Appalachian Railroad Corridor Comparison

Home » Appalachian Railroads » Appalachian Railroad Corridor Comparison

Comparison of Appalachian Corridors – Cincinnati to Atlantic Ports

Researched and Chronicled by Sandhi Kozsuch & Scott Jessee

The American railroad network weaves through diverse landscapes to connect industrial heartlands with bustling ports. At the center of this web lies Cincinnati, Ohio—a historic rail hub once dubbed the “Queen City” for its pivotal role in Midwest commerce. From here, freight lines operated by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern (NS) fan out eastward and southward, carrying everything from coal and chemicals to consumer goods and intermodal containers. These routes, forged in the 19th and 20th centuries by predecessors such as the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL), Baltimore & Ohio (B&O), Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O), Clinchfield (CRR), Louisville & Nashville (L&N), Nashville Chattanooga & St. Louis (NC&StL), Norfolk & Western (N&W), and Southern Railways, have evolved through mergers, technological upgrades, and infrastructure investments.

Seven Key Corridors

This comparison focuses on seven key routes from Cincinnati to major Atlantic destinations: Baltimore, Newport News, Norfolk, and Savannah. These paths are critical for supply chains, linking Appalachian resources and Midwestern manufacturing to global trade gateways. CSX, formed in 1980 from the Chessie System and Seaboard Coast Line, dominates with its extensive ex-B&O and L&N trackage, emphasizing reliability in mountainous terrain. NS, born from the 1982 merger of Norfolk & Western and Southern, excels in southern corridors with flatter profiles suited for high-volume traffic. Selecting the optimal route involves balancing distance, topography, and operational demands—factors that directly impact fuel costs, transit times, and maintenance.

Map of Corridors

Legend:

  • Red: CSX, originally L&N, NC&StL and ACL routes.
  • Green: NS, originally Southern Railway routes
  • Yellow: CSX, originally C&O, Clinchfield, and ACL routes
  • Black: NS, originally N&W
  • Blue: CSX, originally B&O

Click here to see the interactive version on Google Maps.

Comparison Metrics

Mileage

Mileage is the most straightforward metric: shorter routes minimize crew hours and energy use, potentially saving millions in operational expenses. For instance, the direct CSX path to Baltimore via Cumberland clocks in at about 550 miles, a legacy of the B&O’s pioneering crossing of the Alleghenies. In contrast, detours via Nashville extend to 850 miles, reflecting trade-offs for easier terrain.

Grades

Grades—both ruling (sustained maximum) and steepest (peak)—dictate train performance. Ruling grades, like the 1.76% Seventeen Mile ascent on CSX’s Mountain Subdivision, require helper locomotives for heavy loads, increasing complexity and costs. Steepest grades, such as the 2.84% Cranberry push, pose braking challenges downhill, demanding advanced systems like distributed power. Flatter southern routes, post-1960s improvements like NS’s Rathole Division tunnels, hover around 1.0%, enabling longer, faster trains.

Curvature

Curvature complements this, with sharper bends (up to 12° in Appalachian passes) limiting speeds to 25-40 mph for safety, while gentler 6° southern arcs allow 50-60 mph. These elements, combined, influence everything from derailment risks to double-stack container viability in an era of e-commerce booms.

In 2025, amid supply chain disruptions and sustainability pushes, these comparisons highlight efficiencies: mountain routes for bulk commodities, southern for time-sensitive intermodal. The following table synthesizes these data from CSX/NS timetables and historical profiles, offering a clear lens for rail enthusiasts, planners, and operators to evaluate trade-offs in this vital infrastructure.

Corridor Comparison

Route and CarrierKey PathApproximate MileageGrades (Ruling/Steepest)Max Curvature (degrees)
1. CSX Cincinnati to Baltimore via Cumberland MDCincinnati – Parkersburg – Grafton – Cumberland – Baltimore (old B&O mainline: Ohio River, Marietta, West Virginia, Mountain, Cumberland, Metropolitan)550 miles1.76% (Seventeen Mile Grade) / 2.84% (Cranberry Grade near Rowlesburg, WV)10° (tight mountain curves)
2. CSX Cincinnati to Newport NewsCincinnati – Huntington – Clifton Forge – Richmond – Newport News (Kanawha, Allegheny, Rivanna, Peninsula Subs)600 miles1.4% (Allegheny ascent) / 1.67% (Cheviot Hill near Cincinnati, OH)8° (moderate Appalachian curves)
3. NS Cincinnati to NorfolkCincinnati – Portsmouth – Kenova – Bluefield – Roanoke – Norfolk (Cincinnati District, Kenova District, Pocahontas, Virginia Division)680 miles1.3% (Elkhorn Grade) / 2.07% (Clarks Gap near Bluefield, WV)12° (sharp mountain curves)
4. CSX Cincinnati to Savannah via Russell KY and Erwin TNCincinnati – Russell – Elkhorn City – Erwin – Spartanburg – Columbia – Savannah (Kanawha, Big Sandy, Kingsport, Blue Ridge, Spartanburg, Augusta Subs)610 miles1.5% (Clinchfield North End) / 1.5% (Clinchfield segments near Elkhorn City, KY)12° (sharp Clinchfield curves)
5. CSX Cincinnati to Savannah via Corbin and EtowahCincinnati – Corbin – Etowah – Atlanta – Macon – Savannah (CC, KD, Etowah Old Line, W&A, Fitzgerald, Savannah Subs)700 miles1.0% (improved L&N grades) / 2.2% (Crooked Hill on CC Sub near Falmouth, KY)6° (gentle southern curves)
6. NS Cincinnati to Savannah via ChattanoogaCincinnati – Chattanooga – Atlanta – Macon – Savannah (CNO&TP, Atlanta North/South, Fitzgerald Districts)750 miles1.0% (Rathole Division, post-tunnel improvements) / 1.7% (Huffman ascent on Rathole Division)6° (moderate southern curves)
7. CSX Cincinnati to Savannah via NashvilleCincinnati – Louisville – Nashville – Chattanooga – Atlanta – Savannah (Short Line, Main Line, Bruceton, Chattanooga, W&A, Fitzgerald Subs)850 miles1.0% (flat L&N grades) / 1.42% (Cowan Push on Chattanooga Sub near Cowan, TN)6° (gentle mid-south curves)

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.

Go back

Your message has been sent

3Cs Websites

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