1908 - Pushing Work on Virginian

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Roanoke Times - July 11, 1908

PUSHING WORK ON VIRGINIAN

Steel Rails Being Hauled for Completion of Work, East and West

   All along the line of the Virginian road, east and west, the 
shrill whistle of the big engines is heard, telling the story of push 
and future prosperity. These engines are of the latest pattern and 
have a capacity far above the average engine. At the station on 
Jefferson street, everything is on the move. The work is being pushed 
as rapidly as possible. In fact the employes are behind some little 
in the necessary work to be done on account of not having requisite 
number of engines to move material.

   Steel and Ballast Train

   No. 400, one of the big engines of the road, went east Thursday 
for the distribution of ballast along the line on the eastern section 
of the road. There was a large train of the material.
   No. 103 was sent to the western part Thursday for the White 
Sulphur Springs, laden with steel and cross ties. This cargo of 
material will be delivered to Engine No. 2, which is used to handle 
rails and other material. The ditching train has not been started 
yet. This train is "waiting" for an engine which is now due.

   Last Shipment of Rails

   The next shipment of steel rails will be made about August 1st, 
arriving in Roanoke on that date, at which time the distribution will 
be made on the western end of the line. This will be the last 
shipment and will complete the line from Victoria to Princeton, the 
other part of the line having been finished some time ago.

   The Roanoke Yards

   The tracking of the Roanoke yards is being pushed as rapidly as 
possible, and in a short while will have been finished. Thursday over 
four thousand feet of tracking was completed, thus showing the push 
and get-up of the road management. There are busy scenes on this 
section of the line as on all other sections.

   One Train Per Day

   It is stated that is takes one train a day to move the material to 
the western front. The surfacing of the track along the line is about 
completed to Beaver Dam Creek, east. No track can be laid in this 
immediate section until the Virginia Bridge and Iron Company 
completes the bridge over Beaver Creek, which is now in course of 
construction. The completion of this work will consume about sixty 
days, after which tracklaying will be rapidly pushed until the two 
tracklaying forces meet, the one going east, the other west.
   Material for the water tank at Fagg, a station twenty-five miles 
west of Roanoke, was on yesterday shipped to that destination.

   The Passenger Station

   The passenger station of this road will be constructed between 
Jefferson and Walnut streets, in the near future. It is stated on 
reliable authority that passenger trains on this line will be run 
through Roanoke about Christmas, probably before that time. This will 
indeed, be a most substantial Christmas gift for the Magic City.

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- Ron Davis, Roger Link