Lambert's Point

He was subsequently a member of the Assembly at Jamestown for Lower Norfolk County in 1652, and by the time of his death in 1671 he was the proud bearer of the title Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Lambert.

Despite delays, financial constraints, and the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1855, by 1858, young Mahone and his N&P workforce had bridged both the Eastern and Southern Branches of the Elizabeth River, deployed a corduroy roadbed across the northern portion of the Great Dismal Swamp and completed the line west to Petersburg.

Things were looking very favorable for both Norfolk and the new enterprise when operations were completely disrupted by the American Civil War, which was to last five years and do great damage to the railroads.

He promptly set about leading the efforts to rebuild the N&P and its connecting railroads, funded with money from British bondholders.

There is ample evidence that Mahone had become aware of the potential wealth represented by untapped bituminous coal reserves in southern West Virginia, and had planned a fourth railroad and acquired land to capitalize upon them.

The new Philadelphia owners were also keenly aware of the opportunities represented by southern West Virginia coal, where they owned much land.

[2] Lambert's Point is the home of Norfolk Southern's Pier 6, the largest and fastest transloading facility for coal in the Northern Hemisphere.

[3] Unlike most facilities of its kind, Lambert's Point assembles all cargo in railcars and loads direct to vessel, rather than utilizing ground storage.

Today, adjacent port facilities for merchandise are operated by Lamberts Point Docks, Inc., a subsidiary of Norfolk Southern.