branch to Appalachia in 1890, providing the first major link to haul coal northward to Corbin, Kentucky, and beyond. In 1891, the South Atlantic & Ohio Railway (SA&O) reached Appalachia from Bristol, Tennessee, via Moccasin Gap and Natural Tunnel, focusing on coal transport southward. Renamed the Virginia & Southwestern Railway (V&SW) in 1899, it was acquired by Southern Railway in 1906 and integrated as a division by 1916. The Interstate Railroad (INT), incorporated in 1896, connected Appalachia to Andover and Norton by the early 1900s, serving as an 88-mile coal-hauling short line with yards and shops in the town. These lines converged at Appalachia, creating a vital interchange for coal shipments, with facilities including roundhouses, coaling towers, and yards that employed hundreds. Southern acquired INT in 1961, consolidating operations.

Today, successors CSX Transportation (former L&N) and Norfolk Southern (NS, from Southern and INT) operate in Appalachia, though activity has waned with coal’s decline. CSX runs the former L&N Cumberland Valley Subdivision, handling occasional freight like aggregates. NS operates the Appalachia District (ex-V&SW/INT), with active tracks through Natural Tunnel for limited coal and general merchandise, but many branches are abandoned or converted to trails like the Powell River and Guest River Gorge Trails. Historic sites like the restored 1926 depot (now a theater), preserve the legacy. Appalachia’s railroads.

My Hometown, Appalachia VA by Ron Flanary

Appalachia VA

My Hometown–Appalachia, Virginia: June 9, 1966:

Ah yes–summer! This everyday view looking west along the railroad thoroughfare behind the central business district reveals an L&N southbound (by railroad direction) through freight making a set-off of interchange to the Southern. The crew left its train in the distance, just past the Inman grade crossing to avoid blocking that crossing. The three units will go back to retrieve the balance of the train, and then ease across Pine Street and Kilbourne Avenue before making a run for the hill to Norton. On the right, an Interstate Railroad crew is making an exit from the passing track after clearing up for an inbound Southern train heading to Andover. The head brakeman has just lined the switch. Alco C628s to the left and back-to-back F-units to the right. Just everyday sights in 1966. No more.

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the collective railroad history data points on this website are verified across multiple sources.

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.

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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.

Go back

Your message has been sent

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org