Southern versus N&W Railway mail routes

[NW Mailing List]

Alex states that his "...recollection was that N&W
rails ended at Bristol TN. What routes did the mail
follow beyond there, presumably to Chattanooga,
Birmingham, Memphis, Jackson and New Orleans?"

Alex is correct that the N&W was about half of the
WASH & BRIS RPO mileage.  South of Bristol, the BRIS &
CHAT RPO operated over the Southern Railway System. 
So, indeed, the Southern wasn't completely shut out of
this mail revenue.

At Knoxville, there were connections with the SALIS &
KNOX.  Chattanooga was a more important hub, allowing
connection to the CHAT & ATL RPO as well as the CIN &
CHAT and CHAT & MEM RPOs.  Atlanta was the gateway to
the route mail otherwise might have taken, via the
WASH & CHARLOTTE and CHARL & ATL, thence the ATL &
MERID, and MERID & N.O. RPOs.

Personally, I think the article overstated benefits
derived from the changed routing.  A Roanoke paper
would seek to report economic news in its most
positive light and, indeed, N&W might have gotten
compensation for about 250 miles of mail
transportation that it might not have had otherwise. 
Schedule improvements for the WASH & BRIS enhanced
mail handling for intermediate locations along this
route, versus a fortmer routing such as Knoxville via
Salisbury.  The transit time between Washington and
Atlanta was never better via Bristol than by way of
Charlotte.  By 1908, the double-tracking and
straightening of the Southern's main line via
Charlotte was nearly completed.  "Fast Mail" trains
with their premium pay to railroad were becoming a
thing of the past, but might not have been obvious to
an observer in 1908.

Good afternoon,

Frank