N&W in 1911--Pumping station

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Mon Feb 14 23:26:59 EST 2011


Gordon:

We appear to have posted in parallel, and I came to exactly the same
conclusions. To paraphrase my other posting, I have no idea why I have such a
strong memory of a different location, given the overwhelming evidence to
the contrary.

I also promised that unless the elusive photo I think I remember showing
the station in a different place shows up, I bow to the evidence you and
Bruce have kindly provided.

Dave Phelps


In a message dated 2/14/2011 3:14:13 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:

Bruce,

I believe the photo "3588 - N - 3660 - Graham Station." is doubtless the
view westward at the old wooden combination freight and passenger station at
the head of Spruce Street ("Depot Street on modern track charts). Sanborn
maps show the freight portion to be east of the passenger portion as in
the photo.. Depot Street is exactly at Mile Post 366.0 as apparently
referred to in the photo i.d., and a track chart shows a 2 degree 16 min.
right-hand curve at that point just as in the photo. "Graham" on the sign would
indicate a time period prior to the name change to Bluefield, VA, in 1924 and
the construction of the new brick station that same year.

I believe that the photo of the brick station agrees in all details with
the proposed station shown on the plan drawing that I submitted previously.
I believe the view is looking westward along the Clinch Valley line. The
photo shows the back side of a semaphore signal that could be the home
signal for an eastbound train approaching the junction (the lower arm appears
to be obscured by the platform canopy). Also, an N&W electrification
diagram shows that only electrified track on the Clinch Valley was 4,000 feet of
the main track as shown in the photo (electrification ended at the west end
of Furnace siding). The track leading off to the right at the bottom of
the photo shows up in the plan as a stub track that curves to the north.
Also, the freight cars in the distance in the photo appear to be on the west
leg of the wye shown on the plan.

Additionally, the plan includes a representation of both platform
canopies that appear in the photo, even including the four posts under the canopy
in the foreground of the photo. The second canopy can be seen in the
distance as shown on the plan. The platform truck crossing appears to be where
the crew of men is working--just where it shows on the plan. Also, at the
left edge of the photo is what appears to be the corner of a handrailing,
and that is just where the steps down to the pedestrian underpass shows on
the plan. Even the extent of the concreted area on the near side of the
station agrees with the plan.

I don't intend this to end the discussion, but I would like to see any
other evidence indicating whether the brick station was located south of the
Clinch Valley track or otherwise.

Gordon Hamilton


----- Original Message -----
From: _NW Mailing List_ (mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org)
To: _NW Mailing List_ (mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org)
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: N&W in 1911--Pumping station


On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 10:43 PM, Dave wrote:


Gordon:

I lived in Bluefield VA 1947-1953, and the station was not in the location
shown on the drawing you attached. It was definitely between the main
line and the Clinch Valley line. It could not have been where the drawing
shows because by then Virginia Avenue was in place approximately where the
dashed lines are in the drawing. The picture I remember also shows the
little-known electrification of the Clinch Valley line as far as Tip Top.

I'll keep digging. Maybe the N&WHS archives or the Virginia Tech
collection will show something.




There are several images in the VT collection, which have the usual scant
details about the images.


One is _http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns227.jpeg_
(http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns227.jpeg) and I
found it by just searching on "Graham" in the imagebase. It has a handwritten
note on the edge stating "Bluefield, Va." and is labeled on the image as
"3588 - N - 3660 - Graham Station." It isn't the sharpest image, but I could
enlarge it enough to see that the signboard does read "Graham" on the
platform. The station building is in the distance, but appears to be wood.


Another is
_http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns229.jpeg_ (http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns229.jpeg)
found by searching on "Bluefield" in the imagebase. It too is noted as
"Bluefield, Va." on the edge, but is just labeled as "698." This station is brick,
fills the picture, and has "Bluefield, Va" on the station sign.


The Virginia Tech Library also has access to the digital Sanborn maps for
Virginia, so I was able to check out the 1930 and 1938 editions for
Bluefield (the only ones they have available). Both show the station on the south
side of the tracks, next to Virginia Avenue, with a "N&W Ry. Rep. Shop"
inside the wye, along with a small storage building. The 1938 map also shows
Virginia Ave. jogging under two steel bridges at the Virginia Hotel to go
under the Clinch Valley line and the third leg single track of the wye, then
jogging again to go between the bulk plants of the Gulf Oil Corp'n. on the
right (as one heads west) and the Pure Oil Co. on the left before
eventually crossing the Bluestone River. On the 1930 map, these two businesses
didn't exist, but the Thompson Coal Co. was just west of the location of the
Pure Oil location along the Clinch Valley line (both had a siding into their
operations).


Bruce in Blacksburg



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