Fwd: New River Extension

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

The community of New River is on the west side of the bridge
crossing the New River just south of downtown Radford (and
just south of present day Fairlawn).  There used to be a
large (at the turn of the 20th century) hotel in New River.
The community of New River is mostly along the Bristol Line
between the New River and Morgan's Cut were the Bristol Line
climbs up out of the New River Valley towards Dublin.

The following picture from the VT (GO HOKIES!) archives
illustrates all of this very well.  The image can be found at
http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/F1/NS3722.JPG
The picture was taken from the Radford side of the New River
and apparently dates from 1886.  The train is on the curved
bridge of the New River extension.  The track just left of the
steam engine is the Bristol Line.  The nearest track is the spur
from Radford to Snowville (which followed the New River and then
the Little River).  The community of New River can be seen to the
left of the bridges on the far side of the New River.

If I remember my history correctly the Snowville spur (as well as
the Bristol Line) were built by the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad and
completed in 1856.  The New River extension was built by the
N&W between 1881 and 1883.

Back Creek does indeed empty into the New River from the west near
the community of Belspring.  Belsping is on the west side of the
New River.  The New River extension stayed along the west bank
of the New River from the community of New River to Belspring
and beyond.  The new line follows the east side of the New River
from the Walton area to the ammunitions plant where it crosses the New
River around Belspring.

Toney Minter

nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org said:
> C * O * R * R *E * C * T * I * O * N
>
> It has been called to my attention that the former name of Radford was
Central Depot instead of New River Depot as I stated in my original message
(actually, I knew this, but just slipped up).  Also, a later message by Bud
Jeffries indicates that Back Creek is near Belspring instead of  being the
former name as I speculated (early documents indicate that the name Belspring
antedates the New River Connecting Branch).
>
> This begs the question, where were New River Depot and Back Creek located.
Perusal of mileage given in old timetables, station lists, etc., indicates
that New River Depot appears to have been on the opposite (west) side of the
river from Radford.  This is reinforced by a 1950 USGS topographic map which
identifies a community at the west end of the N&W bridge as, "New River." Was
the New River Depot indeed across the river from Radford?
>
> The same map shows a Back Creek crossing under the N&W one-half mile west of
Belspring.  Based on that, it appears that the short-lived junction between
the new line and the west end of  the old line may have been located there.
>
> Comments anyone?
>
> Gordon Hamilton
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gordon Hamilton" <gordonshamilton at cox.net>
> To: "N&amp;W Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 6:56 AM
> Subject: Re: New River Extension
>
>
>  > Ron,
>  >
>  > The 1901 annual report states, "New River Connecting Branch: This line
was
>  > opened for traffic Oct. 11, 1900.  The Company has accepted an Act of the
General Assembly of Virginia, approved February 15, 1901, authorizing the
abandonment of the old high-grade line between New River Depot and Back Creek,
in Pulaski County."
>  >
>  > I imagine that the line was abandoned soon after permission was given.
It
>  > is interesting that the General Assembly, rather that some agency,
handled
>  > such matters in 1901.
>  >
>  > Of course, New River Depot was the old name for present-day Radford, and
apparently Back Creek was the old name for present-day Belspring.
>  >
>  > Gordon Hamilton
>  >
>  > ----- Original Message -----
>  > From: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
>  > To: <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
>  > Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 10:35 PM
>  > Subject: New River Extension
>  >
>  >
>  > > Does anyone know when the old New River Extension between New River, VA
(Radford) and Belspring, VA was taken out of service? This would be
> after
>  > > the construction of the low grade route through Pepper Tunnel in 1900.
Today Belspring Road (SR 600) follows this former N&W grade between Fairlawn
and Belspring.
>  > >
>  > > Thanks,
>  > > Ron Davis
>  > >
>  > >
>  > > ________________________________________
>  > > NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org
>  > > http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list
>  >
>
>
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--
Toney Minter         E-mail:tminter at nrao.edu
NRAO - Green Bank    Phone: +1 304 456 2275
1 Observatory Road   Fax:   +1 304 456 2170
PO Box 2             WWW:   www.gb.nrao.edu/~tminter
Green Bank WV 24944