Roanoke Belt Line Correction

[NW Mailing List]

I was not very clear in my wording here yesterday.

What I was attempting to convey was that the Roanoke Belt Line is pretty much as it was built, sitting out of service today. The only real difference is the connection to go south on the Punkin Vine is gone, and has been for some time, and the connection at the west end was changed from a diamond across the VGN has been changed in the last 10-15 years to a set of switches to facilitate a move from the material yard to handle asphalt cars on the very west end.

The remainder of the line is out of service and has been for 4-5 years, at least.

Thanks to Jimmy Lisle who questioned me on what I had said.

Ken Miller

On Dec 12, 2013, at 2:01 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> I seem to recall seeing the term in an older N&W Magazine article about Kenova.

> 

> In addition, Roanoke's Belt line was originally conceived as a much longer around the city line. An 1892 Roanoke City map depicts the line running all the way around the city through the south east. Of course, the line was not actually built until after the turn of the century, and it never was more built than it sits today, out of service, with no direct connection to the Punkin Vine headed south.

> 

> Ken Miller

> 

> On Dec 12, 2013, at 12:20 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:

> 

>> 

>> Actually, modern day Norfolk Southern track charts show a nearly 5 mile

>> long "Kenova Belt Line" going from Kenova to "Oglebay Norton". It

>> diverges off the old main line (now Wayne Branch main), loops 180

>> degrees, crosses CSX and pararrels it back under the main line, then

>> loops 180 degrees back east along the riverfront, through "Kenova Belt

>> Yard", back under the main line, and ends at a barge transfer along

>> the river.

>> 

>> So it is an official term, at least these days.  The mileposts show a

>> "KB" prefix, so the belt line term may actually date back to N&W days.

>> 

>> 

>> Joe Shaw

>> Christiansburg, VA

>> http://www.krunk.org/