Rural Retreat Depot

[NW Mailing List]

Dear all

Millie Rothrock has sent a link to another story she wrote earlier in the
summer about a Wythe engineer - Doug Wohlford is older now, his body bent,
his mind straining to keep up. But he remembers that crisp Christmas Eve
when he was young and strong and tending the fire that propelled The
Pelican from Bristol to Roanoke.

Dominic
London

 ----- Forwarded Message -----
 *From:* "Rothrock, Millicent W." <mrothrock at wythenews.com>
*To:* Dominic Pinto <dominic.pinto at ieee.org>
*Sent:* Monday, 30 September 2013, 15:03
*Subject:* RE: Rural Retreat Depot

Dear Dominic:

Thank you for the information. Here is another railroad-related story I
recently wrote. I thought you might enjoy it. If you are ever this way
again, stop by and say hello!

http://www.tricities.com/swvatoday/news/wytheville/article_0ef7acac-cfb5-11e2-8592-0019bb30f31a.html


<snip>

I asked about the closure date for Rural Retreat and was pointed to the
attached that does not give a date or a year. I've asked again. I do know
that the Washington-Bristol service ran on N&W track until Amtrak day -
when it removed entirely off as the N&W weren't interested.

I'd expect that the station was still being used but some others did get
mothballed or even sold during the '60s. I remember when I was first in
Wytheville in the summer of '73 (I worked for Pendleton Construction Corp.
on I-77) staying with the Simmermans going with Charles Simmerman and son
Mike to take some beasts to load at Wytheville's train station - no
passenger service then of course - and vaguely recall a Southern States
depot there also. I have some pictures from then but of course didn't take
any snaps of this!

If I get a date confirmed for the Rural Retreat station closure I'll let
you know.

I haven't been Stateside for 7 years and was last in town staying with
Jamie and Dana Smith Christmas 2005 ..... I'm overdue a visit!
<snip>
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