& O ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 s , ▁which ▁connected ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay ▁with ▁the ▁valle ys ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁River ▁and ▁K ana wh a ▁River , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁Ohio ▁River ▁Valley ▁and ▁th ence ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 0 s , ▁Major ▁James ▁H . ▁Do ole y ' s ▁Richmond ▁and ▁Al leg hen y ▁Rail road ▁was ▁built ▁along ▁the ▁James ▁River ▁along ▁the ▁former ▁right - of - way ▁of ▁the ▁James ▁River ▁and ▁K ana wh a ▁Canal . ▁ ▁It ▁too ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁C & O , ▁offering ▁a ▁lower ▁grade ▁path way ▁for ▁coal ▁bound ▁from ▁the ▁mountains ▁to ▁New port ▁News ▁than ▁the ▁older ▁line ▁through ▁Sta un ton , ▁Cro zet ' s ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁T unnel ▁complex , ▁and ▁Char l ott es ville . ▁ ▁D iver ging ▁from ▁the ▁older ▁line ▁at ▁J D ▁Cab in ▁just ▁east ▁of ▁Cl if ton ▁For ge , ▁this ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁James ▁River ▁line , ▁rejo ining ▁the ▁old ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁tracks ▁near ▁Main ▁Street ▁Station ▁at ▁Richmond . ▁ ▁The ▁short - line ▁branch ▁from ▁B rem o ▁Bl uff ▁on ▁the ▁James ▁River ▁line ▁into ▁Buck ingham ▁County ▁transport ed ▁ka olin ▁cl ay ▁from ▁the ▁unique ▁and ▁rare ▁depos its ▁of ▁Will is ▁Mountain , ▁along ▁with ▁tim ber , ▁quar ried ▁rock , ▁and ▁minor ▁amounts ▁of ▁general ▁fre