Radford and Shenandoah Divisions

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

There was a massive flood of Chestnut Creek in 1940 that flooded all of Galax essentially.
When you walked along the trail to that bridge did you notice a handful of tiny cabins on the right? Galax IS in the throes of a bit of a revitalization, with the downtown business district displaying a lot of new shops and restoration of older buildings. I myself maintain my offices on Main Street there. 
I have a painting somewhere of the last train to leave Galax. I also have the book by Muncy Webb which shows the last train... I could not tell you the size locomotives that ran there but I know Y's plied those rails in the 50's...
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  To: NW Mailing List 
  Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 8:17 PM
  Subject: Re: Radford and Shenandoah Divisions


  Is it safe to say from the condition of the Galax line in its last ten to fifteen years that only four-axle locomotives could be run on it?

  It's interesting to hear the stories of how quickly business fell off there.  Visiting Galax this past Labor Day weekend, I walked about a mile or so up the New River Trail, which starts on the old right-of-way across U.S. 58 from the Vaughn furniture plant(N&W 557069, a former AC&Y caboose, rests restored at the trail head).  Anyway, not too far up the trail is a large creek which is crossed by a large steel trestle.  I was amazed to see the date on the concrete abutments stamped "1950"!  Business must have been pretty good for the railroad to make such a huge investment at that time, although from what I understand, there was a big flood in Galax not too long before that which probably took the original bridge out.

  I'm pleasantly sur prised to see how many people remember that little branchline!

  John Maugans



  nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org wrote:


    Harry Bundy wrote: 
      Meadow View -- one of the few places I've seen a signal placed not in accord-
      ace with (then) Rule 337 - "Signals are located over or at the right of the track
      they govern . . . .unless otherwise provided."   At Meadow View, the eastward
      signal was on the left side of the track.  Had it been located on the right side
      of the track, that coal trestle may have affected the ability of a crew to view the
      signal.
                                                          Harry Bundy

      Folks,
      There is also a signal at the West End of Marion's passing track that is the same way as Meadowview's signal because of the coal trestle track.  And, its still there.  It's on the fireman's side of the tracks.

      Also, I can remember setting on the hill above Marion's Industrial park watching the local switching cars for Brunswick Corporation, American Furniture, and another lumber yard that is now part of Visador/Coffmann industries.  This was when I was in primary school in the mid seventies.  I have no idea about train nam es, numbers or times, but it would h ave been around 12 noon when I was outside watching them.

      Ben Blevins




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