un ton . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁author ized ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁to ▁increase ▁its ▁stock ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁build ▁from ▁Sta un ton ▁to ▁Cov ington . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road , ▁having ▁expanded ▁greatly ▁since ▁its ▁beg inn ings ▁in ▁Louis a ▁and ▁Han over ▁count ies , ▁was ▁renamed ▁as ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁Rail road . ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁connect ▁the ▁eastern ▁and ▁western ▁divisions ▁of ▁the ▁rail road ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁divided ▁by ▁the ▁un fin ished ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road , ▁a ▁temporary ▁track ▁over ▁Rock fish ▁G ap ▁was ▁proposed ▁by ▁the ▁rail road ' s ▁chief ▁engineer , ▁Charles ▁El let , ▁Jr ., ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 5 4 ▁had ▁been ▁constructed ▁and ▁was ▁in ▁use . ▁ ▁Bu ilt ▁over ▁and ▁around ▁the ▁under ▁construction ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁T unnel , ▁this ▁ ▁track , ▁called ▁the ▁Mountain ▁Track , ▁included ▁ste ep ▁gr ades ▁( maxim um ▁ 5 . 6 % ▁with ▁a ▁r uling ▁grade ▁of ▁ 5 . 3 %) ▁and ▁sharp ▁curves ▁( min imum ▁radius ▁of ▁), ▁thereby ▁limit ing ▁spe eds ▁to ▁around ▁. ▁ ▁Three ▁small ▁tank ▁locomot ives ▁were ▁ordered ▁for ▁the ▁temporary ▁track , ▁one ▁of ▁which ▁was ▁supplied ▁by ▁the ▁Tre de gar ▁Iron ▁Works ▁of ▁Richmond , ▁the ▁Joseph ▁R . ▁Anderson , ▁and ▁two ▁from ▁Bald