Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park

Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail
Stone arch at Clarks Gap in August 2008
Length	44.7 mi (71.9 km)
Location	Virginia, United States
Trailheads	East: Shirlington in Arlington County West: Purcellville in Loudoun County
Use	Biking Horseback riding Running Hiking
Elevation
Elevation change	469 ft (143 m)
Highest point	Clarks Gap, 610 ft (190 m)
Lowest point	Shirlington, 141 ft (43 m)
Hiking details
Trail difficulty	Ea
Season	All

The Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park is a regional park in Northern Virginia that primarily encompasses the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Trail (W&OD Trail), a paved rail trail. The W&OD rail trail is approximately 10 feet (3.0 m). A crushed bluestone surfaced bridle path travels near the paved trail in the park's most westerly 32 miles (51 km).

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) maintains the park. NVRPA has installed mile markers and interpretative exhibits detailing historical features throughout the park.

Route

W&OD rail trail begins near the Nauck neighborhood in the Shirlington section of Arlington County, close to the boundary between the County and the City of Alexandria. The trail ends in Purcellville in western Loudoun County. Its route largely parallels the routes of the Potomac River and Virginia State Route 7. The trail connects to the Four Mile Run Trail, which connects with the Mount Vernon Trail at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, near the Potomac River.

W&OD trailhead is at the intersection of South Shirlington Road and South Four Mile Run Drive. The trail starts in the Atlantic Coastal Plain at the trail's lowest elevation 141 feet (43 m) above sea level.

Trail features

Feature	Jurisdiction	Distance from Trailhead	Trail Elevation	Coordinates
Four Mile Run Trail-W&OD Trail Connector	City of Alexandria Arlington County	----	----	38°50′35″N 77°04′52″W
Trailhead	Arlington County	0	141 feet (43 m)	38°50′39″N 77°05′09″W
Crossing of Columbia Pike (VA Route 244)	Arlington County	1.6 miles (2.6 km)	209 feet (64 m)	38°51′23″N 77°06′35″W
Overlook of Sparrow Pond wetland	Arlington County	2.1 miles (3.4 km)	237 feet (72 m)	38°51′43″N 77°06′56″W
Arlington Boulevard (U.S. Route 50) bridge over trail and Four Mile Run	Arlington County	2.6 miles (4.2 km)	249 feet (76 m)	38°51′59″N 77°07′26″W
Carlin Springs Road bridge over trail and Four Mile Run	Arlington County	3.0 miles (4.8 km)	232 feet (71 m)	38°52′04″N 77°07′40″W
Intersection with Bluemont Junction Trail	Arlington County	3.3 miles (5.3 km)	243 feet (74 m)	38°52′19″N 77°07′56″W
Bluemont Junction Railroad Display and Caboose	Arlington County	3.4 miles (5.5 km)	243 feet (74 m)	38°52′23″N 77°07′57″W
Wilson Boulevard bridge over trail and Four Mile Run	Arlington County	3.5 miles (5.6 km)	243 feet (74 m)	38°52′30″N 77°08′01″W
Intersection with Custis Trail	Arlington County	3.9 miles (6.3 km)	272 feet (83 m)	38°52′45″N 77°08′20″W
Brandymore Castle (rock outcrop)	Arlington County	4.8 miles (7.7 km)	299 feet (91 m)	38°53′02″N 77°09′12″W
East Falls Church Metro Station	Arlington County	5.3 miles (8.5 km)	336 feet (102 m)	38°53′10″N 77°09′25″W
Crossing of Lee Highway (U.S. Route 29)	Arlington County	5.5 miles (8.9 km)	336 feet (102 m)	38°53′15″N 77°09′44″W
Former site of Falls Church W&OD Railroad station	Arlington County	5.6 miles (9.0 km)	336 feet (102 m)	38°53′14″N 77°09′45″W
Elevated W&OD Railroad siding	Arlington County	5.6 miles (9.0 km)	336 feet (102 m)	38°53′15″N 77°09′47″W
Crossing of Little Falls Road	Arlington County	5.9 miles (9.5 km)	325 feet (99 m)	38°53′18″N 77°09′57″W
W&OD Railroad station mile marker post	City of Falls Church	5.9 miles (9.5 km)	325 feet (99 m)	38°53′18″N 77°09′59″W
Former site of West Falls Church W&OD Railroad station	City of Falls Church	6.9 miles (11.1 km)	388 feet (118 m)	38°53′30″N 77°11′07″W
Trail bridge over West Broad Street (VA Route 7)	City of Falls Church	7.0 miles (11.3 km)	388 feet (118 m)	38°53′30″N 77°11′09″W
Trail and Virginia Lane bridge over I-66 and Washington Metro	Fairfax County	8.4 miles (13.5 km)	453 feet (138 m)	38°53′28″N 77°12′38″W
Trail bridge over I-495 (Capital Beltway)	Fairfax County	8.9 miles (14.3 km)	417 feet (127 m)	38°53′26″N 77°13′04″W
Sandburg Street, Dunn Loring	Fairfax County	9.1 miles (14.6 km)	417 feet (127 m)	38°53′30″N 77°13′20″W
Washington-Virginia Railway bridge abutments	Town of Vienna	10.4 miles (16.7 km)	447 feet (136 m)	38°54′00″N 77°14′45″W
Freeman Store and Museum	Town of Vienna	11.6 miles (18.7 km)	376 feet (115 m)	38°54′12″N 77°15′54″W
Railroad whistle post in Vienna Centennial Park	Town of Vienna	11.7 miles (18.8 km)	376 feet (115 m)	38°54′12″N 77°15′56″W
Vienna Caboose and Museum in Vienna Centennial Park	Town of Vienna	11.7 miles (18.8 km)	376 feet (115 m)	38°54′13″N 77°15′57″W
Vienna W&OD Railroad Station and model railroad	Town of Vienna	11.8 miles (19.0 km)	349 feet (106 m)	38°54′15″N 77°16′01″W
Trail bridge over Piney Branch	Fairfax County	13.6 miles (21.9 km)	260 feet (79 m)	38°55′32″N 77°17′18″W
Trail bridge over Difficult Run	Fairfax County	14.3 miles (23.0 km)	240 feet (73 m)	38°55′51″N 77°17′54″W
Dulles Access Road and Dulles Toll Road (VA Route 267) bridges over trail	Fairfax County	16.1 miles (25.9 km)	354 feet (108 m)	38°56′41″N 77°19′32″W
Sunset Hills W&OD Railroad Station, Reston	Fairfax County	17.7 miles (28.5 km)	379 feet (116 m)	38°57′21″N 77°21′06″W
Intersection with trail to Reston Town Center	Fairfax County	18.2 miles (29.3 km)	408 feet (124 m)	38.956347°N 77.361318°W / 38.956347; -77.361318 (Intersection of W&OD Trail and trail to Reston Town Center)
Intersection with trail to Fairfax County Parkway Trail	Fairfax County	18.6 miles (29.9 km)	386 feet (118 m)	38°57′28″N 77°22′06″W
Sugarland Run culvert	Town of Herndon	18.8 miles (30.3 km)	376 feet (115 m)	38°57′35″N 77°22′16″W
Herndon Depot Museum	Town of Herndon	19.9 miles (32.0 km)	373 feet (114 m)	38°58′13″N 77°23′09″W
Herndon Caboose	Town of Herndon	20.0 miles (32.2 km)	373 feet (114 m)	38°58′15″N 77°23′10″W
West Church Road bridge over trail, Sterling	Loudoun County	23.3 miles (37.5 km)	317 feet (97 m)	39°00′19″N 77°25′40″W
Trail bridge over Sully Road (VA Route 28) (viewpoint)	Loudoun County	23.9 miles (38.5 km)	299 feet (91 m)	39°00′41″N 77°26′00″W
Trail bridge over Broad Run	Loudoun County	24.6 miles (39.6 km)	269 feet (82 m)	39°01′06″N 77°26′42″W
W&OD Regional Park Headquarters, Ashburn	Loudoun County	25.8 miles (41.5 km)	261 feet (80 m)	39°01′38″N 77°27′39″W
Smiths Switch Station rest stop, Ashburn	Loudoun County	25.8 miles (41.5 km)	261 feet (80 m)	39°01′39″N 77°27′37″W
Trail bridge over Beaverdam Run	Loudoun County	26.2 miles (42.2 km)	261 feet (80 m)	39°01′55″N 77°28′02″W
Crossing of Ashburn Road (VA Route 641)	Loudoun County	27.5 miles (44.3 km)	320 feet (98 m)	39°02′38″N 77°29′15″W
Overlook of Luck Stone Quarry	Loudoun County	29.6 miles (47.6 km)	309 feet (94 m)	39°04′03″N 77°31′03″W
Trail bridge over Goose Creek	Loudoun County	30.1 miles (48.4 km)	286 feet (87 m)	39°04′10″N 77°31′10″W
Entrance to Two Creeks Trail Area	Loudoun County	30.2 miles (48.6 km)	286 feet (87 m)	39°04′14″N 77°31′14″W
Trail bridge over Sycolin Creek	Loudoun County	30.4 miles (48.9 km)	271 feet (83 m)	39°04′20″N 77°31′29″W
Crossing of Cochrane Mill Road (VA Route 653)	Loudoun County	30.6 miles (49.2 km)	271 feet (83 m)	39°04′26″N 77°31′42″W
Pleasant View Substation of Dominion Virginia Power	Loudoun County	30.8 miles (49.6 km)	306 feet (93 m)	39°04′38″N 77°31′46″W
Trail bridge over Tuscarora Creek	Town of Leesburg	32.2 miles (51.8 km)	273 feet (83 m)	39°05′44″N 77°32′32″W
VA Route 7/U.S. Route 15 bridges over trail	Town of Leesburg	33.0 miles (53.1 km)	286 feet (87 m)	39°06′01″N 77°32′59″W
19th century lime kiln	Town of Leesburg	34.1 miles (54.9 km)	326 feet (99 m)	39°06′35″N 77°33′40″W
Crossing of Harrison Street SE	Town of Leesburg	34.3 miles (55.2 km)	330 feet (100 m)	39°06′37″N 77°33′48″W
Crossing of S. King Street (U.S. Route 15 (Business))	Town of Leesburg	34.4 miles (55.4 km)	330 feet (100 m)	39°06′43″N 77°33′58″W
Trail bridge over VA Route 7	Town of Leesburg	35.5 miles (57.1 km)	405 feet (123 m)	39°06′37″N 77°35′16″W
Stone arch over trail at Clarks Gap	Loudoun County	38.2 miles (61.5 km)	574 feet (175 m)	39°08′22″N 77°36′39″W
Trail and VA Route 9 (Charles Town Pike) bridge over VA Route 7 at Clarks Gap	Loudoun County	38.5 miles (62.0 km)	610 feet (190 m)	39°08′27″N 77°36′45″W
Clarks Gap passenger shelter (relocated), Paeonian Springs	Loudoun County	39.2 miles (63.1 km)	562 feet (171 m)	39°08′52″N 77°37′10″W
Hamilton W&OD Railroad Station	Loudoun County	40.9 miles (65.8 km)	472 feet (144 m)	39°08′39″N 77°39′05″W
VA Route 7 bridges over trail and Berlin Turnpike (VA Route 287)	Loudoun County	43.2 miles (69.5 km)	554 feet (169 m)	39°08′40″N 77°41′30″W
Purcellville W&OD Railroad Station	Town of Purcellville	44.8 miles (72.1 km)	564 feet (172 m)	39°08′18″N 77°42′58″W
End of trail	Town of Purcellville	44.8 miles (72.1 km)	564 feet (172 m)	39°08′19″N 77°42′59″W

History

When the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) abandoned the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad (W&OD) in 1968, the line extended from Potomac Yard in Alexandria to Purcellville. The Virginia Department of Transportation purchased the line from C&O with the intent of converting it for highway use as Interstate 66. Shortly thereafter, the Virginia Electric and Power Company (part of which was incorporated into Dominion Virginia Power in 2000) purchased most of the property from the highway department, as the company's electric power transmission lines traveled within the right-of-way.

The first portion opened in 1974 in City of Falls Church under a lease agreement between the city government, the power company and NVRPA. NVRPA later purchased additional abandoned segments between 1978 and 1982. The power company retained an easement that permitted them to maintain its lines and to extend them along the right-of-way if needed.

In 1987, the National Park Service designated the trail as a National Recreation Trail. The trail reached Purcellville in 1988. After encountering public opposition due to potential environmental impacts, the final section of the trail opened near Bluemont Park in 2002.

Historic structures

The park contains a number of historic structures, some of which date to the pre-Civil War period. Most of these structures are railroad remnants. Part of the reinforced concrete floor of a brick electrical substation that the railroad constructed in 1912 to help supply power to its new electric locomotives and trolley cars is visible in Arlington County's Bluemont Junction Railroad Display south of Wilson Boulevard. The floor is located in the space between a soccer field and a Southern Railway caboose. A partially intact elevated railroad siding remains visible south of the W&OD Trail on private property west of the trail's crossing of Lee Highway (U.S. Route 29) in Arlington. A white metallic marker post lettered in black with the words "Station 1 Mile" stands on the north side of the trail west of Little Falls Road near the boundary between Arlington and Falls Church. This post, which once stood next to the W&OD Railroad's tracks, is one mile (1.6 km) east of the site of the railroad's demolished West Falls Church Station. The station was located near the east side of the railroad's crossing of W. Broad Street (VA Route 7) in Falls Church.

Concrete abutment that carried the Washington & Virginia Railway over the W&OD near the east end of Vienna, December 2006)

Near the east end of Vienna, the concrete abutment of a bridge that carried the Washington-Virginia trolley over the W&OD remains. An inscription showing the month and year of the abutment's construction (July 1904) is visible on the structure's east side.

The trail crosses Goose Creek in Loudoun County on a span that NVRPA built on top of the piers and abutments of the highest and longest (268 feet (82 m)) bridge that the railroad constructed within the present boundaries of the regional park. Visitors can view these remnants and the intact span, pier and abutments of the railroad's deck girder bridge over Sycolin Creek from unpaved paths that travel between the streams in NVRPA's Two Creeks Trail Area on the north side of the trail. The piers and abutments of the railroad's bridge over Tuscarora Creek are visible south of the trail near the east end of Leesburg. The bridge was the second longest (149 feet (45 m)) that the railroad built within the present boundaries of the regional park.

Remnants of the facilities of a 19th century lime company are visible in Leesburg on the northeast side of the trail, southeast of Harrison Street SE. Limestone (calcium carbonate) from a company quarry was mixed with coal and burned in a nearby kiln that was adjacent to the railroad's tracks. Calcium oxide was brought out of the kiln through two arched openings that visitors can see from the trail. The company also supplied farmers with agricultural lime and provided builders with lime plaster for walls and stone for roads.

Displays

Norfolk Southern Railway donated three cabooses for display along the trail. Two of the cabooses contain house historical artifacts relating to the W&OD. A Southern Railway bay window caboose in Arlington also exhibits photographs, maps and other information related to the County's railroads and trolleys. Staffed by a County park ranger, the caboose is open to the public on weekend afternoons from May through October. A cupola caboose in Vienna Centennial Park also contains a museum that houses W&OD materials.

View from Luck Stone Quarry overlook in March 2012

The station in Vienna houses a museum and a model railroad layout. Operated by the Northern Virginia Model Railroaders, Inc., the museum displays materials that the W&OD Railroad once used and a model of the station as it appeared when steam locomotives stopped at the station.

Herndon Depot Museum in August 2012

The station in Herndon houses the Herndon Depot Museum, which the Herndon Historical Society, Inc., operates. The museum, which is open on Sundays from noon to 3:00 p.m., displays photographs and newspaper articles relating to the history of the Town of Herndon and the W&OD Railroad. The museum also contains materials that the railroad once used. The museum additionally contains information about the history of a nearby Norfolk Southern Railway cupola caboose whose sides bore the name and logo of the W&OD Railroad and the number 504 in 2006. A railroad whistle post is located near the caboose

Natural resources

Most landscaping is left in a natural state to preserve green space and to provide wildlife habitat. Some natural areas within the park are contiguous to larger natural areas in adjacent public parks, including those in and around the Sparrow Pond wetland, Brandymore Castle and Four Mile Run in Arlington, Piney Branch and Difficult Run in Fairfax County, and the confluence of Goose Creek and Sycolin Creek in Loudoun County.

The park is used as a resource for plant and animal study, as it contains over 450 species of wildflowers and more than 100 species of birds. Wildlife includes mammals such as foxes, otters, beavers, turtles and snakes. In addition, a variety of hawks, owls, and other migratory birds find habitat in the park.

Transmission lines

Transmission lines over W&OD trail in Loudoun County, March 2012

The W&OD Trail lies beneath a set of electric power transmission lines between its trailhead and the Dominion Virginia Power's Pleasant View Substation in Loudoun County southeast of Leesburg. In 2004, Dominion Virginia Power announced plans to extend its transmission lines in Loudoun County above ground from the Pleasant View Substation northwestward along the trail route. Despite opposite from the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, the construction of additional power lines was approved in February 2008 between Leesburg and Clarks Gap. Dominion Virginia Power noted that the environmental impacts associated with underground cable installation in suburban and rural areas are significantly greater than are those of overhead line construction. The rail trail was closed for approximately one year during construction; it reopened in November 2010.

Gallery

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  Goose Creek, March 2012

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  Cochrane Mill Road marker near Ashburn, March 2012

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  32.5 mile marker in Leesburg, March 2012

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  W&OD trail elevation map

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External links

• "Washington & Old Dominion Regional Park". Fairfax Station, VA: Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. July 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-05. 
• The Friends of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail official website
• "Unofficial Page of The Washington & Old Dominion Trail". RailServe.com by Christopher Muller. May 30, 2009. Archived from the original on 2005-03-24. Retrieved 2010-08-05. 
• "Intersecting Bike Trails". Unofficial Page of The Washington & Old Dominion Trail (archived). May 30, 2009. Archived from the original on 2005-03-24. Retrieved 2010-08-05. 
• Washington & Old Dominion Trail on Running Around Town: Washington, D.C., website Chart showing mileages along W&OD Trail
• Video of entire W&OD Trail labeled with distances, cross streets, and other items
• Heil, Jeffrey (2008-02-13). "Washington & Old Dominion Trail in Virginia". yellowbiketales. Retrieved 2010-12-15.  Description of W&OD Trail and surrounding areas, published in Spokes, September 2006.
• Paul McCray (former Manager, W&OD Regional Park) discussing history of W&OD Trail in Uenuma, F, "Two Decades Along the W&OD Trail", Washington Post video in Washington Post official site. Accessed June 20, 2008.
• "Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Markers" series in HMdb.org: The Historical Marker Database official website Photographs and descriptions of NVRPA markers and other markers along and near the W&OD Trail.
• Washington and Old Dominion Trail in National Recreation Trails Database in American Trails official website
• Maps:
  • Map of the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Trail Map in NVRPA marker at trailhead of W&OD Trail in Shirlington. Photographed by Roger Dean Meyer, Alexandria, Virginia, September 8, 2007. In "Washington and Old Dominion Trail" in "Washington and Old Dominion Railroad Markers" series on HMdb.org: The Historical Marker Database official website. Accessed April 2, 2008.
  • "Map of the W&OD". The Friends of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. Retrieved 2010-09-29.  Interactive map of entire W&OD Trail and trail segments showing mileages and features along trail
  • "W&OD Trail Elevations". The Friends of the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. Retrieved 2010-09-29.  Map and chart of elevations along W&OD Trail
  • Washington & Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) on Running Around Town: Washington, D.C., website Topographic map showing entire W&OD Trail
  • Washington & Old Dominion Trail on BikeWashington.org website Maps and descriptions of entire W&OD Trail and trail segments, showing connecting trails