North Carolina Branch, LOTS of photos

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

The recent talk about the North Carolina Branch I dug up some research I done back in November for a MSTS (Microsoft Train-Simulator) project that I am working on recreating the NC Branch.

 

First let me say that I was raised along this branch, and I consider it my "home stompin' grounds" I used to play in the long abandoned Gossan Mines near Galax when I was just a boy! I went back to those mines back in November, to take some photographs of them, or more correctly, what is left of them. Here are some photographs from that trip, I apologize for the lighting it was late before I was able to "slip" in their, and I was deep in a pit, and the sun had long before slid below the horizon.

 

First off, here is a map of the Gossan branch; (from a 1930's topo map) the branch is about 5 miles from Galax

 

http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/7631/nwgossanbranchdetail3fu.jpg

 

 

In this 1st photograph, you can see the old railroad grade; they have been doing some upgrades as of late, notice the fresh "ABC" stone, the roadbed used to be crushed cinders, like the rest of the North Carolina Branch. The mine load out, shown in the map above would have been featured prominently in this photograph, the point where it would have loaded the cars, would have been right BEFORE that slight curve, to the left. 

REMEMBER, the Mine CLOSED in 1963 and the ground was for the most part swept clean of buildings, what a difference 42 years makes with the foliage!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018045764.jpg

 

 

This photo is of the little "shack" they have over the opening where the ore came up out of the ground into the tipple, this shack is only about 7 years old, now they use it do dump muradic acid and other chemicals into the mine, in an effort to stop the acid mine drainage, I am standing UNDER where the loader was. You can see some of the concrete foundation of the tipple if you look closely.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018053149.jpg

 

This photograph is looking at where the main body of the tipple stood, with some tailings to the right, notice some of the remaining timbers, if you toward the background of the photograph, you can see part of the Bumbarger Mine

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018055471.jpg

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018061236.jpg

 

This shot I took as I was entering the Bumbarger Mine pit.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018065592.jpg

 

AHH!!! The one of the mines themselves! Anit she nice! Now, a note, Getting in here was EXTREMELY dangerous, the "path" if you could call it that, came into the pit, right over this mine opening, the path, is nearly 45 degrees steep, and it is about 18 inches wide, with NOTHING but a small tree, about halfway down to hold on to.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018074827.jpg

 

This next shot, is of that same tunnel, but I took it in a way, to TRY to show you the gentle viewer, just how dangerous it is down here, that my friends, is the path!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018090988.jpg

 

This next photograph, is just a shot of part of the wall, showing another tunnel, it is at an steep angel and not very visible in this photograph.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018094956.jpg

 

Now this is an interesting shot, too bad it is not in 3D! if you look closely, you can see a rock arch, against a rock background yep, that is part of a path over to some more "tunnels" when you walk across it, you are standing over a 600 foot DEEP pit!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018112815.jpg

 

Another photograph of the rock arch, showing the mines behind them, there is a MONSTER pit, in front and UNDER the rock arch. It is a real "cheek clincher" if you want to cross it.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018120760.jpg

 

This photo, looks down that big monster pit from the rock arch, you can see where water has ran down it, water causes the iron ore, to RUST!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018124234.jpg

 

A much better shot showing the same tunnels above

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018130288.jpg

 

A detail shot of a boulder, notice all the minerals and colorations!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018134857.jpg

 

This shot is looking back toward the first mine I showed you in this post, notice the edge of that monster hole in the foreground, note how steep it is. Also I must point out that the "gravel" I have been walking on, has a distinctive "spongy" texture; this is NOT a safe place to be.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018141121.jpg

 

Notice in the foreground of this photograph, you can see large "hunks" of Iron ore! Look in the background, between the trees, yep! Another and that one goes WAYYYYYYY back!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/11/31018165644.jpg

 

In closing, I MUST point out, that I am well into my 30's and more sober than most judges, this area is TREACHEROUS, to the extreme, If my father had known that I was playing here when I was 11 and 12, he would have beaten me to within an inch of my life! I made a decision, that I will most likely never show my children this spot even when they GROW UP, this area, since the first time I started to venture down here over the past 20 or so years, has really deteriorated, the path is at that point, where you must CRAWL up it, due to steepness, and not having anything to hold onto. This very likely will be my last trip down their.



Now to a small hike I took today!

 

I hiked from the Austinville state route 69 road crossing, east to the Indian Camp Branch Jct, it is only a mile, but there are lots of interesting things too see! 

 

First off, is a Mine entrance/air vent to the Austinville Lead and Zinc Mine's 200 foot level.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016524333.jpg

 

This next photograph is of the western portal of Austinville Tunnel 193 feet, solid rock, The New River Trail State Park is doing an outstanding job with the trail, and interpretation, notice their new "tell-tell' with a plaque explaining about it, and showing plans for it. 

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016542475.jpg

 

Here is a detail, showing the heavy mineralization in the tunnel wall.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016574813.jpg

 

West portal.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016534825.jpg

 

And now, Buddle Branch trestle, at Indian Camp Branch Jct looking East.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016552920.jpg

 

Looking West.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016555063.jpg

 

This next photo is looking east, toward the Trestle, if you look, behind the picnic shelter, you can see a yellow post, that post is in the middle of the old Indian camp branch ROW, removed around 1910, It served the "Indian Camp mining companies Iron ore tipple, about half a mile up the holler, near as I can tell.

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016563329.jpg

 

Here is the LOCATION of the tipple, as told by some of my families elders!, the NW tracks ran in the bottom, the Indian Camps Ore Co's Narrow gauge trains "Dinkies" ran around the hill, and came down in front of the building that is left their, you can still make out the ROW of both the dinkies and the NW. I have found the mine sites, they are about 2 miles from here, at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and photos will come later!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016572244.jpg

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016570140.jpg

 

There is another interesting relic down in this holler, The Austinville Mines had problems with Buddle Creek, leaking into their underground workings, so they lined the creek with ¼ inch steel sheets! Here is a photo of the steel lined creek!

 

http://x11.putfile.com/1/016533011.jpg

 

And to think, some folks think that the Norfolk and Western only mineral freight was coal!

 

If there is interest, I will post many more photos from down on the North Carolina Branch!

 

 

Thanks to www.putfile.com for the FREE hosting! I cannot recommend them enough for their service!

 

Andy Jennings
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20060101/3496cdce/attachment-0001.html