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Virginia county publishes guide to train-watching sites
As a native of Orange, Va. (have not lived there since 1965) I can assure you that there is more railroad history and things railroad related in that small rural Virginia county than just about any other.
A lot of people don’t know that Orange Court House was John Wilkes Booth’s destination after fleeing Washington, D.C. and the shooting of Lincoln. Booth’s goal was to catch a train at the Orange & Alexandria Railway station for points in the deep south. Booth was caught in Caroline County, Virginia by Federal forces about 60 miles short of his goal.
The Wreck of the Fat Nancy happened about 2 miles south of the town of Orange when the wooden trestle over Fat Nancy Creek (or branch, I’m not sure) collapsed as a Washington City, Virginia Midland & Southern Railroad passenger train was passing over it. One of the passengers in a forward car that didn’t end up at the bottom of the trestle was Confederate General James Longstreet returning from a Gettysburg, Pa. reunion of Confederate and Union veterans.
My grandfather and his brother were caught by a photographer sitting near the end of one of the derailed cars. They lived about a mile further south and had walked in to town to trade a few chickens for some needed items by the family.
History is a wonderful thing that new generations are missing out on because it’s not taught in schools any longer. It’s still there and all we have to do is look around.
Brad, wonderful comment, you brought orange county to life.
This should be an example and inspiration to many more of us across the country.
NS right-of-way next to historic Graffiti House in Brandy Station, Va.