Lee Hall Depot to Host Railroad History Events Oct. 2
Community invited to handcar dedication and lecture on Church Hill Tunnel Disaster
Lee Hall Depot will hold two community events on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 9 Elmhurst Street in Newport News, offering residents a chance to celebrate rail history and reflect on a century-old tragedy. Both programs are free and open to the public.
The evening begins at 6:40 p.m. with the dedication of a replica 1870s Gandy handcar. The Lee Hall Train Station Foundation (LHTSF) secured the handcar with assistance from Mike Poplawski, former Newport News Parks and Recreation director, and arranged for its shipment from California. A custom-built shed, constructed by volunteers with help from Newport News Public Works, will house the handcar as part of the Depot’s Gateway project. The initiative also features the railroad track in front of the Depot, an effort championed by LHTSF member Ken Jones.
At 7 p.m., the Depot will host a Rail Heritage Program marking the 100th anniversary of the Church Hill Tunnel collapse in Richmond. Built in the 1870s to link downtown Richmond with the Chesapeake & Ohio Peninsula line, the tunnel caved in during renovations on Oct. 2, 1925. Several workers were killed, and a locomotive remains entombed inside. The lecture will explore the tunnel’s construction, the collapse, and its legacy in Virginia’s railroad history.
Lee Hall Depot itself has a long connection to rail heritage. Built around 1881 on the Chesapeake & Ohio line, it was central to the development of the Lee Hall village and served surrounding Warwick County and lower James City County. Passenger service ended in the late 1970s, and the building was later donated to the City of Newport News by CSX. In 2008, it was relocated across the tracks to prevent demolition and was restored in partnership with the LHTSF. Today, the Depot offers exhibits on local railroad history and the community that grew around it.
For more details on the Oct. 2 events, visit the Lee Hall Depot website or the LHTSF Facebook page.
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“Newport News Now” newsletter - Sept. 26, 2025