CW&E/K&LE Run-Through Agreement Announced
[ERIE, PA- CINCINNATI, OH- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- August 29, 1976] The Chesapeake, Wheeling and Erie Railroad and the Kanawha and Lake Erie Railroad today announced the signing of a run-through agreement which will allow trains to move across both railroad systems in an expedited manner. Entire trains of various commodities will be forwarded from one railroad to the other with minimal delay. The map below shows the connection of the two railroads at Morgantown, WV and clearly shows the expanded geography served by the run-through agreement.
John Miller, President and CEO of the Kanawha and Lake Erie Railroad, stated "This agreement will allow the K&LE and the CW&E to remain competitive in this era of rail line consolidation. Additionally, we will be able to provide improved service to all of the customers served by both railroads." The agreement is expected to take effect immediately.
In reviewing your system map, it seems like the lines meet in Morgantown, WV. The town with the same name in PA is near the Lancaster area, much further east.
ReplyDeleteMorgantown, WV, is known as the home of WVU and lies about ten miles south of the Mason-Dixon Line. At one time the B&O passed through Morgantown with a busy line connecting Fairmont, WV, and Connellsville, PA. Western maryland Railway trains had trackage rights along these rails, too. Today, NS and CSX operate the former Monongahela Railway line that sits on the west bank of the Monongahela River, across from Morgantown.
- Eric
(Lived 24 years in Morgantown)
www.mvrrc.org/
Eric,
ReplyDeleteYou're exactly right- the connection is at Morgantown, WV, not PA. I've made the change to the blog post. For whatever reason, I keep thinking that the Morgantown on the railroad is in PA. Hopefully this little snafu will help clear up my confusion. Thanks for pointing this out.
I was aware that the B&O went through Morgantown, and I believe the line actually continued from Fairmont to Charleston, WV.
Tom Patterson
Can you tell me your route through Virginia. My Virginia Midland is based in Fredericksburg, VA area, which is on your map. It looks like the CWE follows the Rappahannock River to the Chesapeake Bay. It may even run right near where I presently live!
ReplyDeleteShannon,
DeleteThe route comes in from West Virginia just west of New Market and then proceeds through that location to Culpeper. The line continues east and runs just south of Fredericksburg. Looks like it may have an interchange with the VM there! From Fredericksburg, the line continues east to the coal docks at fictitious Hunter's Bay on Chesapeake Bay.
Tom
Tom,
ReplyDeleteThis gives me more reasons to run up the road (29 N) to Culpepper and do some railfanning. Looks like your boys will be running more merchandise! I just need to pack my time machine....
Gerry
Gerard J. Fitzgerald
Charlottesville, Virginia
I was wondering how much longer it will be before the 2 railroads merge together. The CW&LE or the CK&LE comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteDrew,
DeleteThat raises some interesting possibilities that hadn't occurred to me. In addition to run-through power, perhaps we could have some fun at some point with a "merged" paint scheme ala the Appalachian Lines.
Tom
It was the 70's. The era of mergers and railroads working together. A possible sugestion that you could do is a runthrough piggyback and hot priority freight like DT&I's Railblazer and V&O's Flagship series. I'm planning on using a Hot priority freight called the Thoroughbred on my proto-freelance L&N layout. You could use the same name on a run-through if you wish. It's not copyrighted[lol]. I'm again sorry that I wasn't able to make the last op session,but I am looking forward to the next time that you have another session. God Bless,Andrew.
DeleteTom, Sorry for a late reply here. B&O rails did connect Morgantown and Charleston, but I don't know if much traffic was routed that way. It was probably a difficult passenger connection as well. The B&O in Morgantown was the FM&P that connected Fairmont, WV and Connellsville, PA. From Fairmont, the B&O MR Subdivision ventured south to connect with Clarksburg. At Clarksburg, the B&O WV&P lines extend south to the Sutton and Burnsville area and a connection with the former Coal & Coke line that went south to Charleston.
ReplyDeleteAt one time, these were each separate railroads. Johnson Newlon Camden built the Monongahela River Railroad (B&O MR Sub) along with the West Virginia & Pittsburg (Clarksburg to Camden-on-Gauley and Richwood). He also built the Ohio River Railroad (Benwood to Huntington) and the West Virginia Short Line (New Martinsville to Clarksburg). All of these fell into B&O control about 1905. The WV&P was originally three foot gauge.
Henry Gassaway Davis built the Coal & Coke to connect Elkins and Charleston. The B&O gained control of the C&C just after WW1. These men built the railroads to serve land interests they held in coal, timber, oil, and gas rights.
- Eric