Buckingham Branch Railroad - Trains Magazine
David Craig
Updated on April 07, 2026
I'm very curious about the Buckingham Brand Railroad, and specifically it's Richmond & Alleghany Division, which it leases from CSX. The Richmond & Alleghany division is the former C&O line over North Mountain, and goes from Richmond to Clifton Forge.
BB recently won an award from the shortline association for excellence. But what do they ship over that North Mountain line? I've heard they haul woodchips from eastern VA bound for the Mead Westvaco plant in Covington, a hop and a skip up from Clifton Forge. I'm also aware that CSX retains trackage rights and hauls coal empties over the line bound for WVa, and that the Amtrak Cardinal uses the line. I understand that CSX leased off the line because it's at higher grade than their James River route to Clifton Forge, and because they couldn't cost-effectively serve Richmond customers.
Are there any more originating or terminating freight runs over the line? Are there any other types of freight that BB hauls over the line? I'm aware that there is a lumber facility trackside in Bells Valley outside of Goshen, called Blue Ridge Lumber (IIRC)...do they use BB for haulage? What is the business case for BB to make a profit on this less-used Richmond & Alleghany line if it is nothing more than a route to haul CSX empties?
The BB web site doesn't talk much about the business over the R&A branch.
Thanks for any info here, as I have this strange fascination with that old C&O route....and am hoping it's not on a list for future abandonment.