page_title: Shenandoah Valley Railroad (1867–1890)
section_title: Stations and other railroad locations
hierarchical_section_title: Shenandoah Valley Railroad (1867–1890) / Stations and other railroad locations
caption_attribution_description: English: Personal picture of Gaylord VA post office for SVRR documentation. All rights released, public domain.
context_page_description: Shenandoah Valley Railroad was a line completed on June 19, 1882, extending down the Shenandoah Valley from Hagerstown, Maryland through the West Virginia panhandle into Virginia to reach Roanoke, Virginia and to connect with the Norfolk and Western Railway. The development of this railroad had considerable backing from the Pennsylvania Railroad. In September 1890 it went into bankruptcy and was reorganized as the Shenandoah Valley Railway. In December 1890, it became part of N&W. Today the tracks are a major artery of the Norfolk Southern system.
  South of Harrisonburg, Virginia, a former part of the Norfolk Southern System a few miles west was a parallel line originally called the Valley Railroad. It was built in the late 19th century by Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, a fierce competitor of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The line was purchased in 1942 by the Chesapeake Western Railway. A portion extending northward from Staunton, Virginia in Augusta County and Rockingham County became a new short-line railroad formed late in the 20th century by several major shippers. The historic name of the once rival was adopted for the current privately owned intrastate Shenandoah Valley Railroad.
context_section_description: The names listed are for the station or siding, not necessarily the name of the town they were near or in. Many times the station names were changed because they were the same as another station on another line, which after the lines were connected became very confusing to customers. Towns that grew up around stations often chose the station name as their name.
  Tracks were moved over time to eliminate steep grades and sharp curves, so the mile post values changed slightly throughout history. The mileage values listed are from the SVRR era, mostly the late 1880s. Most of these markers still exist along the tracks today, each showing H and a number to designate the mileage from Hagerstown.
  The first date in parentheses is when the location first appeared in literature, whether there was station or not. A second date is the date the location/stop was eliminated (if known). A most definitive source of these dates are the annual reports, as they contain station/siding listings. Most stations were demolished in the 1950s, a listing of these has not yet been located.
  Hagerstown, MD – mile post 0.0 (opened 8/19/1880): There was a junction in Hagerstown with the Pennsylvania Railroad System via the Cumberland Valley Railroad. There was also a junction with the B&O Railroad via the Western Maryland Railroad. It is unclear which stations, if any, were owned by the SVRR since there were so many companies present.
  Saint James, MD – mile post 5.9 (8/19/1880): A combination (passenger and freight) station. The water tank that used to reside here was moved to Loch Laird in 1883. As of 2005, the station is a private residence located ¼ mile east on Maryland Route 68. The village was called Lydia earlier.
  Spielman’s Siding (pre-1883): In Washington County; location was/is around 39°32'13"N 77°45'51"W
  Grimes, MD – mile post 9.0 (8/19/1880): In Washington County; location was around 39°31'16"N 77°46'17"W. It is unknown if there ever was a station here, or if it was just a stop.
  Little Ramsburg Siding (pre-1889): This may have previously been called Mondel’s Siding
  Antietam (originally Sharpsburg), MD – mile post 14.1 (8/19/1880): A combination station. Sharpsburg station was renamed Antietam station after a head-on slow-speed train collision between a passenger train and an excursion train was blamed on the confusion between the names Shepherdstown and Sharpsburg. Danial and Peter Ahl operated an iron works near town. At some point in time the station was rotated, with the bay window now facing the highway instead of the tracks As of 2005, the station still resides in Sharpsburg, and is undergoing restoration as the future home of the Hagerstown Model RR Museum.
  Shepherdstown, WV – mile post 16.9 (1879): A combination station. In 1870, $8,000 of bond money was given to the railroad on the condition that railroad car shops and a train maintenance yard be built in Shepherdstown. At the time, there was intense competition with nearby Charles Town for the potential jobs. Some properties had to be condemned to make room for the workshop. Many townspeople felt they were not paid fairly compensated for their lands worth, and went to court to fight for a fair settlement. The shops and maintenance buildings were torn down just a few years later, the SVRR had the town's money and fulfilled the fine-print of the agreement.
  The very first train to Shepherdstown arrived on January 1, 1879. However, that was just a construction train. Although lots of people were on hand to see the first train arrive, the town decided to mark the event with a little more fanfare a week later when passengers arrived. People from the SVRR, the contractors who built the track, and many other dignitaries were invited to attend. A parade made up of the Town Council, the local band and others started at Shepherd College (now McMurran Hall) and marched to the station to meet the train. It arrived at about 12:15 p.m. on January 8, 1879, to loud cheering, music from Criswell’s Cornet Band, and the ringing of every church bell in Shepherdstown.
  The first train station (built befor
caption: Gaylord VA Post Office 2005
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