. S . ▁state ▁of ▁Virginia ▁that ▁operated ▁between ▁ 1 8 5 0 ▁and ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁from ▁Richmond ▁west ward ▁for ▁ ▁to ▁Cov ington . ▁ ▁Char tered ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 6 ▁as ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁by ▁the ▁Virginia ▁General ▁Assembly , ▁the ▁rail road ▁began ▁near ▁the ▁Richmond , ▁Freder icks burg ▁and ▁Pot om ac ▁Rail road ' s ▁line ▁and ▁expanded ▁west ward ▁to ▁Orange ▁County , ▁reaching ▁G ord ons ville ▁by ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 9 , ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road ▁was ▁char tered ▁to ▁construct ▁a ▁line ▁over ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Mountains ▁for ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁which ▁reached ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁decision ▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court , ▁the ▁Louis a ▁Rail road ▁was ▁allowed ▁to ▁expand ▁east ward ▁from ▁a ▁point ▁near ▁D os well ▁to ▁Richmond . ▁ ▁Ren amed ▁as ▁the ▁Virginia ▁Central ▁Rail road ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁the ▁rail road ▁by pass ed ▁the ▁under ▁construction ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁Rail road ▁via ▁a ▁temporary ▁track ▁built ▁over ▁Rock fish ▁G ap . ▁ ▁This ▁connected ▁the ▁rail road ' s ▁eastern ▁division ▁with ▁its ▁expand ing ▁line ▁across ▁the ▁Blue ▁R idge ▁in ▁the ▁Sh en ando ah ▁Valley . ▁ ▁Having ▁reached ▁Cl if ton ▁For ge ▁by ▁