Answers for Abram -- Divisions and Lynchburg

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Bruce, Abram,
Abram, thanks for the question causing Bruce to do this interesting
research. Very interesting for me being from Radford (Central or Central
Depot) and now living in Lynchburg.
And Bruce, can I share this info with a Lynchburg history Facebook group?
Thanks,
Charlie, of the Longs

On Wed, Jun 28, 2017 at 11:27 PM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
wrote:

> Back on May 25, Abram asked some questions about divisions on the N&W in
> 1893 based on entries in the June edition of the Official Guide. While not
> direct answers to those questions, the archives shed some light on when
> things first changed regarding divisions.
>
> In a box of subject files in GOB East from 1897 was a folder on
> "Re-divisioning" with a report to the Executive Committee from President
> Kimball. Another file contained the resolutions to be presented to the
> Board of Directors to implement the changes proposed by Kimball.
>
> The biggest change was the reorganization of the operating structure of
> the Norfolk & Western Railroad. Kimball wrote, "When organized in 1881 the
> 428 miles of railroad belonging to the Company was, for the convenience of
> management, divided at Lynchburg into two divisions of 214 miles, each in
> charge of a Division Superintendent who reported to the General Manager.
> Each of these divisions was sub-divided, the Eastern Division at
> Petersburg, 83 miles from Norfolk, and the Western Division at Radford,
> about midway between Lynchburg and Bristol."
>
> He pointed out how the railroad was growing, especially in the Western
> Division. He said a good division superintendent needed to make frequent
> trips over the line to be familiar with operations and to meet with
> shippers. Kimball said:
>
> It is believed that much better results can be accomplished by a
> re-divisioning of the line, and in anticipation of the completion of the
> Clinch Valley Division, about 115 miles in length, during the year 1888, I
> recommend that the line be divided into five divisions as follows:-
>
> Eastern Division,
>   from Norfolk to Crewe, This including the Lambert's Point & City Point
> Branches, will be a total mileage of 143.41 miles
>
> Roanoke   "
>   from Crewe to Roanoke, including the Blue Ridge Branch, 136.60 miles
>
> New River   "
>   from Roanoke to Bluefields, 105.80 miles
>
> Western   "
> from Radford to Bristol, including the Cripple Creek Extension and
> branches, 154.08 miles
>
> Clinch Valley   "
> from Bluefields to Norton, including all branches to coal mines 142.27
> miles
>
> Total   682.16 miles
>
> The re-divisioning of the line will necessitate the construction at both
> Crewe and Bluefields, of an engine house, turn table, small repair shops,
> store house, office building, houses for employees, yards and sidings for
> the handling and making up of trains, the estimated cost of these
> facilities, at each point, being about $130,000. There should also be
> erected at Bristol an engine house to accommodate 10 engines, estimated to
> cost $15.000.00.
>
>
> This change also would shift operations from Pocahontas and Flat Top yards
> to a new yard in Bluefields (not a typo, that is how the location is
> referred to in the report), where trains would be assembled and sent to
> Roanoke.
>
> Another recommendation was to set the Roanoke Machine Works to building "2
> engines per month and 5 freight cars per day of the class for which at the
> moment there may be the most pressing necessity, the number of cars to be
> increased or decreased or work entirely suspended as the business of the
> Company may justify."
>
> The report gives details of the expenditures needed to build facilities
> (shops, roundhouses, yards, offices, employee housing, etc.) at the various
> locations.
>
> The report also confirms an answer to another Abram question about the
> location of the passenger station in Lynchburg. From the report:
>
> The members of our Board of Directors are fully acquainted with the
> retched facilities now afforded to passenger travel at Lynchburg, which are
> not only inconvenient but extremely dangerous. The only location at
> Lynchburg suitable for the erection of a union station is upon the ground
> now occupied by the present round house and machine shop, which will be
> vacated and can be torn down upon the erection of the new facilities at
> Crewe and Bluefields. It is proposed to erect a passenger station similar
> in its general features to the plan herewith submitted, upon the
> conditions, however, that the City of Lynchburg or the citizens should
> purchase and donate to the Company the Langhorn property as shown on the
> plan, which will cost about $25,000; the cost of improvements to be borne
> by the Norfolk and Western Railroad Company but to be used jointly by our
> Company, the Virginia Midland and the Richmond and Alleghany, the two
> latter companies to pay each one third of the interest on the cost of the
> improvements and the estimated value of the real estate; the operating
> expenses of the station to be borne jointly by the three Companies; the
> control and operation of the station to be governed by the Norfolk and
> Western Railroad Company.
>
> In the subject files in the archives are construction contracts for the
> new facilities that came about after passage of the resolutions giving
> Kimball the OK to proceed. There aren't plans with the contracts, since
> they are mainly legal documents that cover what is expected from the
> various contractors, but they do offer clues and details about when many
> things along the railroad came to be.
>
> The report and Executive Committee resolutions (in various formats) can be
> found at
>
> http://www.brucebharper.info/nwrwy/redivisioning/index.html
>
> Bruce in Blacksburg
>
>
>
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