ight . ▁ ▁As ▁major ▁rail ro ads ▁merged ▁and ▁cons olid ated ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁many ▁rail ▁lines ▁with ▁low ▁traffic ▁were ▁abandoned , ▁sp un ▁off ▁into ▁short - line ▁rail ro ads , ▁or ▁became ▁at ▁risk ▁for ▁abandon ment . ▁With ▁lower ▁operating ▁costs ▁and ▁personal ized ▁service ▁to ▁sh ipp ers , ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁short - lines ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁perpet uate ▁rail ▁service ▁in ▁areas ▁where ▁the ▁Class ▁ 1 ▁rail ro ads ▁could ▁not ▁operate ▁profit ably , ▁even ▁when ▁subs id ized ▁by ▁government ▁entities . ▁ ▁Buck ingham ▁Branch ▁The ▁Buck ingham ▁Branch ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁by ▁retired ▁CS X ▁rail ro ader ▁Robert ▁E . ▁Bry ant . ▁The ▁company ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁ac quisition ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 6 - mile ▁( 2 6   km ) ▁long ▁branch ▁from ▁the ▁CS X ▁Transport ation ' s ▁James ▁River ▁sub div ision ▁line ▁near ▁B rem o ▁Bl uff ▁on ▁the ▁James ▁River ▁south ▁to ▁D ill w yn ▁in ▁Buck ingham ▁County . ▁ ▁The ▁inter change ▁with ▁CS X ▁is ▁at ▁Str ath more ▁yard , ▁near ▁the ▁j unction ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Virginia ▁Air ▁Line ▁Railway . ▁Ser ving ▁small ▁indust ries ▁and ▁quar ries , ▁the ▁B BR R ▁began ▁with ▁one ▁locomot ive ▁and ▁a ▁cab o ose , ▁and ▁was ▁staff ed ▁by ▁Bry ant ' s ▁family . ▁ ▁Rol ling ▁stock ▁