mile markers

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

At 8:42 PM -0400 4/8/06, Harry wrote:

>As for the difference in actual miles and the

>mile posts between Norfolk and Portsmouth -- the opening of Pepper

>Tunnel (date unknown) eliminated 4.3 miles,


I went digging through my notes and records to find this info about the line relocation that eliminated the original northern line from Radford through Fairlawn and to Belspring on the river (now Va. 600).

Norfolk & Western Railway, 3rd Annual Report, June 30, 1899, pg. 10

"Attention was called in our last report to the necessity of reducing grades wherever practicable. . . In pursuance of this policy the construction of a low grade branch line, near Radford, has been authorized. This branch is 7.2 miles in length. It leaves the Main Line near the mouth of Crab Creek, near the 289 mile-post from Norfolk, and rejoins it near the 309 mile-post, near the mouth of Back Creek. The construction of this branch shortens the haul 4.3 miles, and reduces the controlling grades between the points named from 78 feet per mile east bound and 86 feet per mile west bound, to 11 feet per mile east bound and the maximum curvature from 14 degrees to 6 degrees. The work of gradation is heavy and costly, owning to the necessity of bridging New River and piercing the high hill in the bend of that river by a tunnel, about 3,500 feet long. The entire cost of the Branch is estimated at $475,000, of which sum $300,000 has been charged to Surplus Income as above mentioned. . . The work of grading the Branch has been commenced and is being prosecuted with vigor."

Norfolk & Western Railway, 4th Annual Report, June 30, 1900, pg. 10

"Good progress was made during the year in the construction of the low grade branch line near Radford, to which attention was called in our last report. This branch will be opened to traffic early in October."

Norfolk & Western Railway, 5th Annual Report, June 30, 1902, pg. 12

"New River Connecting Branch: This line was opened for traffic October 11, 1900. The Company has accepted an Act of the General Assembly of Virginia, approved February 15, 1901, authorizing the abandonment of the old high-grade line between New River Depot and Back Creek, in Pulaski County."

Pg. 71
"Tower and interlocking plant of 40 levers was erected at Walton
Combined freight and passenger station, 24' x 61', was erected at Pepper"

Norfolk & Western Railway, 6th Annual Report, June 30, 1902, pg. 64

"Belspring station building removed from old location on High Grade to new location"

According to my 1979 Radford Division track charts, Christiansburg is at MP N-290.  MP N-297 is between Vicker and Walton (note above the new line starts at the "289 mile-post").  The next mile post on the track chart is N-302 just into the wye at Walton, with a note between N-297 and N-302 stating "4145' MP-301.85 = MP-297.63" -- indicating a short several miles there.  Mile posts continue from N-302 west to N-309 just west of the end of the passing siding at Belspring.  Based on the report above about the new line rejoining the line "near the 309 mile-post, near the mouth of Back Creek" it appears that the mile posts were set going backwards from Belspring toward Walton.

Bruce in Blacksburg

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