Coal via Potomac Yard

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

I checked with B&O historians and there is some disagreement with the B&O
information supplied in the original message below. Just to keep the
historical information correct:
 
The bridge at the power plant is described as having been a steel drawbridge
built by the Gov't during WW2 as an emergency measure against loss of the
Long Bridge. The B&O used the bridge daily for some period of time -
possibly until it was taken down. The B&O constructed their Georgetown
Branch, begun around 1890, possibly in order to build such a bridge of their
own in order to access the RF&P or other southern railroad, but their
terrible financial situation, as always, limited what they could accomplish.
The existence of that branch provided opportunity for the Gov't to build
that emergency bridge many years later.
 
The B&O itself apparently did not own the A&O. Possibly the B&O's President
Garrett owned a large stake personally. There is some degree of question
about this situation because certainly the B&O was attempting to incorporate
the A&O into their Southern Strategy when they lost access to the Long
Bridge (to PRR) in the mid-1870's. Following that loss of access, the B&O
built the Alexandria Branch around the east side of the District and
commenced an unsuccessful barge service to Alexandria, but the A&O did not
interchange before that time. After realizing the barge service was not
workable, the B&O turned to the Georgetown Branch on the west side of the
District.
 
The B&O regained access to the Long Bridge in 1906 to access Potomac Yard
and the RF&P.
 
As an aside, another Southern Strategy, with a definite connection to N&W,
was to run down the Shenandoah Valley to Salem. Pennsylvanians, if not the
PRR, put the kibosh on that just as they had successfully stopped the B&O's
original attempt over the Long Bridge.
 
If anyone has differing information, I would really like to hear about the
sources. H. Harwood's book  "Impossible Challenge" is a heavily researched
source for much of the information above.
 
Craig Close
Balimer, Merlan
OK: Far West Catonsville
ALL RIGHT: Greater Oella 
  _____  

From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org
[mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 10:11 PM
To: N&W Mailing List
Subject: Coal via Potomac Yard
 
The North Alexandria PEPCO plant is built on the site of the old clay pits.
The Clay Tile Block used in Building of the George Washington Masonic 
National Memorial came from this clay pit. 
 
The Plant built in the late 1940's and had a large addition built in the
early 1950's.
The south propriety line is the B&O Bridge tracks and the WO&D tracks.
Most will not remember, but the B&O built a steel draw bridge across the
Potomac River around 1906 to get to POT YD from the South so they 
would have to pay the PRR to use Long Bridge to enter POT YD from the North.
The B&O must have made some kind of a deal with the PRR in the mid to late
1940's,because the bridge came down around 1950. before that the B&O would
run
from 1 train a shift across the bridge to POT YD. The B&O and the SOU Union 
Street Job would interchange on the same tracks.

Note 1: Clay Tile Block was used before the use of Cinder Blocks. These same
Clay Tile Blocks were also used in the New SOU Round House in Alexandria.
The outside walls were brick but all inner walls used this block.

Note 2: The Alexandria and Orange had in the 1850's a Railroad Barge Wharf
at 
the east end of the Alexandria Tunnel  to connect with the B&O, before 1906.
The A&O became the B&O in the 1870's then became ???? And Great Southern, 
then the Great Richmond Terminal Company and then the Southern Railway.
(???? And Great Southern, I am going to have to look that one up some day) 
 
                                        HB Lyon



I'm unsure when the PEPCO power station was built but
assume it was in the 1930s.  It has four units and
even today consumes about 2,500 tons daily depending
upon the load and how many units are running which is
information I don't have.
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