Coopers to Ruth

[NW Mailing List]

Dave,

I am guessing that the pole line that you questioned is the railroad's communication line, which probably included Western Union circuits in those days.  Notice how the vegetation under the pole line was controlled--a necessary expense with pole lines.  Some places the pole line would deviate a bit from the tracks by taking a shortcut.

The dark line that may seem to be a roadway on the side of the hill appears to be just a horizontal beam of the catenary support structure.

Gordon Hamilton
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: Norfolk Western Mailing List 
  Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 9:02 AM
  Subject: RE: Coopers to Ruth


  Jim and Gordon,

  Referring to NS1594 from the VA Tech collection, Is there a railbed or roadbed cutting across the face of the hillside, just uphill of the train? 
  Also, there apears to be a line of light colored utility poles behind/above the train that do not appear to follow the feature mentioned above. These poles appear to procede downhill with the right-most one mostly hidden behind the right-most catenary support. Would this line of poles be property of N&W? If so, what might they be carrying or used for?
  Thanks,
  Dave Willis
  heysiao "at" hotmail "dot" com

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  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
  Subject: Re: Coopers to Ruth
  Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 21:42:32 -0500
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org



  Jim,

  I'll take a shot at it, and someone can take a potshot at me.

  In the photo on Prince/p. 257 the old main line climbing up to Ruth appears to be quite a ways below the level of the new main line, indicating a location close to the Cooper bridge.  Also, maps show the sharpest left-hand curve (viewed in increasing mile post direction) just west of the bridge.

  In the photo on Prince/p. 225 the old main line appears to be closer to the level of the new main line, indicating that Ruth, where both main lines would be on the same level to enter the tunnel, is not far to the west of the train.  Also, maps show a mild curve at that point.

  Gordon Hamilton
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: NW Mailing List 
    To: NW Mailing List 
    Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 8:05 PM
    Subject: Coopers to Ruth


    I'm trying to pinpoint the exact locations of photographs of the line between Coopers and Ruth prior to the building of the new Elkhorn tunnel.  One picture that is commonly available (NS1594 from the VA Tech collection/Cooper p. 77/Prince bottom of p. 257) shows 2512, I belived descending toward Coopers with its train on a wide, sweeping curve to the left.  As nearly as I can figure, the photographer was looking West at one of two places.  According to the maps I have seen, there were two curves between Coopers and Ruth that might qualify for the location of this picture.  The first was just after crossing the bridge over the Bluestone and the second was a little further West at approximately the position of what would be the East portal of the new tunnel.  Can anybody tell me which of these locations is correct or if I'm completely off base.  Also, it appears that the picture at the bottom of Prince p. 225 showing the 130 under a signal bridge was made from middle of the curve shown in the picture discussed above; can anybody comment.  I would also really appreciate pointers to other pictures that folks are aware of showing this area.
    Thanks,
    Jim Cochran

    dcochran116 at roadrunner.com


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