Radford and Shenandoah Divisions

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

>A Bristol line thread -- the most forgotten stretch of RR in the 

>world, I love it!


Yep, a great line that doesn't seem to have seen much work (i.e., 
realignment) since the crews for the V&T laid down the right of way. 
There are both horizontal and vertical curves that give the line so 
much character.

I've got slides somewhere here in the house from the waning days of 
the North Carolina Branch in the mid '80s.  My time was a little more 
flexible, so Grant Carpenter and I were able to get out mid week to 
chase the once-a-week run to Fries and Galax.  Dwight Henry was the 
Assistant Trainmaster working out of Radford at the time and it was 
his job to "babysit" the run every week.  The line was not in the 
best of shape and the N&W had spent just enough money on improvements 
to be able to prove to the feds that the maintenance cost would far 
outstrip any ability to earn it back from the limited traffic.  At 
that time, all the mines had shut down and there wasn't much 
happening in Fries.  About the only service was to the furniture 
factories in Galax, receipt of untreated crossties from the small 
operation there, and delivery of the occasional covered hopper of 
cattle feed to the Neuhauf Farm (also in demise) at Fosters Falls. 
Dwight drove a company car and tried to stay in radio contact with 
the train crew just in case they had a mishap along the way (rolling 
a rail apparently was a common occurrence).

When the mines at Austinville and Ivanhoe were operating, the line 
generated enough traffic to keep clerks in Radford busy for all three 
shifts and keep the yard in Radford busy.  Word is, though, that many 
of the yard tracks were held in place mainly due to spillage of 
limestone from the cars.

I believe Wednesday was Galax day before the line was abandoned.  The 
train was called in Radford for like 8 in the morning, headed west to 
Pulaski and headed down the line from Dora Junction. It was a full 
day for the crew since speed was restricted.  The train worked Fries 
first, then headed to Galax before heading back to Radford at the end 
of the day.  Over several trips, Grant and I scouted out a number of 
scenic locations, both trackside and up on a ridge overlooking a 
broad curve between Fries Junction and Cliffview.  Now I'll have to 
go digging through my slides . . .

I also have copies of Station List books that are somewhere in 
process to be added to my web page.  Perhaps on these cold winter 
nights I can get something finished  . . .

Bruce in Blacksburg

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