Kanawha and West Virginia Railroad Co. - 1905-20's dated Railway Stock Certificate

Railroad Stock. Great railroad yard vignette in half circle. Very elaborate borders. Nice!!! Rare!!!

The Kanawha and West Virginia Railroad (K&WV) was a crucial short-line railroad that primarily transported the abundant coal and timber resources of the Blue Creek basin in West Virginia. Established in 1903 as the Imboden and Odell Railroad, the line was constructed in the early 1900s to exploit the region’s natural resources. However, an unexpected development occurred when the great Blue Creek oil field was discovered shortly after its construction, leading to a temporary boom characterized by the drilling of oil derricks alongside the tracks. Throughout its existence, the K&WV served the Elk River area, carrying substantial freight traffic, particularly coal, and providing essential passenger service, including dedicated “school” trains that operated until the early 1960s due to the remote nature and limited road access of the region.

The K&WV’s corporate structure was intricate, but through a series of controlling interests, the company was ultimately controlled by the New York Central Railroad (NYC). The NYC eventually leased the K&WV, formally integrating it into its extensive system in 1952. Among its segments, the 34-mile section from Blue Creek to Blakely was its most profitable. Over time, the K&WV line was absorbed into subsequent rail systems, including Penn Central and then Conrail. The old K&WV route between Charleston and Blue Creek was abandoned around 1970, with train movements rerouted via trackage rights over the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) on the opposite side of the Elk River. The current incarnation of the railroad in the area is the Kanawha River Railroad (KNWA), a subsidiary of Watco, which leases and operates lines from Norfolk Southern, primarily hauling coal and chemicals.