New River Extension
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Wed Dec 8 19:09:57 EST 2004
Just for the sake of clarity, the original line began at New River and
proceeded along the river over Schooler Hill to Belspring. When the line was
completed in 1883 and opened for service, there was no curved bridge. The
bridge was completed in 1888. My previous comment in this forum explained
the awkward movement trains into and out of Radford for the new line before
the curved bridge was built.
Bud Jeffries
----- Original Message -----
From: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "N&W Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 10:13 AM
Subject: Fw: New River Extension
> In my previous posting I asked for comments, but I'll supply some
> additional
> comments of my own.
>
> The 1901 N&W Annual Report refers to the "...abandonment of the old
> high-grade line between New River Depot and Back Creek, in Pulaski
> County."
> Radford at the east end of the New River bridge is in Montgomery County
> whereas the community of New River at the west end of the bridge is in
> Pulaski County as described in the Annual Report, so all indications are
> that New River Depot on the N&W was on the west side of the river.
>
> Referring to the picture on Page 5 of Ken Miller's book on the Class J or
> the same picture on Page 45 of Richard Prince's book on the N&W or to the
> picture in the Va Tech special collections at
> http://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/view_record.php?URN=ns3722
> the line on the bridge curving to the right was the original line down New
> River to the coal fields at Pocahontas, VA, completed in 1883. This is
> the
> line replaced by the New River Connecting Branch in 1900, which is the
> present-day mainline of the NW through Pepper Tunnel.
>
> The line on the bridge that goes straight across the river is the
> present-day NS line to Bristol, VA, completed in 1856, and New River Depot
> would have been located somewhere near the far end of this bridge. A
> connecting track can be seen across the river forming a hugh wye here.
>
> The track leading off to the left is the Radford Branch, which went up New
> River for a few miles.
>
> Gordon Hamilton
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> To: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> Sent: Monday, December 06, 2004 9:58 PM
> Subject: Fwd: New River Extension
>
>
>> C * O * R * R *E * C * T * I * O * N
>>
>> It has been called to my attention that the former name of Radford was
>> Central Depot instead of New River Depot as I stated in my original
> message
>> (actually, I knew this, but just slipped up). Also, a later message by
> Bud
>> Jeffries indicates that Back Creek is near Belspring instead of being
>> the
>> former name as I speculated (early documents indicate that the name
>> Belspring antedates the New River Connecting Branch).
>>
>> This begs the question, where were New River Depot and Back Creek
>> located.
>> Perusal of mileage given in old timetables, station lists, etc.,
>> indicates
>> that New River Depot appears to have been on the opposite (west) side of
> the
>> river from Radford. This is reinforced by a 1950 USGS topographic map
> which
>> identifies a community at the west end of the N&W bridge as, "New River."
>> Was the New River Depot indeed across the river from Radford?
>>
>> The same map shows a Back Creek crossing under the N&W one-half mile west
> of
>> Belspring. Based on that, it appears that the short-lived junction
> between
>> the new line and the west end of the old line may have been located
> there.
>>
>> Comments anyone?
>>
>> Gordon Hamilton
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Gordon Hamilton" <gordonshamilton at cox.net>
>> To: "N&W Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 6:56 AM
>> Subject: Re: New River Extension
>>
>>
>> > Ron,
>> >
>> > The 1901 annual report states, "New River Connecting Branch: This line
> was
>> > opened for traffic Oct. 11, 1900. The Company has accepted an Act of
> the
>> > General Assembly of Virginia, approved February 15, 1901, authorizing
> the
>> > abandonment of the old high-grade line between New River Depot and
>> Back
>> > Creek, in Pulaski County."
>> >
>> > I imagine that the line was abandoned soon after permission was given.
> It
>> > is interesting that the General Assembly, rather that some agency,
> handled
>> > such matters in 1901.
>> >
>> > Of course, New River Depot was the old name for present-day Radford,
> and
>> > apparently Back Creek was the old name for present-day Belspring.
>> >
>> > Gordon Hamilton
>> >
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
>> > To: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
>> > Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 10:35 PM
>> > Subject: New River Extension
>> >
>> >
>> > > Does anyone know when the old New River Extension between New River,
> VA
>> > > (Radford) and Belspring, VA was taken out of service? This would be
>> after
>> > > the construction of the low grade route through Pepper Tunnel in
> 1900.
>> > > Today Belspring Road (SR 600) follows this former N&W grade between
>> > > Fairlawn and Belspring.
>> > >
>> > > Thanks,
>> > > Ron Davis
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > ________________________________________
>> > > NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
>> > > http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
>> >
>>
>>
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