N&W in 1910--Dingess tunnel

[NW Mailing List]

Ed

  All the Big Sandy line tunnels are single track bores. None where ever built to handle two tracks.
When they double tracked the line they just added new single track bore beside the existing tunnel.
or built a line around the tunnel.or left as a single track tunnel

Tunnel No. 1  is and always has been single track
Tunnel No. 2 One track through the tunnel one built around. Now both go around. (Heartland Corridor)
Tunnel No. 3  is and always has been single track
Tunnel No. 4  is and always has been single track
Tunnel No. 5 has two separate bores only one in use now
Tunnel No. 6 One track through the tunnel one built around. Tunnel now abandoned
Tunnel No. 7 has two separate bores only one in use now

Larry Evans
Kenova, WV

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: 'NW Mailing List' 
  Sent: Monday, December 14, 2009 1:15 PM
  Subject: RE: N&W in 1910--Dingess tunnel


  Gordon,

  Is not at least one tunnel on the Big Sandy line single track?  I've not been up US-52 since before 2002 (I took that route up and back often to visit my parents in Columbus, OH  when I lived in the Carolinas)  but if my memory serves me correctly at least one of the tunnels is single track only never having been built with the needed clearance for a 2nd track.  ??

   

  Best regards,

  Ed Painter - Narrows, VA (living in Russellville, AR)

   

  From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
  Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2009 11:45 AM
  To: 3N&W Mailing List
  Subject: N&W in 1910--Dingess tunnel

   

  Bluefield Daily Telegraph
  June 30, 1910

   

  SPEND THOUSANDS ON OLD DINGESS TUNNEL

  ------

  Norfolk and Western Will Preserve Twelve Pole Valley Line to Carry Back Empties

      The action of the Norfolk and Western in spending an immense sum of money in putting an arch in the Dingess tunnel from end to end dissipates the theory not long since expressed that the old Twelve Pole Valley Line would be abandoned.

      For about a year contractors have been busy on this work, and thousands of tons of brick and concrete have been consumed in the work.

      With the exception of a moderate quantity of local freight and passenger traffic, the old line is now used for the purpose of carrying empties back to the coal fields after having taken their tonnage of coal and coke to the markets in the northwest.

      Owing to the heavy grades and sharp curves which abound on the Twelve Pole Line, all heavy freight trains and all through passenger trains are run over the Big Sandy Line.

      There is still a good quantity of timber on the head waters of Twelve Pole and plenty of good coal.  It is believed, however, if there were neither of these commodities in evidence the road would be preserved for the double track purposes it will now will serve.

  ------

  [The six-mile grade of one percent or more against loaded coal trains on the original single-track Twelve Pole mainline extended completely through the 3327-foot-long Dingess Tunnel.  The single-track Big Sandy Low Grade Line was opened in December 1904 and was 24.20 miles shorter than the Twelve Pole line.  The N&W completed double tracking of the Big Sandy line  in 1925 and then abandoned the 54.49 miles of the Twelve Pole line between Lenore and Wayne on September 2, 1933.  The N&W's 1933 Annual Report states, "Removal of the rails, ties and other items of value on this line was competed in November, 1933, and 53.78 miles of abandoned right-of-way were conveyed to the State of West Virginia for highway purposes."  For those who may have missed the links where they were first posted here, one can experience a motorcycle ride on the state road over the old Twelve Pole line including Dingess and Breeden tunnels by checking out the following:

   

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu7yGiS54D0

   

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONCos2I2wTY&feature=related]

   

  Gordon Hamilton



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