June 1887 Shenandoah Valley Railroad --why, it seems just like yesterda...

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

At 9:04 PM -0400 6/19/05, Jimmy Lisle wrote:

>In a message dated 6/19/2005 5:40:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:

>

>>Concrete, Va is not a point you hear much about.

>>

>

>

>Jim,

>       The area we call "Concrete" starts at the 30mph curve just south of MP120 and runs south just shy of MP121. There was a concrete dam on the Shenandoah River there, hence the name "Concrete". The dam was blown up and was left in sections until this past year when someone went in and completely broke it up. It is no longer a hazard to navigation.

>       Concrete is also the beginning of what we call "Weaver's Bluff", extending to about MP 123.5. This is a great place to see bear,eek! Not so great when having to check a car for a hotbox.

>       Concrete is just south of Rocky Bar which is just south of Island Ford and Weaver's Bluff is just north of Lynnwood. I know there was a siding at one time at Island Ford but I have never heard of one being at MP120. I'll look at my list of old station names to see what I can find.


OK, so I pulled out my track charts for the Shenandoah Division dated January 1, 1981, and was finally able to place this location.  It took a little doing, since there is a milepost anomaly on the charts.  The charts show both R- and H- mileage and they don't match -- MP R-120 is at MP H-119, while MP H-120 is at R-119.  On the north end, MP H-0/R-239 is north of Hagar at the end of the yard.  Vardo is at H-2/R-237 in Shomo Yard.  On the south end, the sheet starts with H-238 in the Roanoke Terminal Division at North Roanoke, not quite a mile south of the Hollins Road crossing.  MP R-3/H-236 is just north of the Tinker Creek Connector and the division is indicated as starting at MP 235.95.  Does this mismatch coincide with what is in the field?  Where is MP 0 on the Shenandoah Division in Roanoke?  Going south, the Winston-Salem District doesn't start until MP R-7.32, just north of Cycle Systems, with MP R-8 just south of the U.S. 220 overpass.  When giving locations between Roanoke and Hagerstown, is the mile post prefix included so everyone is sure of just where someone is, or does this only matter in the Concrete, Island Ford, Weaver's Bluff area?

-- 
Bruce in Blacksburg         === In the heart of N&W territory. ===

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