The Washington & Old Dominion Railway, not to be confused with the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, was created from the combination of the Great Falls & Old Dominion Railway and the Southern Railway's former Bluemont Branch. Incorporated on May 2nd, 1911, the Washington & Old Dominion Railway came to be because of two men who wanted fast, public transportation from the soon to be suburbs of Washington D.C. to the city itself. These people were West Virginia Senator Stephen B. Elkins, and Washington Post owner John R. McLean.

The two's first act of business ownership was to build the Great Falls & Old Dominion Railway which ran from Georgetown to Great Falls, Virginia. After the merger, the Great Falls & Old Dominion Railway became the Great Falls Division of the Washington & Old Dominion Railway. On November 9th, 1934, the Great Falls Division was officially abandoned and the right of way was sold to the state which, in turn, turned it into Old Dominion Drive.

During its existence, the Washington & Old Dominion Railway was mainly an electric operation, using both electric passenger coaches and freight motors. The Bluemont Junction to Thrifton Junction connecting route which connected the Great Falls Division with the Bluemont Division was completed on June 30th, 1912. One of the last big accomplishments of the Washington & Old Dominion Railway before it went under was the completion of the Rosslyn Terminal Station on December 9th, 1923.

After only about twenty five years of operation, the Washington & Old Dominion Railway went belly up and the new Washington & Old Dominion Railroad assumed operations on April 16th, 1936.

Corporate History

Created: Incorporated on May 2, 1911.

Dissolved: Reorganized on April 16, 1936.

Start Point:

• Bluemont Division - Alexandria, Virginia (1911 - 1936)

• Great Falls Division - Rosslyn, Virginia (1911 - 1912)

• Great Falls Division - Thrifton Junction, Virginia (1912 - 1934)

• Thrifton Connecting Line - Bluemont Junction, Virginia (1912 - 1936)

End Point:

• Bluemont Division - Bluemont, Virginia (1911 - 1936)

• Great Falls Division - Great Falls, Virginia (1911 - 1934)

• Thrifton Connecting Line - Rosslyn, Virginia (1912 - 1936)

Other Lines:

• The railway leased numerous Southern Railway spurs within the city of Alexandria, Virginia.

Passenger and Freight Interchanges:

• Southern Railway at Alexandria, Virginia (1911 - 1936)

• Richmond, Fredericksburg, & Potomac Railroad at Alexandria, Virginia (1911 - 1936)

• Washington-Virginia Railway at Rosslyn, Virginia (1911 - 1927)

• Mount Vernon, Alexandria, & Washington Railway at St. Elmo, Virginia (1927 - 1932)

• Arlington & Fairfax Electric Railway at Rosslyn, Virginia (1927 - 1936)

• Arlington & Fairfax Electric Railway at Vienna, Virginia (1927 - 1936)

• Arlington & Fairfax Electric Railway at West Falls Church, Virginia (1927 - 1936)

• Arlington & Fairfax Electric Railway at East Falls Church, Virginia (1927 - 1936)

• Arlington & Fairfax Electric Railway at Franklin, Virginia (1927 - 1936)

• Arlington & Fairfax Electric Railway at Waycroft, Virginia (1927 - 1936)

• Capitol Traction at Rosslyn, Virginia (1911 - 1933)

• Capitol Transit at Rosslyn, Virginia (1933 - 1936)

Gauge: Standard

Total Length: 71.64 Miles

Headquarters: Rosslyn, Virginia

Owners:

• Stephen B. Elkins

• John R. McLean

President:

• John R. McLean (1911)

Predecessors:

• Great Falls & Old Dominion Railway (1900 - 1911)

• Southern Railway (Bluemont Branch) (Leased until purchased in 1941)

Successors:

• Washington & Old Dominion Railroad (1936 - 1956)

• Washington & Old Dominion Railroad (C&O Property) (1956 - 1968)