Stone Arched Trestle

[NW Mailing List]

Order "Iron Horses in the Valley" at the Society Commissary. The B&O
railroad was aiming for Salem but the Pennsy backed the Shenandoah Railway
and B&O couldn't compete (as usual).
 

Craig Close 
Balimer, Merlan 
OK: Far West Catonsville 
OR: Greater Oella 

 

  _____  

From: nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org
[mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 11:27 PM
To: NW Mailing List
Subject: Stone Arched Trestle


It is most likely old and boring news to you longtime railfans but when
traveling south from Staunton, VA on Interstate-81 I've noticed what appears
to be an old (possibly narrow gauge) stone arched trestle on the west side
of I-81S, just a mile or so south of the I-64/I-81 interchange.   Letting my
imagination run wild I can also see what might be old roadbed segments and
possibly other railroad-related structures, such as heavy stone culverts and
trackside stone foundations, in the hillsides and farm fields west of the
highway. 
 
Could these really be old railroad remains?  I've read about a Shenandoah
Valley Railroad line( *)  that extended from Staunton south and then west
into West Virginia.  I believe it may have been abandoned when more useful
connections were made from Stauntonsouth toward Roanoke via routes through
Stuarts Draft.
(*) I think there may have been several early railroads that either actually
had that name or were generally know by that name. 
 
Can anyone give me a history lesson about the trestle and the railroad it
belonged to? Is there a good reference source for studying the history of
these early and now abandoned lines?  Are there any other remains and
structures that might still be visible?   
 
Thanks,  Bob Brown
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