Piedmont

The road, long desired by many in western North Carolina and the Richmond & Danville Railroad, was built at the insistence of the Confederate government. The Richmond & Danville bought almost all the stock issued, built and ran the road.

The road was chartered and building started in late 1862. The road was open for through traffic May 21, 1864. 

The road was poorly built -- ties too far apart, grading minimal, and ballasting, depots, platforms, water stations, firewood supplies, and sidings were far below requirements. Rolling stock was mostly provided by the Richmond & Danville and modified to the new road's North Carolina gauge. The rail was taken up from at least 5 Virginia and North Carolina railroads.

The road's worth was proven when the Petersburg Railroad was cut by the Union Army in August 1864, leaving only the Piedmont - Richmond & Danville line to bring in supplies from the states south of Virginia. Considering how poorly this road was able to supply Virginia after the Petersburg Railroad was cut, it is impossible to believe that Lee could have been well-enough supplied to have been able to remain in Virginia through 1865, even if Grant had not pressured him.

A significant amount of Piedmont Railroad information is found in the documents of the Richmond & Danville Railroad.

See also The Construction of the Piedmont Railroad

Black's Number 15 (map) (map)
Track 48 miles of 4 foot 8 inch gauge of various types and weights
Locomotives None; 8 names
Cars None
Stations 6
Officers All
Blockage Running Plans 1862
Construction Materials 1/1/1864
Fodder Provided 1863 & 1864
Tredegar Purchases All
Annual Reports
1-1-64 Chief Engineer
1-1-64 President
1-1-64 Superintendent
Significant Documents
NP, WD 2-12-61
NP, RD 2-14-61
NP, CM 3-6A-61
AR, R&D 6-19-61
NP, REX 11-26-61
NP, WJ 11-26-61
NP, RSTD 11-27-61
NP, WJ 11-28-61
NCRR, NC 11-29-61
NP, RD 12-4-61
NP, RD 12-6-61
NP, REX 12-6-61
NP, RD 12-7-61
NP, REX 12-10-61
NP, RSTD 12-11B-61
NP, RD 12-13-61
NP, REX 12-13D-61
NP, RD 1-2-62
NP, GP 1-16-62
NA, WAR 1-20-62
NP, WJ 1-21-62
NP, RD 1-24-62
NP, FO 1-27-62
NA, SWR 2-28-62
NP, RR 1-29A-62
NP, RD 1-30-62
NP, MAP 2-5-62
NP, RSJ 2-5-62
NP, RSJ 2-5A-62
NP, RS 2-5-62
NP, RD 2-5-62
NP, GP 2-6-62
NCRR, NC 2-7-62
NP, REX 2-7B-62
NCA, P 2-8-62
NP, RS 2-8-62
NP, RR 2-8-62
OR Series 4, Vol. 1, Page 912
NA, LAW 2-10-62
NP, CW 2-10-62
NP, RD 2-10A-62
AR, R&D 2-12-62
NP, RD 2-13-62
NP, GP 2-13B-62
NP, RR 2-15A-62
NP, WJ 2-17-62
NP, RSTD 2-19B-62
NP, AN 2-20-62
NP, MT 2-21B-62
OR Series 4, Vol. 1, Page 947
NA, ENG 2-24-62
NA, ENG 2-26-62
NA, ENG 3-3-62
NA, AIG 3-4-62
NP, RD 3-5-62
NP, WT 3-5-62
NP, RSJ 3-8-62
NA, P 3-11-62
NA, P 3-12-62
NA, P 3-23-62
NP, GP 3-27-62
VAA, P 3-27-62
NA, P 3-28-62
NA, P 4-1-62
NA, P 4-2-62
NA, P 4-3-62
NA, P 4-10-62
NP, GP 4-10A-62
NP, GP 4-10B-62
OR Series 4, Vol. 1, Page 1055
NA, ENG 4-11-62
NA, ENG 4-17-62
NA, P 4-22-62
NA, P 4-23-62
NP, GP 4-24-62
NP, RSTD 4-30A-62
OR Series 4, Vol. 1, Page 1107
NA, P 5-1-62
NA, P 5-2-62
AR, R&D 5-5-62
NP, GP 5-8A-62
NP, RD 5-12B-62
NP, GP 5-18-62
NA, P 5-31-62
NA, RRB 6-2-62
NP, RD 6-9-62
NA, P 6-16-62
NP, RD 6-17A-62
NP, RD 6-19-62
NA, QMR 6-20-62
NP, WJ 6-21-62
NP, WJ 6-21A-62
NA, ENG 6-23-62
NA, P 6-23-62
NA, LS 6-24-62
NP, NYT 6-26-62
NP, NYT 6-26A-62
NA, P 6-30-62
NA, P 6-30A-62
NA, P 7-14-62
NA, QMR 7-14-62
NA, QM 7-15-62
NP, RD 8-26-62
NP, RSTD 9-3B-62
D, P 9-6-62
NP, REX 9-16-62
NP, RD 9-22-62
NP, RD 9-22A-62
NP, RD 9-22C-62
NP, RSTD 9-24B-62
NP, RD 10-2-62
NA, ENG 10-4-62
NP, WJ 10-6-62
NP, RD 10-7B-62
NA, P 10-8-62
NP, RD 10-13E-62
NP, SC 10-14B-62
NP, GP 10-16-62
NA, ENG 10-22-62
NP, RD 10-22-62
NP, RSTD 10-22B-62
OR Series 1, Vol. 19, Part 2, Page 681
NA, QMR 11-5A-62
NP, GP 11-6-62
NP, RR 11-8B-62
OR Series 4, Vol. 2, Page 176
OR Series 1, Vol. 18, Page 779
NA, ENG 11-10-62
NP, RSTD 11-12-62
NA, SWR 11-13-62
NA, ENG 11-17B-62
NA, P 11-19-62
NA, ENG 11-27A-62
NA, QMR 11-28-62
NA, ENG 12-4-62
NA, ENG 12-10-62
NA, ENG 12-10A-62
NP, RSTD 12-10-62
NA, ENG 12-11-62
NA, QMR 12-16D-62
NA, ENG 12-17-62
NP, RSTD 12-17C-62
NA, ENG 12-25-62
NA, ENG 12-26-62
NA, ENG 12-26A-62
OR Series 1, Vol. 18, Page 813
NA, ENG 1-2-63
NA, ENGR 1-2-63
NA, QMR 1-3A-63
NA, QMR 1-5-63
NA, ENG 1-7-63
NA, ENGR 1-7-63
OR Series 1, Vol. 18, Page 825
NA, ENG 1-8D-63
NP, RSTD 1-9-63
NP, RSTD 1-9A-63
NA, ENG 1-14A-63
NP, RSTD 1-14A-63
NA, P 1-15-63
NP, GP 1-15-63
NA, ENG 1-16-63
NA, QMR 1-16B-63
NA, R&D 1-16-63
NP, RD 1-16-63
NA, ENG 1-17A-63
NA, ENG 1-27A-63
NA, SWR 1-27A-63
NP, RD 2-4-63
OR Series 4, Vol. 2, Page 385
OR Series 4, Vol. 2, Page 394
B7, P 2-12-63
NA, ENG 2-14B-63
NA, QMR 2-17-63
NA, P 2-21-63
NA, ENG 3-2-63
NA, ENG 3-2A-63
NA, ENG 3-3-63
NA, ENG 3-3B-63
NA, ENG 3-10A-63
NA, ENG 3-10B-63
NA, RR 3-3-63
NA, ENG 3-5-63
NA, QM 3-7B-63
NP, RD 3-14A-63
NP, RD 3-17-63
NA, ENG 3-25-63
NA, QMR 3-25A-63
NA, ENG 3-26A-63
OR Series 1, Vol. 51, Part 2, Page 690
NCA, RRB 4-1-63
NP, RD 4-1-63
NA, ENGR 4-4-63
NA, ENG 4-11C-63
OR Series 4, Vol. 2, Page 483
OR Series 4, Vol. 2, Page 487
NA, ENG 4-16-63
NA, ENG 4-23-63
NA, ENG 4-23A-63
NA, R&D 5-6-63
NA, ENG 5-9-63
NP, GP 5-14-63
NA, ENG 5-15-63
NA, ENGR 5-22A-63
NP, RD 5-22-63
NA, P 5-29-63
NP, DB 6-1A-63
NP, RD 6-2-63
NA, P 6-8-63
NA, ENG 6-9-63
NP, WD 6-9-63
NP, RD 6-12-63
NA, P 6-13-63
LVA, RRB 6-16-63
LVA, RRB 6-17A-63
NA, QMR 6-23A-63
NA, P 6-27-63
VHS, P 6-27-63
NA, P 6-29-63
NA, BR 6-30-63
B7, P 7-1-63
NA, ENG 7-4A-63
NA, ENG 7-7B-63
NA, QM 7-15-63
UNCC, RR 7-15-63
NA, QM 7-27-63
NA, P 7-30-63
LVA, RRB 8-4-63
NA, ENG 8-4C-63
NA, ENG 8-5-63
NP, GP 8-6-63
NA, ENG 8-7-63
NA, RV 8-7-63
NA, ENG 8-8A-63
NA, ENG 8-12-63
NA, ENG 8-12B-63
NA, P 8-12-63
NA, ENG 8-14-63
NA, ENGR 8-14-63
NA, QMR 8-17C-63
NA, ENG 8-18B-63
NA, ENG 8-19-63
NA, ENG 8-20-63
NA, ENGR 8-20A-63
NA, ENG 8-25-63
NP, WD 8-25B-63
NA, ENGR 8-26B-63
NA, ENG 8-27-63
NA, ENGR 8-27B-63
NA, ENGR 8-27C-63
NA, ENG 8-29B-63
NA, ENG 9-1-63
NA, QMR 9-1A-63
NA, QMR 9-3-63
NA, ENG 9-8-63
NA, ENG 9-9-63
NA, ENG 9-9A-63
NA, ENGR 9-10-63
NA, ENG 9-11-63
NA, ENGR 9-11-63
NA, ENG 9-12-63
NA, ENG 9-16-63
NA, ENG 9-16A-63
NA, ENGR 9-16-63
NA, ENG 9-19-63
NA, ENGR 9-19-63
OR Series 1, Vol. 29, Part 2, Page 736
NA, ENG 9-21A-63
NA, ENGR 9-22-63
NP, FO 9-24-63
NA, QMR 9-25A-63
NA, ENG 9-29-63
NA, ENG 9-29A-63
NP, WD 9-29-63
NA, ENG 9-30A-63
NA, P 9-30-63
NA, ENG 10-2A-63
NA, ENG 10-2B-63
NA, P 10-2-63
NA, ENGR 10-3-63
H, RRB 10-9-63
NA, QMR 10-10A-63
NA, ENG 10-12-63
NA, ENG 10-13-63
NA, QM 10-14-63
NA, QM 10-14B-63
NA, QMR 10-14-63
NP, GP 10-15-63
NA, ENG 10-16B-63
NP, RSTD 10-16-63
RRBAT 10-20-1863
NA, QMR 10-20A-63
NP, RS 10-24-63
NA, ENG 10-26A-63
NA, ENG 10-27C-63
NA, ENGR 10-27-63
NCA, RRB 11-1-63
NA, P 11-2-63
NP, RSJ 11-4-63
NP, RSJ 11-4A-63
NA, ENGR 11-5-63
NP, GP 11-5-63
NP, MT 11-5C-63
RRBAT 11-13A-1863
NA, QMR 11-14-63
RRBAT 11-14A-1863
NP, WD 11-17-63
NA, ENG 11-20A-63
NP, GP 11-20-63
OR Series 4, Vol. 2, Page 968
NP, RS 11-21-63
NA, ENG 11-24A-63
NA, ENG 11-24B-63
NP, RS 11-24-63
NA, DSCGF 11-25-63
NA, ENG 11-26-63
NA, ENG 11-26A-63
NA, RR 11-26-63
NA, P 11-30-63
NP, GP 12-3-63
NP, RS 12-3A-63
NA, ENG 12-9A-63
NA, SWR 12-14-63
NP, YE 12-16-63
NP, WJ 12-17-63
NA, QMR 12-18B-63
NA, SWR 12-18-63
NP, RS 12-19-63
NP, GP 12-24-63
NA, P 12-31-63
OR Series 1, Vol. 51, Part 2, Page 808
NP, GP 1-7-64
NA, ENG 1-9A-64
NA, SWR 1-9-64
NA, QMR 1-18C-64
NA, SWR 1-18A-64
NA, QMR 1-19C-64
NA, ENG 1-20A-64
NP, RD 2-1A-64
NA, RRB 2-11-64
NA, CS 2-15-64
NA, ENG 2-15-64
NA, ENG 2-15B-64
NA, QMR 2-15A-64
NA, ENGR 2-18-64
NA, P 2-19-64
NA, ENG 2-22D-64
NA, ENG 2-22J-64
NA, ENG 2-23A-64
NA, ENG 2-24-64
NA, RRBT 2-25-64
NP, GP 3-3-64
NA, QMR 3-4-64
NA, ENG 3-5-64
NA, ENG 3-8-64
NA, ENGR 3-9-64
NA, ENG 3-14C-64
NA, ENGR 3-14A-64
NA, RRB 3-14-64
NA, RR 3-15-64
NA, RR 3-15A-64
NA, ENG 3-17A-64
OR Series 4, Vol. 3, Page 226
NA, ENG 3-18-64
NA, ENG 3-18A-64
NA, QMR 3-19-64
NA, QMR 3-23-64
NA, ENG 3-28D-64
NA, MG 3-29-64
OR Series 4, Vol. 3, Page 258
NA, ENG 3-31-64
NP, MAP 3-31-64
NP, MT 3-31-64
NA, ENG 4-2B-64
NA, ENG 4-5A-64
OR Series 1, Vol. 32, Part 3, Page 756
OR Series 1, Vol. 33, Page 1268
NA, QM 4-9A-64
NA, ENG 4-13-64
NP, MT 4-13-64
NA, RR 4-14-64
NP, RCF 4-14-64
NP, WJ 4-14A-64
NP, SC 4-17-64
NP, CW 4-18-64
NP, RD 4-19A-64
NP, MT 4-20-64
NA, ENG 4-22-64
NA, SWT 4-22-64
NA, ENG 4-23-64
NA, ENG 4-23A-64
NA, ENG 4-23B-64
NA, SWR 4-23-64
VHS, P 4-25-64
NA, ENG 4-26-64
NA, ENG 4-26A-64
NA, ENG 4-26B-64
NA, ENG 4-26C-64
NA, ENG 4-26D-64
NP, MAP 4-26A-64
NA, ENG 4-27-64
NA, CS 5-1-64
NP, RD 5-2-64
NA, SS 5-4-64
NA, QMR 5-5E-64
NA, ENG 5-7-64
NA, QM 5-7A-64
NA, QM 5-7B-64
OR Series 4, Vol. 3, Page 392
NP, CW 5-9-64
NP, RD 5-9-64
NA, QM 5-11-64
NA, QMR 5-12-64
NP, GP 5-12-64
NA, QM 5-18D-64
NA, QMR 5-18-64
NA, QM 5-19-64
NA, QM 5-21A-64
NA, QM 5-21C-64
NP, AC 5-21-64
NP, RCS 5-23-64
OR Series 1, Vol. 51, Part 2, Page 959
NA, QM 5-25-64
NP, GP 5-26-64
NA, MG 5-31-64
NP, RD 6-1-64
NA, QMR 6-2C-64
NP, GP 6-2-64
NP, RD 6-2-64
NA, P 6-3-64
NP, CT 6-4A-64
NP, RD 6-4A-64
NP, RE 6-4-64
NP, AC 6-9A-64
NP, RS 6-9-64
NP, TS 6-11-64
LVA, RRB 6-20-64
NA, QM 6-23-64
NA, ENG 6-23B-64
NA, ENG 6-25-64
NA, QMR 6-25-64
NA, QMR 7-1A-64
NA, RRB 7-5-64
NA, ENG 7-9A-64
NA, DSCGF 7-10A-64
NP, MT 7-11-64
NA, ENGR 7-16-64
NA, MG 7-18-64
B4, LEE 7-21-64
NA, AT&O 7-26-64
NA, RV 7-28-64
NA, P 7-30-64
NA, MG 7-31A-64
NA, P 8-12-64
NP, RD 8-15-64
NA, QMR 8-16C-64
NA, QMR 8-21-64
B3, LEE 8-22-64
NP, RD 8-26A-64
UNCC, RR 8-27-64
NA, P 9-12-64
NP, GP 9-15-64
NA, QMR 9-23-64
NA, QMR 9-24-64
NA, P 9-30-64
NA, P 9-30A-64
NA, P 9-30B-64
NA, P 9-30C-64
NA, QMR 9-30A-64
NA, QMR 10-4-64
NA, P 10-6-64
NA, QM 10-27-64
NP, GP 10-27-64
NP, RW 10-31-64
NA, QM 11-1A-64
NA, SWR 11-1-64
NP, LV 11-11-64
NA, QMR 11-14B-64
NA, QMR 11-15A-64
NA, QMR 11-23-64
NA, SWR 11-26-64
NA, SWR 11-28-64
NA, QMR 11-29-64
NA, RR 11-29-64
NA, QMR 11-30A-64
NA, SWR 12-1-64
NP, RCF 12-2-64
NA, ENGR 12-3-64
NA, SWR 12-3-64
NA, SWR 12-5-64
NA, QM 12-7-64
NA, QMR 12-7-64
NA, SWR 12-7-64
NP, GP 12-8-64
NA, SWR 12-15-64
NA, SWR 12-15A-64
NP, RD 12-15-64
NA, SWR 12-16-64
NP, RCF 12-20A-64
NP, RCF 12-22-64
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1026
NP, LV 12-25-64
OR Series 1, Vol. 42, Part 3, Page 1311
NA, SWR 12-28-64
OR Series 1, Vol. 42, Part 3, Page 1334
NP, RS 12-29-64
NA, QMR 12-30A-64
NA, SW 12-30-64
NA, SWR 12-30-64
OR Series 1, Vol. 42, Part 3, Page 1348
NA, W&W 12-31-64
NP, RCF 12-31-64
NA, RRB 1-2-65
NA, QM 1-3-65
NA, QM 1-3A-65
NA, QM 1-3B-65
NA, QM 1-3C-65
NA, RRB 1-3-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 18
NA, QM 1-4-65
NA, QM 1-4A-65
NA, RRB 1-4-65
NA, SWR 1-4-65
NA, QMR 1-5A-65
NA, QMR 1-5E-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1016
NA, QMR 1-6A-65
NA, QMR 1-6C-65
NP, RW 1-9-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1026
NA, QM 1-11-65
NA, RRB 1-11-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1034
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1035
NA, AIG 1-12-65
NA, QM 1-12B-65
NA, QMR 1-12-65
NA, QMR 1-13-65
NA, RRB 1-13-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1045
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 114
NA, QM 1-14-65
NP, RW 1-14-65
NP, AC 1-15-65
NP, CO 1-16A-65
NP, RW 1-16-65
NA, RRB 1-19-65
B4, LEE 1-20-65
NA, QMR 1-20-65
NA, RRB 1-20-65
NA, SWR 1-20-65
NP, RCF 1-20-65
NA, RRB 1-23-65
NA, RRB 1-23G-65
NA, RRB 1-23K-65
NP, RCF 1-25-65
NP, CR 1-26B-65
NP, RD 1-27-65
NP, RW 1-27-65
NA, QMR 1-28A-65
NA, QMR 1-28B-65
NA, AIG 1-30A-65
NA, RRB 1-30A-65
NA, RRB 1-30B-65
NP, RD 1-30-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 42, Part 2, Page 1166
NA, AIG 2-2-65
NP, AI 2-2-65
NP, RD 2-2A-65
NA, RRB 2-3A-65
NA, QMR 2-6-65
NA, RRB 2-7B-65
NCA, P 2-7-65
NP, RCF 2-7A-65
NP, AP 2-8-65
NP, LV 2-8-65
NA, RRB 2-11B-65
NP, RD 2-11-65
NA, QMR 2-13-65
NA, RRB 2-13A-65
NA, RRB 2-14B-65
NP, RSTD 2-15-65
NP, RSTD 2-15B-65
NA, QMR 2-16A-65
NP, RD 2-21-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 2, Page 1239
NP, RCF 2-23-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 2, Page 1312
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 2, Page 1313
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 2, Page 1320
NP, RW 3-7-65
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 2, Page 1298
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 2, Page 1440
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 3, Page 724
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 3, Page 1391
OR Series 1, Vol. 46, Part 3, Page 1392
OR Series 1, Vol. 47, Part 3, Page 790

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