Nostalgia & History > The truest bridge line of them all.

When we talk about railroads that made money forwarding traffic for other roads, we think of Delaware and Hudson, Rio Grande, or Western Maryland. All three were critical links in the railroad supply chain. All three of these roads also had online business that kept their bottom lines healthy. But, a railroad that is frequently left out of the list is the Richmond Fredericksburg and Potomac. It was the purest bridge line of them all. its 100 plus mile main was a conduit between the bigger roads in the north and south. It had next to no online customers. It was a pipeline on rails period. It massive Potomac yard in Alexandria was a truly impressive facility, rivaling the hump yards of roads many times its size. I first got on the property in 1969, and while it was not my favorite road by any stretch, do in no small part to its hostility toward railfans, I did admire its operations. Over the years, I would work in visits for one simple reason...it was busy! My favorite spot was Ashland Virginia, where the railroad comes through the middle of town, down a main street. Virtual railfan has a couple of cams there today, but freight traffic is only a fraction of what it was. In the day, RF&P was funneling 20 to 30 freights a day up its corridor. So hostile or not, here is a salute to the little giant, the purest bridge line of the bunch.

top...a great spot to watch the action...the passenger station in Alexandria. Southbound has just left Potomac yard

middle...a first visit shot from 1969 just south of the station

bottom...northbound at Alexandria

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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a few shots taken at Potomac yard. 

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...south end of the road. Service facility attache to Acca yard in Richmond

middle...southbound leaving Potomac yard

bottom...Another classic from 1969 at Alexandria

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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Super set - My favorite is photo three of the northbound at Alexandria.
Bob

top and middle...favorite spot at Ashland Va.

bottom...unfortunaley, they applied this stylish lettering on the nose towards the end of the RF&P.

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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top...southbound at Alexandria. Southern freight following

middle..northbound at Alexandria

bottom...actually a CSX train at this point, but a pretty impressive backdrop

Bill Rettberg
Bel Air, MD

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Another set of great photos.  Thanks Bill for sharing them with all of us.  Yes, many people stated that the management of the RF&P were not nice with any rail enthusiasts taking photos anywhere on their property.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Great looking bunch of a vital but often forgotten railroad.  Long live the RF&P!

Rich

Take a look at the carload stats in Moody's --
as I recall 95%? of RF&P's carloads
originated offline. Don't remember if it
tabulates terminating loads.

Fantastic series!

Nice and enjoyable RF&P series! Lots to see!

Larry

Gotta love E-units Haulin' Freight !

A small factoid:  Even-numbered road units faced north, odd-numbered south.

Gordon