▁and ▁the ▁last ▁train ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁temporary ▁track ▁did ▁so ▁on ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 2 . ▁ ▁That ▁night , ▁the ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁completed ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road ▁was ▁made , ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 3 th , ▁the ▁mail ▁train ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁train ▁rout ed ▁through ▁the ▁tunnel . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁tunnel ▁in ▁use , ▁the ▁temporary ▁track ▁was ▁prompt ly ▁torn ▁up . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁T unnel ' s ▁completion , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁longest ▁tunnel ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁tunnel ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁to ▁be ▁completed ▁without ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁vertical ▁sh aft s . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁did ▁not ▁own ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road , ▁it ▁was ▁granted ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁operate ▁it ▁from ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Virginia ▁in ▁return ▁for ▁an ▁annual ▁fee . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ' s ▁line ▁carried ▁ 1 3 4 , 8 8 3 ▁passengers ▁throughout ▁the ▁year , ▁and ▁ha u led ▁ 6 4 , 1 7 7 ▁tons ▁of ▁fre ight . ▁ ▁The ▁road ▁connected ▁Richmond ▁to ▁a ▁point ▁about ▁ ▁east ▁of ▁Cov ington , ▁where ▁the ▁proposed ▁Cov ington ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Rail road ▁would ▁have ▁started , ▁a ▁distance ▁of ▁approximately ▁. ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Virginia ▁had ▁char tered ▁the ▁Cov ington ▁and ▁Ohio ▁Rail