s ▁via ▁the ▁Pen ins ula ▁Sub div ision ▁to ▁New port ▁News . ▁ ▁The ▁Ch es ape ake ▁and ▁Ohio ▁operated ▁for ▁over ▁one ▁hundred ▁years ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁re organ ized ▁through ▁mer ger ▁as ▁CS X ▁Transport ation ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁Today , ▁CS X , ▁Am tra k , ▁and ▁the ▁Buck ingham ▁Branch ▁Rail road ▁still ▁use ▁port ions ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁line ▁for ▁fre ight ▁and ▁passenger ▁rail ▁service . ▁ ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁The ▁Virginia ▁General ▁Assembly ▁passed ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 8 , ▁ 1 8 3 6 , ▁an ▁act ▁to ▁incorpor ate ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁company ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁rail ▁line ▁extending ▁from ▁the ▁Richmond , ▁Freder icks burg ▁and ▁Pot om ac ▁Rail road ▁( R F & P ) ▁west ward . ▁ ▁The ▁rail road , ▁as ▁specified ▁by ▁the ▁original ▁char ter , ▁was ▁to ▁connect ▁with ▁the ▁R F & P ▁near ▁T ay l ors ville , ▁at ▁what ▁would ▁become ▁Han over ▁J unction , ▁and ▁extend ▁west ward , ▁passing ▁the ▁Louis a ▁cour th ouse , ▁to ▁Orange ▁County ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁South west ▁Mountains . ▁ ▁The ▁Virginia ▁Board ▁of ▁Public ▁Works ▁owned ▁two - fif th s ▁of ▁the ▁total ▁$ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁($ ▁today ) ▁stock ▁sold ▁to ▁fin ance ▁the ▁rail road ' s ▁initial ▁construction . ▁ ▁Const ruction