Vacatikon questions

[NW Mailing List]

  Vacatikon Questions:


1.  Is there a relationship between mile post numbers and bridge numbers?  
(i.e. is bridge 22 at milepost 22?)  if not, is there a list of bridges 
somewhere?

No.  Bridges are numbered according to mainline and districts in a sequence.
The mainline- Norfolk to Columbus Ohio start at ONE near Norfolk and go to
1000-and-something at the east end of Joyce Yard- milepost N710, if I
remember right.   Over the years a number of these bridges have been
removed, replaced by culverts (not numbered), or filled over.   New bridges
added to a line during  line improvements would fit into the sequence by
adding a letter after the last sequence number, i.e. a bridge added west of
Bridge 1000 would be 1000"A".  On Districts, the number series will be
unique from the main numbering system.  The old Cincinnati district bridges
started at 2001 for the bridge at VERA junction west of Portsmouth Ohio and
went to 2097 near Proctor and Gamble Ivorydale Yard.  Since the was
originally the old Cincinnati & eastern narrow gauge.  Miles started at C1
at the PRR/CL&N depot on Court Street in Cincinnati (reached by trackage
rights)and went eastward towards Portmouth wit the last mile as C110.  When
the Court Street connection down to the old freight house was abandoned, the
C1 moved over to Ivorydale.  Bridges on the ex- NKP, W&LE, Wabash and so on
would generally keep that systems designations.  

Bridges and bridge numbers show up on the track schematics for each district
and division.  

2.  Where was the Bristol, Va. roundhouse, and does it still exist?

Yes, in a highly modified form, two stalls exist about 3/4 mile east of the
Bristol depot.  It is a garage for a trucking company.  Access to this is
not easy.

3.  Where is the Bluefield, WV lubritorium, and does it still exist?
 
The lubritorium can be easily viewed from downtown Bluefield on the road
running next to the yard, Route 19.  You can't miss it.  It is still used
for diesel servicing.

Gary Rolih
Cincinnati