Thursday, June 11, 2026

Question: What was the original name of the Virginia Central Railroad?

Answer: The original name of the Virginia Central Railroad was the Louisa Railroad, chartered by the Virginia General Assembly on February 18, 1836. Its name changed in 1850 after the line’s westward extension.

Bonus info: The Louisa Railroad’s eastern terminus was at Hanover Junction (present-day Doswell), about 20 miles north of Richmond, where it connected with the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad. The track reached Gordonsville by 1840. View a map of the original route here.