The Louisa Railroad, which became the Virginia Central and then part of the CSX today, was intended to go from Richmond to the coal fields of West Virginia via Harrisonburg. Plans were developed to cross the Blue Ridge at Thornton Gap, where Route 211 today connects Sperryville with Luray in the Shenandoah Valley.
Also part of the long history of the CSX is the old Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad.
