While travelling South on I-81 a couple of weeks ago I passed an old stone bridge on the east side of the highway that looks like it was a railroad bridge years ago. Does anybody know the story on it?

This is the Folly Mills bridge, part of the B&O's branch to Lexington, VA, abandoned around 1943. If you look closely between Staunton and Lexington, you can see evidence of the right-of-way cutting through some of the farms. B&O lost its lease on the Strasburg to Harrisonburg portion of the line to Southern in 1896 and was left with an isolated operation on the south end from Harrisonburg to Lexington. The third quarter, 2005, issue of The Sentinel, published by the B&ORRHS, has a good story by Bob Cohen about the B&O/Southern relationship on the "Valley Line".

Alan Maples

Hey Guys
This Bridge Never supported rails as the Roadbed that ran from the Stanton VA area and ended in Salem VA never made it past the development of the grade. Most all the grade to include many bridges was completed before the project was dropped. A wonderful book was written on this Ghost Line: Iron Horses in the Valley by John R. Hildabrand, The history of Valley and Shenandoah Valley Railroads 1862-1882, soft back book about 1/2 inch thick great history on this project. I'm From Roanoke/Salem Va. and have spent some great weekend afternoons tracing this line. The book gives you detailed historical information of its development and information on where to find all the bridges and the lay of the line as compared to Current maps and landmarks. Attached are some views of the bridge as seen beside I-81, to access this bridge is difficult due to private property and the inability to stop safely on the very narrow side of a very busy interstate 81 not recommended.

Standing under Interstate I-81 showing two views of the arches.



Standing on the south side of the bridge looking at the west side of the bridge.


Standing on the north side of the bridge looking at the west side of the bridge.

Thanks for the info and the pics!!! That sure is a pretty bridge!!! I am glad that it was left standing while I-81 was being built

Ray

Steve, I beg to differ about the bridge having rails. The Valley RR of Virginia line was completed south to Lexington, it's second President (who died after securing some financing) was a retired military officer named Robert E. Lee. The portion from Lexington south to Salem never saw rails. There are two single arch bridges still standing between Staunton and Lexington, also. In the Salem area there are two single arch bridges that never had rails. Both are on private property. The Chesapeake Western purchased the B&O's Lexington branch after abandonment in 1943, I think. They scrapped the portion from Staunton to Lexington but retained the Harrisonburg/Staunton portion. Twenty-two miles of this stretch is the current Shenandoah Valley RR. That Japanese water must be causing you memory loss....... :)

Well Gary

What can I say, With out my books to reference and the fact that I'm pretty sure you know more about this topic than I do I'll have to concede your correct. I knew much of the line wasn't used just didn't realize that particular bridge had fit into the segment that was used long ago. Sorry guys for my miss-information. Now I'm looking forward to getting home and re-reading Iron Horses in the Valley...to re-educate my self on the topic. For now though I'll retreat to the sandy beaches of the south pacific and just read the topics for now, as I feel rather defenseless with out my BOOKS. Oh well I guess I can live with the beaches for a little longer...

Currently getting by in Okinawa Japan,
(On vacation that is!)

The stone arch bridge, which has the date 1874 on it is located at milepost 219 of the paralleling Interstate-81 and was part of the ill-fated and never fully utilized Valley Railroad of Virginia operated by the B&O RR.

The bridges traverses Folly Mills Creek and is 4-arches, also being on the National Register of Historic Places.

It has the date very plainly visible from the highway and is totally inaccesible from the other side being on private property and behind 2 locked gates.

The B&O abandoned this line effective November 1,1942 and sold the 35 miles of abandoned line between Staunton and Lexington which did have rails, the 51-odd miles between Lexington and Salem which never had rails but did have a lot work done on it in 1873-1874 along with the 25 miles of worthwhile railroad which exists to this day between Harrisonburg and Staunton to local railroad Chesapeake Western.

CW had purchased the whole package with a major provisio being that the line south of Staunton be officially abandoned before any deal was inked and the whole deal was sealed for $150,000 effective midnight, January 1, 1943.

CW picked up all the pieces of everything south of Staunton and with the bridge being some 5 or 6 miles south of that locale, last felt the weight of railroad motive power during the Summer fo 1943 as I have been told the job wasn't completed until August 1943.

The bridge over Folly Mills Creek was built by the Mason Syndicate in 1874 as their part of the construction program planned by the B&O to link up with the south but never felt rails or anything else until the B&O resumed construction in 1882-1883 after stopping all work suddenly in late November 1874 with a different contractor completing the job in 1883.

If you know where to look there are many bits and pieces between Staunton and Lexington which did have rails, but equally interesting are the next 51 miles which has cuts, fills culverts and arches in various stages of completion and partial completion, quire visible even today. Professor John Hildebrand wrote a nice history, including maps and recent clor photographs of the incomplete line and its title is "Iron Horses in the Valley".

If you desire more information about this most interesting chapter in B&O railroad history, please feel free to contact me either via this forum or direct at ORL96782@yahoo.com.

Is this the same Chesapeake Western whose diesels are in the Roanoke scrap yard with the "Lost Engines"?

Yes. 2 of the CW's Alco T-6's also exist, #10, on display at VMT, and number 11, restored to it's original N&W #41, owned by Roanoke Chapter NRHS and stored servicable in Cumberland, MD.