the old, the new
There's a whole bunch of ancient knowledge lurking around these parts in Hurley, VA on the present day NS Buchanan Branch.
820 continues northbound towards the Pokey main 11 miles ahead or so from this point. No idea when these signals were installed but I bet that the N&W had Position Lights at some point in the past. For now these appear to be inheritances from the Southern stockpile, likely during the early NS merger era, but I do not know that for a fact.
What is more apparent though is that the Big Sandy & Cumberland Railroad is the original company that built the route between Devon, WV and Grundy, VA. Much the same of the present day NS route, but here at Hurley the original all narrow gauge railroad spun east and followed Knox Creek on a route through Blackey, VA. The N&W got operational control of the BS&C in 1923, and eventually in 1927 the seed was planted for construction of the present day route Hurley to Grundy via Lester Fork and Raitt Tunnel. The new standard gauge construction crossed the old narrow gauge at 25 different points on various bridges and fills during the 11 mile trip north of this location.
What began as a small logging outfit in the 1900s has turned into NS busiest coal hauling branchline in the Pocahontas Division.
the old, the new
There's a whole bunch of ancient knowledge lurking around these parts in Hurley, VA on the present day NS Buchanan Branch.
820 continues northbound towards the Pokey main 11 miles ahead or so from this point. No idea when these signals were installed but I bet that the N&W had Position Lights at some point in the past. For now these appear to be inheritances from the Southern stockpile, likely during the early NS merger era, but I do not know that for a fact.
What is more apparent though is that the Big Sandy & Cumberland Railroad is the original company that built the route between Devon, WV and Grundy, VA. Much the same of the present day NS route, but here at Hurley the original all narrow gauge railroad spun east and followed Knox Creek on a route through Blackey, VA. The N&W got operational control of the BS&C in 1923, and eventually in 1927 the seed was planted for construction of the present day route Hurley to Grundy via Lester Fork and Raitt Tunnel. The new standard gauge construction crossed the old narrow gauge at 25 different points on various bridges and fills during the 11 mile trip north of this location.
What began as a small logging outfit in the 1900s has turned into NS busiest coal hauling branchline in the Pocahontas Division.