Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Norfolk & Western Railroad Company Records must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Norfolk & Western Railroad Company Records, Ms2012-077,Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The Norfolk & Western Railroad Company Records were acquired by Special Collections prior to 2009.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Norfolk & Western Railroad Company Records was completed in December 2012.

Historical Note

The Norfolk & Western Railroad originated with the 1838 chartering of the City Point Railroad, a line between Petersburg and City Point, Virginia. The line was purchased by the South Side Railroad in 1854, which, in turn, merged with the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad and the Norfolk & Petersburg Railroad, forming the Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad in 1870. The AM&O fell into bankruptcy and was purchased in 1881, the new owners incorporating under the name Norfolk and Western Railroad, with a line extending from Virginia's coast to Southwest Virginia. The N&W went into receivership in 1895 and was reorganized as the Norfolk & Western Railway the following year.

Scope and Content

The collection consists mostly of invoices and purchase lists for the Norfolk & Western Railroad Company and related companies from the 1880s. In addition, there is some company correspondence and business records, as well as some ephemera (ticket stubs and luggage tags).

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically and by category.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Norfolk and Western Railroad Company (1881-1896)
• Railroad