Blacksburg Grand Union Terminal Station and End-of-Track - Coordinates ???

[NW Mailing List]

On Wed, Jan 1, 2025 at 6:54 AM Ray wrote:

> Thanks for all the interesting and helpful information about the
> Huckleberry.  I have a question that I suspect some who have engaged in
> this discussion can answer.  Here it is:
> I know the Blacksburg train departed the Cambria yard on the Kingston
> Branch and not long thereafter passed over the N&W main on a bridge.I would
> like to know the route from where it left the Kingston Branch to the bridge
> over the N&W main. Specficly, did it pull out the Kingston Branch a short
> way, then back through a switch with a bridge over Crab Creek and on to the
> track passing over the bridge over the main OR was there a switch close to
> where the Kingston Branch left the Cambria yard that connected track over
> Crab Creek to track over the bridge over the main without the necessity of
> pulling (or backing) up the Kingston Branch? The answer to this question
> will make clear whether these trains arrived in Blacksburg with the engine
> on the front if they departed Christiansburg (Cambria) with the engine on
> the front.
>

The Virginia Anthracite Coal & Railway Co. signed an agreement with the N&W
to use a portion of the Kingston Branch to connect with the N&W to
interchange freight and passengers. The railroad also signed a later
agreement to make joint use of the passenger and freight stations in
Cambria. The track behind the passenger station was for use of the VAC&Ry.

When departing for Merrimac and Blacksburg, the train pulled east up the
Kingston Branch, then reversed across a bridge over Crab Creek and ran
around the end of the knoll on the other side to reach the trestle over the
N&W main. The train crossed the tracks and continued north. Operations of
the VAC&Ry. are unknown as to where the engine was or direction it faced.

When the N&W bought the line, it typically operated a train out of Radford
to service the branch. It would run eastbound, then back into
Christiaburg Yard to reach the Kingston Branch. If the engine was pulling
the train into Blacksburg, it would need to run backwards from Radford and
back up the branch. That would put the engine on the head end when it
crossed Crab Creek and continued to Merrimac and Blacksburg.

Attached are two images that show the bench that the track was on.

Bruce in Blacksburg
[image: KingstonBranch1.png]
[image: KingstonBranch2.png]
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