The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1957-02-01
County Railroad
Passenger Service
May Be Ended
Southern Railway
Claims Loss Of
S151,O00 In 1856


The State Corporation Commits
sion has under Amusement an ap-
pbcation by the Southern Railway
to discontinue its passenger service
between Richmond and Danville
This train serves Amelia, Burke
vile, Keysviile and other intermedi-
ate routes between Richmond and
Danville.
= The sec heard two days Of testi-
mony on the application Lawyers
for the railroad brought the fact
that the Southern lost $15l 900 on
this service in 1856. and various
interested persons testified as to the
service of the railroad and asked
that tho schedule ha continued
r. H. Pettus. Charlotte county
commonwealth attorney. repre-
serted the Charlotte board Of super
vlsorS and the towns Of louisville
and brakes Branch in opposing the
application for discontinuance
Schedule Questioned
Pettus brought out the fact that
one reason for the small number of
riders could be due to the schedule
of the trains.
There are now two trains that
cover the route. No. II leaves Rich
mond at l0.15 pm. and arrives in
Danville at 2:15 a m. No. u leaves
Danville at a m and arrives in
Richmond at m. The Southern
discontinued two previous passenger
trains on this route in 1855 after an
appeal to the Virginia Supreme
Court.
The Rev. r. Z. Dunkum. Of Me
herrin, testified that more people
would ride the trains if the SEIZED
ules we're different He said that he
did not ride the train. but would do
so if the schedules were more
reasonable
Randolph Duffer, K ysville
undertaken. said that he received
four bodies BY the train for burial
last year. and that if the train was
discontinued he would have to drive
TO Richmond or Danyille to pick up
the bodies more often than he is
now required to do.
Miss May W. Huffstetter. Of
ho .-t nc
its a sin to take the train off
There are lot Of people who de
pend on it.
$1,000 per Week
Lawyers for the railroad drew
repeated testimony that the service
was being provided at a monetary
loss, and that an average of only
II persons rode either train at any
one time
One Of the five lawyers for the
railroad told the commissioners that
the operation Of the two trains is
costing the line about S. 600 week.
The chairman Of the sec told the
group that an opinion would be
handed down promptly on the appli-
cation
One OF the factors increasing the
cost Of the trains operation was the
fact that the Post Office department
has put into operation several high
way post offices that cut out the
use of the two trains under con-
sideration The post office turned
down a $4,000 offer by the railroad
10 haul the mail
Union Opposition
The president of the Danville
chamber of Commerce and the
president of Averett College both
testified that the discontinuance
would not materially affect the bust
ness or economy of Danville or
materially inconvenience p eOple
along the route
The testimony Of S. Britting-
ham, state representative of the
Brotherhood OF Railroad Trainmen.
was heard by the commission. He
said that IA railroad employees
would be affected by the discontinue
ancc Of the trains
Railroad lawyers suggested that
1T has been improper for these
gentlemen brotherhood representa-.
nycs 10 go mp and down the line
End oppose what the railroad is try
ine 10 do
IN crosS-eXanunlne opposition wit
neeseS the railroad tried to show
that the witnesses had been per
suaded TO testify by members Of the
Brotherhood
Groduofe Credit Offered AduI