road ▁to ▁extend ▁the ▁line ▁completed ▁by ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁west ward ▁across ▁the ▁Al leg h any ▁Mountains ▁to ▁the ▁Ohio ▁River . ▁This ▁company ▁began ▁work ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁and ▁completed ▁important ▁grad ing ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁Al leg h any ▁grade , ▁including ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁numerous ▁t unn els , ▁and , ▁to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent , ▁in ▁the ▁areas ▁around ▁Char l eston ▁and ▁the ▁K ana wh a ▁River . ▁ ▁However , ▁as ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁west ward ▁expansion ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁halt ▁and ▁the ▁Cov ington ▁and ▁Ohio ' s ▁line ▁remained ▁incomplete . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁ ▁The ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁rail ro ads ▁for ▁the ▁Confeder acy ▁during ▁the ▁war , ▁as ▁it ▁linked ▁the ▁fert ile ▁Sh en ando ah ▁far ml and ▁of ▁Virginia ▁to ▁Richmond ▁and ▁points ▁east ward , ▁en abling ▁supplies ▁and ▁troops ▁to ▁easily ▁be ▁transport ed ▁to ▁nearby ▁campaign s . ▁The ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁t unn els ▁and ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁were ▁key ▁tools ▁in ▁the ▁fast ▁mobil ization ▁of ▁Confeder ate ▁General ▁Stone wall ▁Jackson ' s ▁famous ▁" foot ▁caval ry ". ▁ ▁So on ▁after ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁contract ed ▁with ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁States ▁Post al ▁Service , ▁as ▁it ▁had ▁done ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Post al ▁Service ▁before ▁the ▁war , ▁to ▁carry