[N&W] Re: Virginian Questions

Tue May 4 23:01:27 EDT 2004

On the Virginian question on the Gilbert connection, let me ask my
father what he remembers.  We lived in Man, and the trains had to
pass through there.  I do know the freights did so.  After the
N&W-Virginian merger I did get to see an N&W passenger train take
this route because of a derailment on N&W's main.

...Kim Hensley
khensley at gamewood.net

--------------------------------
	Jim,

	1.  I traveled this area several years ago & among the few surviving
reminders of the VGN was a small steel coaling structure (maybe 3 storeys
tall) on the east end of a tunnel portal near McGraws on the branch to Glen
Rogers. It was still standing as recently as 1994, when I saw it last. The
top of it was square, as I recall & there was a small siding to it.
Unfortunately, I had run out of film when I came across it & haven't had the
chance to get back there since. How far from Mullens (Elmore) was Shannon?
	2. Yes, Virginian passenger trains connected with the C&O at Deep
Water station (details forthcoming once I locate my 1924 C&O timetable) for
connections to Charleston, Huntington & points West. While the station at
Deep Water is long gone, old timers told me that it was located about 100
yards east of the switch (known as VACO JUNCTION) where the Virginian joined
the C&O main. It would sure be nice to find an old photo of Deep Water
Station. My attempts have been so far, unsuccessful.
	2a. On a related note, passengers riding the Virginian from
Charleston (via NYC tracks) were permitted to board & detrain at any of the
NYC stations between Smithers (Montgomery), & Charleston provided their
ticket was to or from a point east of Deep Water. Perhaps there was a
similar arrangement with the C&O on their side of the river.

	Bob Moore

[And then later, Bob adds:]

	Jim,

	I have located my C&O timetables!
	Effective July 9, 1924:(Table 10, page 8)
	"BETWEEN HUNTINGTON, CHARLESTON, W.VA. & ROANOKE, VA.  Via
Deepwater(sic), W.Va.
	No. 34   No. 6                            No. 33   No. 3
	AM	PM			PM	PM
	7:30*     1:40*  	Huntington         9:30        1:45
	8:30		St. Albans	8:25	12:42
	9:00	3:00	Charleston	7:55	12:15
       10:40	3:55 Ar Deepwater  Lv	6:30	11:16 (am)
       10:50	4:00 Lv Deepwater  Ar  6:15       10:50
	1:10	6:45     Lester		3:44	   8:25
	2:15	7:20	Mullens		2:45	   7:45
	3:36	9:19	Matoaka	1:03	   6:00
	4:30	10:00	Princeton         12:20	   5:20*
	7:54		Salem		8:33(am)
	8:15		Roanoke	8:15
	* Daily
	(Notes on Train 33:) "VIRGINIAN Club Car & Coaches Roanoke to
Huntington via Virginian Railway and Deepwater. Sleeper Charleston to
Bluefield (16 sections) via Kenova and N&W handled Huntington to Kenova on
No. 101 and beyond Kenova on N&W No. 4"
	(Notes on Train 34:) "Same sleepers and coaches as No. 33 and 13
reversed."
	C&O #3, The F.F.V. scheduled New York, Washington, (& Richmond), to
Cincinnati, Chicago (& Louisville via Lexington).
	C&O #6 Resort Special; Cincinnati (& Louisville via Lexington) to
Washington, New York (& Richmond).
	Conditional Train Stops: Train 33:
	"All stations to discharge passengers holding tickets from points on
the Virginian Ry."

	Effective July 1, 1932: (Page 41-42) This one features the new "Air
cooled train" The George Washington
	"LOCAL SERVICE BETWEEN ASHLAND, HUNTINGTON, CHARLESTON, W.VA. AND
ROANOKE, VA."
Table 60  Via West Deepwater(sic), W.Va. and Virginian Ry.
	No. 14                                                No. 13
		   Ashland
	6:57 am   Huntington			6:25 pm
	8:12	   St. Albans			5:10
	8:49         Charleston			4:40
	10:07 Ar   West Deepwater	     Lv	3:25*
	10:12 Lv West Deepwater(Virginian) Ar   3:37
	11:46	   Harper			1:53
	1:00 pm	   Mullens			12:46
	2:05 	   Matoaka			11:31 am
	2:50	   Princeton			10:55
	5:48	   Salem			7:32
	6:05	   Roanoke			7:15
*No. 13 - Will be held for Virginian No. 3 for a reasonable time when
passengers are reported for this connection."
Notes on Train 14:  "Guyandot & Huntington Shops to receive revenue
passeneger for points east of Barboursville; all other stations between
Huntington and West Deepwater shown as flag stops to receive and discharge
revenue passengers only"
This timetable lists West Deepwater as a "Union Depot" with Virginian as
opposed to a "Transfer Depot"
Pullman sleeping car fares between Roanoke & Charleston: $ 4.13; Huntington:
$3.75.
A slight spelling note: Deep Water, W.Va. is officially two distinct words,
but apparently the railroad reffered to it as
"Deepwater" (one word) or "West Deepwater."

----------------------------------------------

1.  Shannon coaling station
      I could find no reference to a coaling station at Shannon (MP 402.0
from Norfolk).
Shannon was the location of a small yard which served mine runs that worked
the Morri
Branch.  VGN timetable #20, November 26, 1944 lists coal available at Mada
(392.6) and Justice (414.0).  VGN locomotives received coal from company
facilities along with various mines. Mine runs on the Morri Branch were
coaled at Kopperston mine.

2.  VGN/C&O passenger trains
      A C&O passenger schedule dated August 1, 1910 lists trains 13 and 14
operating
between Deepwater and St. Albans, WV on the C&O, with through coach and club
car
serving meals ala carte between Roanoke and Charleston.  C&O schedule Number
1,
1920, shows trains 33 and 34 offering through service between Roanoke and
Huntington, WV.  In 1930 train 5 was met by C&O # 3.  I do not know the
western terminus of this train.

  The Kanawha River bridge was opened in 1931 with train 5 the first to
officially cross.

Tom Marshall

----------------------------------------
A couple partial sources.

H. Reid book, pages 47 and 48 discussing 1910 timetable.

NWHS Archives:

     VGN AFE 1625, 1920, Trackmap of Deepwater
     VGN AFE 6628, 1947, Construct standard Pass. shelter replacing existing
structure.

Tom Salmon