About the line going thru Chesterfield County, Va.

greenspun.com : LUSENET : ACL and SAL Railroads Historical Society : One Thread

I am trying to discover the railroad company that had a line that ran north and south in Chesterfield Co.,Va., just west of Route 1 in Colonial Heights,Va. it crossed Branders Bridge Road from 1898- 1907. I am trying to discover info about a wrecker train hitting a wagon at that crossing, killing an older man named George F. Perkinson. Child with him did not die. The wrecker train was going to another train wreck that had occurred. I am trying to get the date of this accident, and the name of the rail company. George was my gr-gr-grandpa. Thanks to all for any help!

-- Peggy Scott Edwards (TallChik57@aol.com), April 02, 2002

Answers

On June 27, 1903, there was a wreck at Dunlop Station on the ACL, when the N&W's Cannonball passenger train plowed head-on into a standing northbound ACL RR freight train. Dunlop is near the Branders Bridge Road crossing. I seem to recall reading about a wagon-train accident while doing some research of the Cannonball wreck, but can not recall if it happened then or at a later date, or whether it occurred at the River Road or Woodpecker Rd crossings, or at Branders Bridge Road. Suggest that you visit the Petersburg VA Public Library and research the Petersburg Daily Index Appeal newspaper articles concerning the wagon-train wreck. The newspapers dated June 28 & 30, 1903 printed interesting articles about the Cannonball wreck should you be interested. Good Luck,

-- Herman J Wilkins (railrdn@aol.com), April 04, 2002.

Prior to November 1898 the railroad you are seeking was the Richmond & Petersburg RR. After that date it became the Atlantic Coast Line RR. To find information on the crossing accident, it is suggested you do a search of the newspapers on microfilm in the Petersburg, Va., City Library or the State Library in Richmond, Va. An accident like this would most likely have been written up in a Petersburg newspaper. If you haven't already done so, you might want to obtain a copy of the death certificate in Petersburg, to ascertain the exact date of death before doing the newspaper search

-- Tom Underwood (tlunder@attglobal.net), April 03, 2002.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ