The company was unique in that its bridges could also be used for "travel by horseback, carriage, sheep, cattle, and hogs" in addition to the regular use by the train.

[2] The bridge was destroyed by the Confederate States Army on April 2, 1865, in anticipation of the Fall of Richmond.

In 1916, this belt line was made into a double track to accommodate increased freight and passenger traffic (which was now too voluminous to go down the original connector railroad on Byrd St in the middle of Richmond).

The line was serviced by the Broad Street Station which became a massive center of rail transportation in Richmond.

In 1970, the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad bridge was removed as it no longer served any purpose along with the original 2 miles (3.2 km) of the R&P as they had been superseded by other adjacent lines owned by the same company.

Yet, from an aerial map, the former route can be vaguely traced out; from the ground, very little can be seen of the second steam railroad to service Richmond as it has been overgrown by shrubs, trees, and other plant life.