When the first train arrived in Jackson's River Station on July 10, 1857, the western terminus of the Virginia Central consisted of little more than a refueling station for wood-burning steam engines and a station house for employees and passengers. By the middle of the 1940s, the rail yard beyond provided work for nearly 2,000 employees, and as many as 1,400 workers per day used these stairs and elevator to enter and exit the yard. Shift changes even required a traffic light for safety. In the 1950s, the move toward diesel locomotives brought the repair shop's shift away from the town. The tunnels and elevator finally closed in 1987 after many decades of service, marking the end of an era. Over the years, the town and the railroad grew together, and Clifton Forge takes pride in its founding role in the nation's rail system.