Crosstie Lane in Parrott

[NW Mailing List]

Ron,

The turntable could have been used to turn the headend power to reverse direction after leaving Radford to proceed on the Schooler Hill line.

At New River there were multiple tracks so the engines could run around the train to the other end. It is also very possible that the locomotives could have left Radford running tender first to New River and then moving to the headend for the run toward the coalfields.

I have nothing that says how this operation was worked, but whatever it was, it was awkward and very expensive to do. The elimination of Schooler Hill was the first major line relocation of the new N&W Railway after 1896.

Bud Jeffries
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  From: NW Mailing List 
  To: NW Mailing List 
  Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 8:39 PM
  Subject: Re: Crosstie Lane in Parrott


  Bruce,

  I do have one tidbit regarding pusher service. According to old surveyor's notes in the Archives, a small turntable was located at New River at the end of the bridge along the line leading to Bristol. This may have been used for turning the helpers after coming over the hill. It is my suspicion that the helpers worked all the way over the hill and then worked back the other direction. Remembers that big power in that day were 4-6-0's and 2-8-0's. 

  Ron Davis

  At 12:37 PM 6/6/2008, Bruce Harper wrote:


    This is an interesting discussion and I'm glad it is continuing (much better than "I didn't get my Arrow yet, where is it?"). Another piece of all this is the helper operations on this line. Were the pushers stationed at Parrott/Belspring (and what facilities were there?) or were they dispatched from Radford as needed? Or did they just shuttle back and forth, pushing empties west, then pushing loads east?  All intriging questions that may be difficult to answer.

    As I said, that triangle could indicate where the original main line went -- it could also be where there was a spur into the mines at Parrott. I just don't know. I, too, wondered how to get over that change in elevation between road and tracks along with several others during occasional forays to that area. The only conclusion we could reach based on the present terrain was that Crosstie Lane is the old roadbed. It may take some digging in the archive or a visit to the Pulaski County courthouse to poke around in old deed books to come up with an answer.  

    Bruce in Blacksburg

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