Database for Location of Former Depots and Towers ?

Tue Sep 19 17:41:39 EDT 2023

Great idea!  Very few people know that there was a tower at Burkeville.  I think it was built as part of the Burkeville-Pamplin beltline circa 1916.  There may have been one also at Pamplin? Sometime before the 1930’s (this is just a guess on my part), the N&W economized by moving the interlocking to the station and having an operator on duty 7-24 to sell tickets, work the passenger trains that stopped there, and operate the interlocking.  My father worked the 12-8 AM shift during WW2; he worked from mid 1942 to late 1945 or early 1946 without a day off.  He had to be there sick or not.  The tower remained unused until it was partially demolished by a westbound derailment in the 1930’s.  Again this time frame is a guess on my part.  I have pictures of that derailment that a family member took.  The tower was removed after that; the concrete base with a room below remains.  The interlocking plant along with the 24 hour operator coverage was removed in December 1958 when CTC was completed on the beltline.      

Bill Mason

William M (Bill) Mason 

wmmason at verizon.net

From: NW Mailing List [mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2023 8:55 AM
To: N&W Mailing List
Subject: Database for Location of Former Depots and Towers ?

Have been having a little discussion with Senator Blackstock about the VGN's revision of line and grade in the vicinity of Stewartsville, incident to the damming of Roanoke River and the creation of Smith Mountain Lake in the 1950s. 

And it strikes us that it would be a worthy (and simple) project to build a database of the locations where the old railroad depots (and towers) once stood.  (Or the locations of other notable railroad structures.) 

This project can be done today, due to enough living memory.  In ten or fifteen years, perhaps not so easily. 

Example:  The VGN Round House at Roanoke.  In 20 years, the precise location may be lost, unless someone with a living memory (such as Attorney Jeff Sanderman) logs the information now. 

Anyone with a cell phone can stand at the former location of a structure and get coordinates.  Coordinates expressed to five decimal places should be sufficient.  (Ideally coordinates should be taken from the center of where the structure stood.) 

Senator Blackstock, a good, wise and true man, and an old Confederate Veteran, put forth a motion that we begin such a databasing project, and I seconded his motion. 

All in favor, please raise your hands ! 

             -- abram burnett 

Three-Phase Ground-Loop Turnips 

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