Belews Creek - NO LOOP!

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

At 10:06 PM -0500 2/3/05, Jimmy wrote:
>In a message dated 2/3/2005 8:56:40 PM Eastern Standard Time, nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:
>
>>According to the map, there is a loop track around the entire plant.
>>
>
>
>Bruce,
>       I have no idea what you are looking at, but, there IS NOT, NOR HAS THERE EVER BEEN a loop track at Belews Creek. There is a runaround track where the engines run back around the cars they have just pulled into the yard.

According to the U.S. Geologic Survey, there was a loop per the topo map for that area.  As I said, it was tough to tell from the Terraserver image if the loop did exist.  If nothing else, the N&W track engineers believed there was a loop (at least in 1981) per the track chart for the Belews Creek Spur (see http://filebox.vt.edu/users/bharper/nwrwy/shenS-56.pdf).  Having never been there in person, I can't verify that a loop physically exists; I can only show what exists on paper.

-- 
Bruce in Blacksburg         === In the heart of N&W territory. ===

Bruce B. Harper                              (540)231-4360
University Relations/Web Communications  bharper at vt.edu
Virginia Tech        Blacksburg, Virginia  26060
See N&W WWW Page at http://filebox.vt.edu/users/bharper/nwrwy/