▁of ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁began ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 3 6 , ▁reaching ▁the ▁Louis a ▁cour th ouse ▁by ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁had ▁reached ▁G ord ons ville . ▁ ▁The ▁rail road ▁had ▁been ▁planned ▁by ▁its ▁original ▁char ter ▁to ▁build ▁across ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Mountains ▁to ▁Harrison burg , ▁but ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 9 , ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁requested ▁a ▁survey ▁to ▁be ▁conducted ▁to ▁determine ▁a ▁feas ible ▁route ▁to ▁Sta un ton ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁Char l ott es ville . ▁ ▁Ult imately , ▁this ▁route , ▁which ▁passed ▁over ▁the ▁mountains ▁at ▁Rock fish ▁G ap , ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁a ▁better ▁alternative ▁than ▁the ▁original ▁plan ▁to ▁cross ▁at ▁Swift ▁Run ▁G ap ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁the ▁char ter ▁was ▁modified ▁by ▁the ▁Assembly ▁to ▁provide ▁for ▁the ▁rail road ' s ▁construction ▁to ▁the ▁eastern ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road ▁was ▁char tered ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁mountains ▁at ▁Rock fish ▁G ap ▁to ▁Way nes bor o . ▁ ▁Claud ius ▁Cro zet ▁was ▁appointed ▁Chief ▁Engine er ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road , ▁and ▁under ▁his ▁leadership ▁and ▁direction , ▁the ▁rail road ▁began ▁construction ▁over ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁using ▁ ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁four ▁t unn els .