The Winchester & Western & Shenandoah valley RR

[NW Mailing List]

To further amplify the Winchester & Western, and N&W lines, the
Winchester & Western operates the former Cumberland Valley RR line
from Winchester to Hagerstown where they interchange with NS and CSX.
The ownership has changed over the years but simply it was owned by
the CV/PRR until Penn Central and then I think Conrail. Around 1986
Conrail sold the line to the W&W.

Meanwhile back in Winchester, they have exclusive use of the line from
the switch about a mile south of the old B&O station to Gore and have
trackage rights over the CSX track between that switch and the
connection with their line in Winchester north of the old B&O
passenger station on Picadilly.

While contemplated going thru Winchester, the N&W, actually its
predecessor for the line, the Shenandoah Valley RR chose to locate
about 10 miles east, passing thru Berryville, Boyce and continuing
beyond to Roanoke, 238 miles from Hagerstown.

Mason Cooper is the real authority on the Shenandoah Valley line. To
my knowledge only 1 book has ever been compiled on the Winchester &
Western and that was done about 40-45 years ago, so it is "slightly"
out of date in 2011.

Bob Cohen


> I am designing my layout?and had a question . I live in Winchester, VA near the former GE light bulb plant. CSX and Winchest er & Western run through occasionally not a frequent since the plant closed last year. ?

>

> Did N&W?own any trackage or trackage rights?through or around Winchester north?towards Hagerstown? I know NS currently runs along 340 through Boyce and Berryville not sure which predecessor owned those tracks.

>

> Thanks

>

> Jon Kelley



 N&W owned and operated the tracks along 340 through Boyce,
Berryville, Charlestown, Shepherdstown, Antietam, to Hagerstown.

>

> Jim Brewer

>

> Hi Jon :

>

> NS owns about 6 - 8 miles of line from Hagerstown (on the former  Pennsy

> RR) south (runs close to the Valley Mall & crosses Virginia Ave., US  Route

> 11). It serves the Governor Lane Industrial Park (Williamsport, MD  area). The

> NS line goes to Speilman's  Station, about midway between state  route 68 &

> the Potomac River Bridge to the south.

>

> Winchester Western  uses the same line from Winchester to Vardo  Yard in

> Hagerstown where freight is interchanged. You can see NS engines  conveying

> local freight to the Industrial Park & you can see WW freights  moving.

>

> Terry Marshall

> Hagerstown, MD