Title: Norfolk and Western Railroad Records, 1881-1979
Primary Creator: Norfolk and Western Railway Company.
Extent: 10.0 MS boxes
Arrangement:
Arranged by series as follows:
Series 1: History
Series 2: Annual reports
Series 3: Rules and By-laws
Series 4: Legal documents
Series 5: Subject files
Subjects: Clark, Clarence H., Norfolk and Western Railway Company., Railroads -- Virginia., Railroads -- West Virginia.
Languages: English
Chartered in 1881, the Norfolk and Western Railroad was created and organized when Clarence H. Clark and his associates purchased the property and franchises belonging to the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad Company. The combined length owned by Clark and associates, after the rights had been bought in a public sale, was just over 400 miles. By the year 1900 another 1,100 miles had been added including a branch as far north as Columbus, Ohio. Growth was limited for the railroad until after the close of World War II. In 1959 Norfolk and Western acquired another 600 miles of track, used primarily for coal transport, from the then defunct Virginia Railway.
In 1964 N&W added another 2,100 miles to its already large network of tracks by buying up the franchise rights of the Nickel Plate Railroad. Finally, six years later in 1970 N&W took over full control of the Wabash Railroad which added yet another 2,400 miles. This stretched its lines to over 7,600 miles and included such cities as Norfolk, Buffalo and Detroit, and as far west as Chicago, Des Moines, Omaha and Kansas City. By 1970 the Norfolk and Western Railway Company had assets totaling over two billion dollars. Although it had much mileage in both Virginia and West Virginia more than two thirds of N&W track lay north and west of the Ohio River.
Clark, Clarence H.
Norfolk and Western Railway Company.
Railroads -- Virginia.
Railroads -- West Virginia.
Repository: Berea College Special Collections and Archives Catalog
Access Restrictions: Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College.
Use Restrictions: There are no restrictions placed on this collection other than federal copyright regulations.
Preferred Citation: [Object identification/Folder/Box], Norfolk and Western Railroad Company Records, Collection, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Berea, KY.
Other Note: Collection Number: BCA 0063 SAA 063
