1907 - A Proposed Railroad

[NW Mailing List]

Contrary to what the article said about the N & W line from Marion to 
Troutdale, this line was the Marion & Rye Valley to Sugar Grove and the 
Virginia Southern from there to Troutdale.  This was a lumber railroad 
operation with five switchbacks between Marion and Troutdale.

If the plans had ever materialized, the operation of through trains, 
particularly coal trains, over these five switchbacks would have been 
interesting.

Gordon Hamilton
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Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2007 10:52 PM
Subject: 1907 - A Proposed Railroad



> Roanoke Times - May 7, 1907

>

> RAILROAD NOTES

>

> A Proposed Railroad

>

>   Charlotte, N. C., May 6 -- During the last session of the North Carolina

> legislature Mr. R. A Doughton, of Alleghany county, secured a charter for 

> a

> railroad from Elkin, Surry county, via Sparta, Alleghany county to the 

> Virginia

> line, near Mouth-of-Wilson, where it will connect most conveniently with 

> the

> Norfolk & Western road, extended from Troutdale, Grayson county, to which 

> place

> the N. & W. road has already built from Marion, Va. From Troutdale to 

> Elkin is

> 50 miles, and the survey passes through Grayson, Virginia, and Alleghany 

> and

> Surry, North Carolina.

>   About $100,000 will have been subscribed for the line from Elkin to the

> Virginia border within the next 60 days. On the 15th of June 100 convicts 

> from

> the State prison are to be put to grading in Surry and Alleghany counties, 

> and

> the actual work of building the proposed road will commence. All 

> arrangements

> have been made and the construction will be pushed.

>   The people of Iredell and Davie counties have voted subsidies 

> approximating

> $300,000 for a road to Surry county. This sum will more than grade the 40 

> miles

> from Statesville to Elkin. The citizens of these North Carolina counties 

> are in

> earnest. The road from Elkin to Statesville would give those towns a 

> connection

> with the Norfolk & Western by the new line to Troutdale.

>   A road from Statesville to Marion, Va., by Elkin, Sparta and Troutdale 

> would

> bring coal from Bluefield, West Virginia. It is not a short distance from 

> Marion

> to Bluefield.

>   Manufactures and others of Charlotte will be interested in this railroad

> project. From Statesville to Charlotte it is but 44 miles and the former 

> town is

> on the bee line from Elkin to Charlotte. Hauling coal is quite an item 

> nowadays

> and the manufacture of the piedmont region will welcome any connection 

> that will

> bring fuel direct from the mines. From Marion to Morristown, Tenn., or to

> Roanoke, Va., is the way that Bluefield coal reaches Charlotte now. With 

> the

> proposed line in operation it would come straight from Marion. The 

> distance,

> either from Marion to Morristown or Roanoke, is greater than that from 

> Marion to

> Elkin. Therefore, the haul to Charlotte would be very materially 

> shortened.

>   There would be no trouble to get a big line to operate the new road. The

> Southern, the Pennsylvania and the Norfolk & Western are ready to bid for 

> the

> contract.

>

>

> -----------------------------------

> - Roger Link

>

>

>

>

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