▁ ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁had ▁reached ▁the ▁Riv anna ▁River ▁near ▁Char l ott es ville ▁by ▁ 1 8 5 0 ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁had ▁reached ▁Me ch ums ▁River , ▁near ▁the ▁eastern ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road . ▁ ▁Operation ▁of ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁was ▁initially ▁handled ▁by ▁the ▁R F & P , ▁beginning ▁with ▁the ▁first ▁operation ▁of ▁a ▁train ▁over ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁tracks ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 8 3 7 . ▁ ▁This ▁condition ▁continued ▁until ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁took ▁over ▁operations . ▁ ▁The ▁eastern ▁termin us ▁of ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁was ▁originally ▁at ▁Han over ▁J unction ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁D os well ) ▁with ▁the ▁R F & P ▁Rail road . ▁The ▁char ter ▁of ▁that ▁line ▁protected ▁it ▁from ▁construction ▁of ▁a ▁parallel ▁compet itor , ▁but ▁an ▁act ▁by ▁the ▁Virginia ▁General ▁Assembly ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁author ized ▁the ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁e aster ly ▁through ▁Han over ▁and ▁Hen rico ▁Count ies ▁to ▁reach ▁Richmond . ▁This ▁act ▁was ▁protest ed ▁by ▁the ▁R F & P ▁for ▁viol ating ▁the ▁earlier ▁dec ree ▁of ▁the ▁Assembly ▁against ▁a ▁parallel ▁compet itor . ▁The ▁R F & P ' s ▁claim ▁was ▁originally ▁over turn ed ▁by ▁a ▁Virginia ▁State ▁Court