VGN New River Div. Traffic Levels Today ?

[NW Mailing List]

Abram,

From my house and turnip patch is the Ellett Valley, I have a view of the former Virginian as it descends the eastern slope of Christiansburg Mountain to parallel the North Fork of the Roanoke River which it generally follows to Roanoke.

My anecdotal impression is that an average of about eight trains daily use this line, all eastbound. When there is maintenance or derailment on the former N&W line through Christiansburg, the number increases and there is some westbound traffic, particularly westbound empty hoppers.

A typical day sees 2-3 coal trains, 2-3 grain trains, 2-3 mixed freight trains including auto racks and several tank trains each week. There is no intermodal use of this line, perhaps because of tunnel restrictions. Occasionally I see two “pushers/breakers” on the end of some of these trains, which operate between Whitethorne where the line begins its climb from the New River to the bottom of the grade where the line joins the North Fork of the Roanoke River cutting off just east of the North Fork Road crossing between Ellett and Fagg and returning light engine to Whitethorne. I have never seen pushers on a westbound movement. More recently I see use of distributed power on some trains. While coal traffic has declined in recent years, it appears to be having a small uptick in recent months.

The track appears to continue to be well maintained with heavy rail and ballast. Once reaching the bottom of the mountain grade near Fagg, trains generally run about 40 mph.

Passenger rail is to return Salem to Merrimac in 2025 with two trains in each direction daily. This will be the first passenger service on this line (other than a few 611 trips) since about 1954. I look forward to these daily viewings. Once owned by the Commonwealth this line will continue to host NS freight trains on a pay for use basis.

   Ray Smoot

Sent from my iPad

> On Oct 31, 2021, at 5:54 AM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> Just curious...  Does anyone know the traffic levels on the VGN's New River Division today, between Narrows and Roanoke, a portion of which is up for sale?
>  
> How many coal trains, miscellaneous merchandise trains ("time freights,") and TTX trains are using the line per day? 
>  
> I was always struck with what a superb  piece of engineering work that line was, especially its gentle descent of the east slope of Christiansburg Mountain... which put the N&W's torturous Elliston-Christiansburg route to shame.  I hope we never lose that part of the VGN, although surely I will never see it again.
>  
> -- abram burnett
> steam powered turnips, no less
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