Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad |
| Founded | 1833 |
| Fate | Absorbed into Seaboard Air Line Railway in the 1880s |
| Successor | Seaboard Air Line Railway |
| Headquarters | Portsmouth, Virginia , United States |
| Products | Freight and passenger rail services |
The Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad, initially known as the Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad upon its establishment in 1833, linked the rapids of the Roanoke River near Weldon, North Carolina with Portsmouth, Virginia. Portsmouth lies across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk, Virginia, a vital port within the Hampton Roads region.
History
During Virginia's fiercely contested transportation era in the early 1800s, ports such as Norfolk and Portsmouth competed to dominate the export market for products like tobacco. This railroad was deliberately constructed to facilitate the movement of goods from the Roanoke River and its canal system westward toward Norfolk’s port facilities, positioning itself against Petersburg’s river access via the James and Appomattox Rivers.
Finished in 1835, the railroad featured standard gauge tracks (). Its route included important stops at Boykins, Franklin, Carrsville, and Suffolk. Lumber emerged as a significant freight item, particularly benefiting the Camp Company’s lumber and paper mills located in Franklin due to their connection to rail transport.
As Norfolk’s inaugural railroad service, it laid the foundation for a critical transportation hub that subsequently attracted additional lines such as the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad. Throughout its existence, the Seaboard and Roanoke experienced multiple financial restructurings and received refinancing support from the Virginia Board of Public Works in 1838, operating under both its original and later names during this time.
1837 Head-on collision and Derailment
On August 11, 1837, near Suffolk, a historic first occurred in U.S. railroading—a head-on collision resulting in passenger deaths. An eastbound lumber train collided with a morning passenger service departing from Portsmouth, Virginia. The impact destroyed the initial three cars out of thirteen, claiming the lives of three daughters from the prominent Ely family and wounding numerous individuals among approximately 200 passengers returning from a steamboat excursion. An illustration depicting this accident was featured in Howland's 1840 publication "Steamboat Disasters and Railroad Accidents."
Later that same year, on December 12, an eastbound locomotive of the Portsmouth and Roanoke Railroad hauling passenger and lumber cars derailed near Southampton County after encountering a broken rail. This incident caused two fatalities and several injuries, including those sustained by notable persons such as Capt. James D. Bryant and Col. Nathaniel Rochelle. Senator William C. Preston was aboard but escaped without harm.
American Civil War
Walter Gwynn, instrumental in constructing the Seaboard and Roanoke during the 1830s, rose to become a Confederate General during the American Civil War. He commanded southern forces defending Norfolk in 1861–62. Additionally, railroad executive William Mahone utilized his Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad to outmaneuver Union troops at the Gosport Shipyard, compelling their withdrawal without engaging in battle—a demonstration of strategic military use of railroad assets.
Mergers: SAL, SCL, CSX
By the 1880s, the Seaboard and Roanoke had been absorbed into the growing network of the Seaboard Air Line Railway, which expanded service routes through Petersburg to Richmond and throughout southeastern states down to Florida.
In 1967, Seaboard Air Line combined with its competitor Atlantic Coast Line Railroad to form Seaboard Coast Line Industries (SCL). Subsequently, in 1980, SCL merged with Chessie System to establish CSX Transportation—currently recognized as one of North America’s seven major Class 1 railroads. A substantial portion of the original route remains operational today under CSX as part of its Portsmouth Subdivision.
Future Developments
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation is currently evaluating segments of the route in Suffolk and the western area of Chesapeake for a possible high-speed passenger rail connection between Richmond and South Hampton Roads. Plans include establishing a commuter station in the Norfolk suburbs, specifically near Bowers Hill in Chesapeake.
Suffolk Passenger Station
Constructed around 1885, the Seaboard Passenger Station in Suffolk, Virginia initially accommodated both passenger services and coal shipments alongside the Virginian Railway. Distinguished by its brick octagonal cupola, this historic building has been restored to serve as a railroad museum. The museum showcases model train displays representing Suffolk circa 1907 and includes a retail gift shop.
Historic Station Listings
| State | Milepost | City/Location | Station | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VA | SA 0.0 | Portsmouth | Portsmouth | |
| SA 7.5 | Chesapeake | Bowers | ||
| SA 15.1 | Magnolia | interchange with Virginian Railway (N&W) | ||
| SA 17.5 | Suffolk | Suffolk | interchange with:
| |
| SA 20.2 | Kilby | interchange with Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad (N&W) | ||
| SA 26.2 | Purvis | |||
| SA 31.4 | Carrsville | |||
| SA 37.1 | Franklin | Franklin (also known as Blackwater) | interchange with Atlantic and Danville Railway (N&W) | |
| SA 42.0 | Delaware | |||
| SA 43.7 | Hand (Handsom) | |||
| SA 49.1 | Newsoms | Newsoms | ||
| SA 54.1 | Boykins | Boykins | interchange with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Lewiston Subdivision | |
| SA 57.0 | Branchville | Branchville | ||
| SA 59.9 | Hugo | |||
| NC | SA 63.2 | Margarettsville | ||
| SA 69.2 | Seaboard | Seaboard (formerly Concord) | ||
| SA 72.6 | Gumberry | |||
| SA 76.2 | Garysburg | Garysburg | interchange with Petersburg Railroad (Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) | |
| SA 78.8 | Weldon, North Carolina | Weldon | interchanges with: |