1 8 5 7 , ▁the ▁rail road ▁began ▁operating ▁the ▁completed ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 ▁and ▁continued ▁prepar ing ▁for ▁further ▁expansion ▁until ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁prime ▁target ▁for ▁Federal ▁ra ids ▁by ▁Union ▁Caval ry , ▁the ▁rail road ▁faced ▁significant ▁action ▁against ▁it ▁during ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁war ▁left ▁the ▁rail road ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁fraction ▁of ▁its ▁line ▁left ▁oper able , ▁the ▁rail road ▁was ▁running ▁over ▁its ▁entire ▁pre - war ▁length ▁by ▁July ▁ 1 8 6 5 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁both ▁long time ▁president ▁Edmund ▁Font aine ▁and ▁former ▁Confeder ate ▁General ▁Williams ▁Carter ▁W ick ham ▁served ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁and ▁o vers aw ▁its ▁expansion ▁towards ▁Cov ington . ▁ ▁The ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Rail road ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁from ▁the ▁mer ger ▁of ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁Rail road ▁and ▁the ▁Cov ington ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Rail road , ▁and ▁had ▁expanded ▁west ward ▁to ▁the ▁Ohio ▁River ▁by ▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁after ▁new ▁finan cing ▁from ▁Coll is ▁P . ▁Hun ting ton ▁was ▁rec ru ited . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁rail road ▁( re organ ized ▁as ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Railway ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 ) ▁expanded ▁east ward ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0