Atlantic and Danville Railway

Atlantic and Danville Railway

Reporting mark	AD
Locale	Virginia
Dates of operation	1882 (1882)–1962 (1962)
Successor	Norfolk, Franklin and Danville Railway
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Previous gauge	3 ft (914 mm)
Length	203 miles (327 km)
Headquarters	Norfolk, Virginia

The Atlantic and Danville Railway (reporting mark AD) was a Class I railroad which operated in Virginia and North Carolina. The company was founded in 1882 and opened its mainline between Portsmouth, Virginia and Danville, Virginia in 1890. The Southern Railway leased the company from 1899–1949. The Norfolk and Western Railway purchased the company in 1962 and reorganized it as the Norfolk, Franklin and Danville Railway.

History

The Atlantic and Danville Railway was incorporated in 1882 and opened its mainline between Portsmouth and Danville in 1890. The Southern Railway leased the company from 1899–1949. A 3 ft (914 mm) branch line ran from Emporia, Virginia to Claremont, Virginia and interchanged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The Southern Railway discontinued service on this branch in 1932; the Gray Lumber Company continued to use it for logging operations until 1938.

After the Southern terminated the lease the Atlantic and Danville continued as an independent company for another dozen years. The company went bankrupt in 1960 and was purchased by the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1962. The N&W created a new subsidiary, the Norfolk, Franklin and Danville Railway, to operate the A&D line.