Interchange: Virginian and Ohio (freelance)

Virginian & Ohio, Afton Division. 1957-2001.

Virginian & Ohio, Gauly Division. 2001-2008.

The K&M subdivision is officially modeled on Gerry Alber's Deepwater District. Read more here.

Closeup of the V&O section on the Deepwater District.

The Deepwater District was featured in Model Railroad Planning 1995 and Great Model Railroads 2014.

The Virginian & Ohio had extended their tracks west to Gauley Bridge by late 1927, and gained access to new coal fields in the area. They found more coal hoppers were needed to serve the local coal mines in this area. However, they could not afford this large capital investment until after the stock market crash in the fall of 1929, when freight car manufacturers were happy to reduce their prices for even a modest 100-car order. In November, 1929, the Virginian & Ohio ordered 100 USRA 2-bay ribbed-side hopper cars from the Pressed Steel Car Co. These cars were built during 12/29 and 1/30, and numbered in series 1000-1099.

Accurail’s 2400-series USRA 2-bay open hopper, with Bettendorf-style trucks.

By the end of WWII, the Virginian & Ohio (V&O) experienced a critical shortage of hopper car capacity. Steel finally became available for freight car production. Accordingly, the V&O ordered 100 steel, 70-ton, offset-side triple hopper cars. These cars were built to the AAR 70-ton steel hopper car design, and were manufactured by the Pullman Standard Car Company at their Michigan City, Indiana facility. The V&O accepted delivery of these cars in November and December of 1947 and January of 1948. Cars were numbered in series 1800-1899. These hopper cars were interchanged with other railroads in the Appalachian region and Midwestern states, such as the Allegheny Midland and Virginia Midland, as lake coal was moved to markets. Many of these cars were repaired or rebuilt, with some cars remaining in revenue service through the mid-1970’s.

Accurail’s 7500 series all-steel AAR 70-ton triple hopper car.

40 foot, steel underframe

The Virginian & Ohio (V&O) accepted delivery of 130 steel box cars, equipped with 6 feet wide Youngstown doors, in September, 1938. These cars were built to the 1937 update of the 1932 AAR steel box car design, and were built by the Pullman Standard Car Co. After WWII, the V&O was short of equipment, and subsequently rebuilt 49 of these all-steel cars in their West Carrolton, Ohio shops during 1947. The rebuilt cars were renumbered as series 3900-3948.

In 1923, the Miami Valley Railroad, a subsidiary of the Virginian & Ohio, ordered 50 boxcars from American Car and Foundry. These cars had an inside length of 36' 5", an inside height of 8' 4", an inside width of 8' 6", and a capacity of 2580 cubic feet. They featured Hutchinson steel roofs, 7/7 inverted rib steel ends, seven-foot wooden doors, Andrews trucks, and K-style air brakes. The cars were delivered with MVR reporting marks.

The V&O also ordered 34 of these cars, which were delivered in V&O livery and carried V&O reporting marks. Some of these cars were rebuilt at the West Carrollton shops in July, 1940 in the buildup to World War II. The last of these cars continued in service until late 1952. V&O Tool Car No. 435 was rebuilt at West Carrollton in December, 1946. It continued in service on the V&O into the late 1960s.

AccuRail.

After years of restrictions on new car construction during WWII, the Virginian and Ohio (V&O) recognized in the early 1950’s the need for new, larger capacity boxcars to supplement their aging fleet of 40’ boxcars. In October, 1955, the V&O purchased 39 steel 50’ boxcars, equipped with 8 feet wide plug doors. In June, 1957 they ordered another 31 cars. These cars were built to the 1937 AAR steel boxcar design, as modified in 1948, and were built by American Car & Foundry. The cars were painted blue, and had the classic ‘The Ridge Runner’ slogan emblazoned on their sides. Cars were numbered in V&O series 3700- 3769, were equipped with Evans DF loaders, and had a nominal capacity of 50 tons. Many of these cars were interchanged with Eastern railroads in the Appalachian region and Midwestern states. The last car was retired in 1982, although several cars continued to be used as MOW tool and supply cars for several years after that date.

Accurail’s 5100 series steel, riveted AAR boxcar with 8 feet wide Camel plug doors.

The Virginian & Ohio Railroad found it needed special-purpose cars to serve several on-line industries in the post- WWII economic expansion. New cars were needed to serve five paper mills on the railroad. The V&O was able to obtain 28 cars from AC&F, tacked onto a larger order for another Class I railroad. These 40’ steel boxcars were built in August of 1951, and were numbered 3842 through 3869. They were fitted with 8’-6” wide by 9’-10” high plug doors and damage-free loaders (DF-2), classified XML, and assigned for “Paper Lading Only.” These cars continued in revenue service until 1971, when several cars were converted to MOW tool cars.

Accurail’s 3100-series steel plug-door boxcar.

In 1952, the V&O needed some insulated boxcars with plug doors to serve several processed food distributors. Not able to purchase ten new boxcars at this time, the V&O’s West Carrolton car shop was able to rebuild excess 40’ steel boxcars, built in late 1948, by adding insulation, plug doors and damage-free loaders (DF-2). These cars were completed in May of 1952, numbered in series 3870 – 3879, classified XFL, and marked “Processed Food Products Only.” They continued in service until 1982, when they were scrapped.

Accurail’s 3100-series steel plug-door boxcar.

Rebuilt in 1947 from series 3000-3299.

These were the first V&O cars to be painted blue, and the first to have ‘The Ridge Runner’ slogan emblazoned on their sides. The rebuilt cars were renumbered as V&O series 3900-3948, and were specified to be used only for “clean lading.” Many of these cars were interchanged with other Eastern railroads in the Appalachian region and Midwestern states. The last car was retired in 1972, although several cars continued to be used as MOW tool and supply cars after that date.

Accurail’s 3500 series all-steel AAR box car with 6 feet wide Youngstown doors.