The Danville & Western Railway, also known as the "Dick & Willie", was a notable short line in Southern Virginia known for their roster of Ten-Wheelers and later, their colorful Alco RS-2s and RS-3s. The Danville & Western can trace its existence to the creation of the Danville & New River Railroad on March 29, 1873, when the Commonwealth of Virginia approved a charter for the construction of a narrow gauge railroad from Danville, Virginia, to some point on the Atlantic Mississippi & Ohio Railroad near Christiansburg, Virginia. Historically, the railroad never actually reached the Atlantic Mississippi & Ohio, but terminated in Patrick County at a place called Taylorsville, later renamed Stuart in honor of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart.

The railroad always had ambitious plans like most other short lines constructed at that time. Charters were created for the railroad to expand westward to Roanoke, and even as far as West Virginia and Ohio. Alas, the railroad defaulted on interest payments before anymore construction took place beyond Staurt, and so the railroad was sold to the Richmond & Danville Railroad for $300,000 on January 9, 1891.

Meanwhile, actually about a decade before, on November 29, 1880, Another railroad that would eventually become part of the Danville & Western was chartered. This company, called the Danville Mocksville & Southwestern Railroad, was proposed by the Richmond & Danville with the purpose of creating a potential competitor with the Virginia Midland Railroad (Owned by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad) because the company was looking to expand into North Carolina. The Richmond & Danville wanted to keep its economic monopoly in the state and not lose business to the ever expanding B&O.

As it turned out, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad gave up control of the Virginia Midland, and subsequently, the Richmond & Danville bought the company. No longer needing another rail line in North Carolina, the railroad leased the Danville Mocksville & Southwestern to the Danville & New River Railroad on March 1, 1886. The line finally fell under the ownership of the Danville & New River on March 1, 1899. The railroad was reorganized by the Richmond & Danville Railroad as the Danville & Western Railway Company on January 9, 1891, but was run independently.

At the time of the reorganization of the "Dick & Willie", all operations were still narrow gauge, this was not to last, as 1899 approached, the leaders of the Danville & Western agreed to convert the narrow gauge tracks to standard gauge in order to run longer trains and interchange smoothly with the Southern Railway at Danville, and the Norfolk & Western Railway at Koehler. They originally placed a third rail on the outside of the narrow gauge track from Stokesland (South of Danville) to Leaksville to serve the many textile mills located in that area before standardizing the rest of the line.

The Leaksville Branch was always the most profitable part of the railroad and is actually still active under the Norfolk Southern banner as their Eden Branch. This left the western part of the route as being an economic burden, and we all know what happens to poor performing rail lines! The conclusion was that The line was to be abandoned from Staurt to Koelher in 1942.

The stock, still mainly owned by the successors of the Richmond & Danville, caused the road to slowly but surely disappear into the vast Southern Railway system. After around 1950, the railroad ceased to exist as a separate company and locomotives of the Carolina & Northwestern Railway and the Southern Railway itself began to be used on the line. The "Dick & Willie's" Alco RS-2s and RS-3s were also separated and sent to different parts of the Southern Railway system and the line eventually became what it is now; A Norfolk Southern branch line. At least some of the historic line is still in use today!

Corporate History

Created: Incorporated on January 9, 1891

Dissolved: 1950s

Start Point: Stokesland (South Danville)

End Point: Staurt (Until 1942 when line was abandoned from Fieldale to Staurt.)

Other Lines:

• Leaksville Branch (Leaksville Junction, VA, to Leaksville, NC.)

• Spray Spur (Draper, NC, to North Spray, NC.)

• Power Plant Spur (Draper, NC, to Duke Power Plant, Eden, NC.)

Interchanges:

• Norfolk & Western Railway (Part of the Roanoke & Southern Railway) at Koehler, VA

• Southern Railway at Stokesland, VA (1894 Onward)

• Danville Mocksville & Southwestern Railway at Leaksville Junction, VA (Until March 1, 1899)

• Virginia Midland Railroad (Until 1894)

Gauge: Narrow Gauge (Until 1903 when the whole line was converted to standard gauge.)

Total Length: 78.75 Miles

Headquarter: Danville, VA

Owners:

• Richmond & Danville Railroad (Bought the line on January 9, 1891.)

• Southern Railway (inherited the line from the Richmond & Danville and eventually absorbed it completely in the 1950s through their Carolina & Northwestern Railway.)

Predecessors:

• Danville & New River Railroad (January 9, 1891)

• Danville Mocksville & Southwestern Railroad (March 1, 1899)

Successors:

• Carolina & Northwestern Railway (1950s)

• Southern Railway (Dissolved the C&NW in the 1960s and so inherited the line.)

• Norfolk Southern Corp. (Now operated as the NS Eden Branch.)

Danville & Western Railway Baldwin built ten wheeler #18 is on the head of a local freight in February of 1917 in Danville, Virginia. This 4-6-0 was originally built for the Buffalo New York & Pennsylvania Railroad as their #89 in May of 1885.

Danville & Western Railway Baldwin 4-6-0 #20 is seen silent at Danville, Virginia, in the 1940's. #20 and sister #21 were bought new from the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1905.

Danville & Western Railway Baldwin 2-8-0 #21 at Danville, Virginia, on June 2, 1940. Bought new in 1905, this locomotive was used by the "Dick & Willie" until finally being replaced by the new Alco RS-2s when the road dieselized in 1949.

Danville & Western Railway Alco-Richmond 4-6-0 #22 at Danville, Virginia, on June 2, 1940. This 4-6-0 was another one of the last steam locomotives used by the D&W, and was subsequently scrapped when the RS-2s arrived in 1949.