Lorton and Occoquan Railroad
Overview | |
---|---|
Headquarters | standard gauge |
The Lorton and Occoquan Railroad (L&O) was a seven-mile
History
The main stretch of railroad for the L&O was only about four miles long. Four
The railroad was used for prisoner transport as well as freight for hauling coal to prison-industry sites and removal of finished products and waste. Prisoners were transported to and from the
In addition to prisoners, the railroad was used to haul coal to the prison brickyard and to transport finished brick out of the prison. Sewage was also hauled out of the prison by trains prior to the extension of sewer facilities to Lorton by the Fairfax County Water Authority.
In response to
In 1977, the railroad ended service as road transport became cheaper than the costs of maintaining and operating the specialized Lorton and Occoquan line. When the engines were sold in 1980, a company in Alabama refurbished them and one remains in service on a tourist line in West Virginia. The trackage was mostly covered by pavement or recycled for scrap, but portions remained visible along various areas of Lorton.
During construction of the I-95 HOV expansion project in the 1980s, the railroad tunnel that went under I-95 and over Pohick Creek was demolished and the tunnel entrances covered over.[1]
In May 2006, much of the right-of-way was converted into the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail.[2] The bridge over Giles Run is built on the extant abutments from the railroad.
References
- ^ "The Lorton and Occoquan Railroad". Retrieved 24 September 2018.
- ^ Rein, Lisa (12 July 2006). "Along a Scenic Trail, a Crumbling Jail". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 September 2018.