1958 - N&W's Newest Tunnel Now Open for Trains

[NW Mailing List]

Roanoke Times - July 30, 1958

N&W's Newest Tunnel Now Open for Trains

   CARBO, July 29 - The first coal mined at the Clinchfield Coal 
Co.'s Moss No. 3 operation in Dickenson County was moved out by rail 
yesterday through the Norfolk and Western Railway's newest and longest tunnel.
   The 8,220-foot tunnel through Sandy Ridge Mountain has now been 
completed except for its concrete lining.
   The new operation has a potential annual capacity of five million 
tons and Clinchfield is building a hugh plant across the line in 
Russell County to process about 15,000 tons a day.
   In addition to the new tunnel, the N&W has lad about 15 miles of 
new track in the area to accommodate the anticipated heavy flow of coal.
   When the mine reaches full production, coal will be moved through 
the tunnel to the processing plant and the out over the Clinch Valley.
   Much of the coal will go to the Appalachian Power Co.'s new 
450,000 kilowatt power plant near here.
   The combined investment in the industrial project by the coal 
company, the railway and the power firm has been estimated at about 
100 million dollars.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link