The Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad (reporting mark RFP) was a railroad connecting Richmond, Virginia, to Washington, D.C. The track is now the RF&P Subdivision of the CSX Transportation system; the original corporation is no longer a railroad company.
The RF&P was a bridge line, with a slogan of "Linking North & South," on a system that stretched about 113 miles. Until around 1965 RF&P originated less than 5% of its freight tonnage, probably less than any other Class I railroad. For much of its existence the RF&P connected with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Seaboard Air Line Railroad at Richmond. At Alexandria and through trackage rights to Union Station in Washington, D.C., connections were made with the Pennsylvania Railroad, Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the Southern Railway. It connected to the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad at Potomac Yard and interchanged with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway at Doswell. It and the former Conrail properties are the only CSX lines to have cab signal requirements on their entire system.
As the link between "North and South" the RF&P primarily hosted the trains of other railroads, particularly those on the lucrative New York–Florida run. In March 1950 this included the East Coast Champion, West Coast Champion, Miamian, Palmland, Silver Star, Silver Comet, Orange Blossom Special, Silver Meteor, Vacationer, Havana Special, Palmetto, Florida Special, Cotton Blossom, Sunland, and Everglades.
The original Auto Train traveled RF&P rails.
Freight Equipment
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| Early 1970s: Map herald on the right, block letters on the left side. | |
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Locomotives
| 1950s-60s: Blue/gray with gold pinstriping: | |
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Block Letters appeared with the 1960s delivery of the GP35s. |
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| Late 1972, after they were shopped, the white frame stripe was added to the fleet including the GP7s. |
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| Circa 1981-82 the white frame stripes disappear and late in 1983 the Stacked Logo begins to appear as units were shopped. |
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| 1987-88 Stacked logo added to the long hood end | |
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| 1989 Gold Seal applied on the side of the cab with the number moved, but only on select units. |
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Cabeese
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| Known good for 1987: | |
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