NATIONAL
RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NATIONAL
RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Rivanna Chapter
Charlottesville, Virginia
Chapter Activities
The "Rivanna" in our Chapter's name is from the Rivanna River (the pronounciation is Rye-Vanna), a tributary of the James River in central Virginia. The Rivanna defines the northeast and eastern boundaries of the city of Charlottesville and the northern boundary of Thomas Jefferson's estate "Monticello".
The Rivanna Chapter meets every month at a local Charlottesville area restaurant starting at 6:00pm. After dinner and discussions of rail news, a program of railroad interest follows. This could be the screening of a railroad video, a slide presentation by a Chapter member or a talk by a distinguished guest speaker. Fun ativities during our meetings include "Railroad Trivia" during the meal and "Theme Nights", which feature a particular railroad. An Annual Picnic is held in the Summer or Fall.
Chapter members go on excursions. For example, on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15, 1998, a group of members intended to make a roundtrip from Charlottesville to Staunton, VA and return on Amtrak (see the Central Virginia Railfan Page CSXT North Mountain Subdivision). The eastbound and westbound Cardinals were expected to meet in the Mountain Subdivision west of Staunton. However! The eastbound Cardinal was very late because of weather problems in Indiana. Amtrak graciously allowed us to ride all the way to Clifton Forge, and catch the eastbound there. It worked, and we enjoyed a fine dinner meal in the cafeteria used by the CSX crews at the Clifton Forge division point. During the wait for the eastbound, the yardmaster demonstrated the proficiency testing computer system which is regularly used by CSX personnel. The Chapter made this same roundtrip run on the Cardinal between Staunton and Charlottsville about ten years ago. We have also made an afternoon roundtrip from Richmond to Newport News.
Rivanna Chapter members have the opportunity to serve as car hosts on Buckingham Branch Railroad excursions sponsored by our sister NRHS chapter in Richmond, the Old Dominion Chapter. In 1993, Rivanna Chapter members served as car hosts and in other capacities for the operations of the Virginia Central Railroad steam excursion trains operating on the CSX North Mountain Subdivision between Charlottesville and Clifton Forge. Since that time the Virginia Central equipment has stayed in the yard at Staunton. At one point during that period Rivanna Chapter member Bucky Chisholm arranged for the Chapter members to use the beautifully restored and decorated dining car of the VC consist to hold a dinner party:
The Rivanna Chapter members have traveled for an excursion on Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia, to ride the Shay-powered train to the top of Bald Knob and to tour the shops. The group posed for a photo at the station. A repeat of this excursion is likely in our future plans!
In May 2003 the Rivanna Chapter took a bus trip to Roanoke, where they visited the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the Norfolk & Western Historical Society and the railyard of the Roanoke Chapter, NRHS.
An ambitious program of railroad oriented trips is planned for the future, to include an April 2005 Amtrak trip to Washington DC on both the Crescent and the Cardinal (Link) and a likely Fall 2005 trip to ride a tourist train in Maryland or West Virginia.
On Monday, December 4, 1995, at a meeting of the Charlottesville City Council, Rivanna Chapter made a formal offer to buy the Fairbanks-Morse 300 ton coaling tower in the CSX (ex-C&O) yard. After discussion, the Council voted to accept another offer which they had received a week earlier. The members of Rivanna Chapter were disappointed that our offer was not accepted, but we were pleased that we were able to join together in an action on behalf of the cause of railway history preservation. The color image of the old C&O yard shown below was taken sometime in the 30s or 40s; the 8x10 print was donated to the Monticello Model Railroad Club. The coaling tower is in the background on the right side of the image.
The Chapter formerly owned a motor railcar, which members took to motor railcar meets in Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, often to run on truly "rare mileage". It was ex-CN166-95, which operated in Quebec. Several members of the chapter own private motor railcars (166-96 in the background to the right is owned by Treasurer Charles Rausch). We were affiliated with NARCOA (North American Railcar Operator's Association), and were insured through them. The Chapter participated in motor railcar meets in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Homer and two other Rivanna railcars appear in a photograph on page 110 of the 1996 "Society Activities Annual" issue of the NRHS Bulletin (Vol.61,No.3). Homer was sold by the Chapter in 2002, but Chapter members remain active in railcar activities.
Our members have varied interests in railroads. Besides railcars, we also have many members involved in model railroading and even a few in live steam.
A special "excursion": The Chapter prepared a "float" for Charlottesville's annual Dogwood Parade on Saturday morning, April 20, 1996. Our float consisted of Homer and and a handcar, plus various rail artifacts, on a trailer behind a pickup truck, with our members onboard. The Chapter purchased and installed a flashing warning light (see above) for our railcar for the parade. Chapter members passed out Operation Lifesaver literature to the spectators.
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Last Updated: April 11, 2006
Copyright © 2005 by Rivanna Chapter, National Railway Historical Society