Fifty Years of Walking On The W&OD

We moved to Virginia in the fall of 1945. World War II was over at last and we looked forward to a secure and settled life in a home in the country. For us this was a new adventure.

This was our first introduction to country living and we (my husband and I) were delighted to be moving into an old farm house called, "Walnut Lodge," near the village of Herndon, population: 4,000. My children were hesitant about the move. Never mind there was no central heat. There were five stoves and a fireplace to keep us warm. Never mind that cars were still very scarce due to the war. We had a second-hand Buick that needed only a good push to get it started. Most important, though, to our well-being was the location of the house. It was situated alongside the Washington and Old Dominion Railroad – gateway to the world!

At that time the W&OD ran from Rosslyn, Va. (across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.) to Bluemont, Va., a distance of about forty-seven miles. (Editors note: the line had extended only to Purcellville since 1939.) It had been in business since 1847 under various names and owners carrynig freight and passengers through the countryside. President Lincoln was a passenger on several occasions during the Civil War and the freight cars carried supplies up and down the line. There was much to be learned about the history of the W&OD, but our real and vital interest in 1945 was, "What time do the trains go by?"

The schedule was simple. There was a 6:30 a.m. train for business people. There was a 10:00 a.m. shopper’s special (time enough for lunch at Woodies (Woodward and Lothrop) and a look around the shops and there was a 6:30 p.m. theater train. The whistle stop for these cars was just one-half block down the lane. A wave of the arm at the stop, or the sight of a frantic figure running across the lawn, was all that was needed to stop the train and receive a welcoming nod from the engineer. It was a privilege to be living on the "Main Line" in those days.

We soon settled into a routine along with our neighbors. The Washington commuters were the first to leave each weekday morning. Some of them caught the 6:30 a.m. train. Others preferred to drive their dilapidated cars. To get the cars started, the commuter sat in the driver’s seat while women and children pushed from behind. That was how we started our day.

Next it was time for the children to start out. They walked down the railroad track to attend school in Herndon. There were not enough students to warrant a school bus at that time, but I think they preferred to walk. Sometimes I could hear them singing at the top of their voices as they approached the house on their way home – something one wouldn’t feel free to do on a school bus.

After the 10:30 shopper’s special passed by, the mothers started down the track to buy the groceries. This trip to the grocery was a daily chore because walking the ties with a heavy load of groceries could be exhausting, even for a mile. In nice weather the trip was pleasant. The air was fresh, the conversation was usually agreeable, sometimes stimulating, and there was always the drug store, where one could stop for a chocolate soda, meet new friends and even rest a bit. Country living was agreeing with us.

Two years later, when the children were in high school, I accepted a teaching job. Walking the tracks continued for me, but now I started early in the morning in order to pick up ride to Centreville. I no longer had a choice in the weather. Every week day was a school day, except during summer vacation, and bad weather was no longer an excuse to stay home.