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 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. The Tobacco Heritage Trail is built on the old Atlantic and Danville Railway right of way in Brodnax, Virginia and Le Crosse to South Hill, Virginia.
Stations
The Atlantic and Danville Railway had a 205 mile main line, Norfolk and Danville, in 1951. West Norfolk and Boon was a six mile spur. The train main line had trains that left Norfolk at 10:01 PM and arrived in Danville at 5:45 AM the next day. Then left at Danville at 8:45 PM and arrived in Norfolk at 5:40 AM the next day.
The railroad company was organized as the Richmond and Mecklenburg which was operated by the Southern Railway in 1896. All but one of the board of Directors and the two officers lived in New York City, New York. The railroad employed 315 people in 1896. There were company officers, clerks, firemen, engine men, conductors, ticket agents, carpenters, foremen, laborers and telegraph operators and dispatchers. The trains carried passengers and mail and freight. Freight consisted of farm products such as flour, wheat, hay, tobacco and fruits and vegetables as well as livestock, meats, wool and leather. The trains carried Coal and a lumber to market. The trains brought in petroleum, oil, naval stores, cast iron products, machinery, cement, brick, lime, agricultural tools, wagons, alcoholic beverages, furniture and housewares. The train had one car for passengers, bags and mail. There were two boxcars, three flatcars for lumber or over-sized objects and six coal cars. The trains had had Janney couplers and Westinghouse Air Brake Company brakes. There was one injury to an employee in 1896. Western Union operated the telegraph on the track.
