Crumpler WV,

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

My Grandfather was born in Crumpler in 1922.  His father worked the mines there until he got enough money to buy a farm south of Chilhowie, VA.  I've always wanted to visit the place, but I know there's nothing left really.  Still, I plan to one of these days.
  Ben Blevins
  

nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org wrote:
          Jim
  My grand parents lived in Crumpler and my grandfather worked the mines as a motorman, several uncles mined, and my father was a bone picker in the tipple for a time.  I'm planning to model the "Northfork branch" with a few of the tipples and mines that I remember from childhood and what I can glean from photos and verbal recollections.  Unfortunately, there ain't much left to see as far as evidence of the N&W and coal operations.  I've been back several times in last few years and the only track I can find is a four inch rail end exposed in the road where the line crossed just before you entered the actual metropolis of Crumpler (unicorporated).  Coming out of Northfork, there is still a lot of masonary work along the creek as the branch curved around the mountain after leaving the mainline.  The bridge abutments where the branch crossed the creek for the first time are still there as are several of the subsequent crossing points.  The folks that live there have wasted
 not time in re-contouring the old right of way to suit there purposes, and I suppose you can't blame them for that, but it makes it hard to see how things used to be.  If you have a GPS and geological survey maps you can probably pick up other evidence that has eluded my casual observations.  I am absolutely amazed that there is almost nothing left to mark the Zenith tipple.  About the only thing I can still see is the whistle/siren post.  Old mother earth seems to have almost entirely reclaimed this location in what seems to me like a ver short span of time.  I would love to hear from and exchage information with anybody else out there who is interested in the N&W and coal operations along the Northfork branch.
  My Email is:  dcochran116 at adelphia.net
   
  Jim Cochran
    ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 2:26 PM
  Subject: Crumpler WV,
  

  New to this site, and I hope to find a lot of info. Would it be possible to find out what types of locomotives stm/dsl operated on the spur , which hauled coal out of the mines at Crumpler , West Virginia. I was there as a child in 1977. and saw trains moving in and out . Planning on returning this october to explore whats left of the place.
   
                                                               Thanks 
   
                                                    Jim Liddle
    
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