N&W in 1909--Big Stony

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
July 21, 1909

UNIQUE PIECE OF ROAD NEARS COMPLETION
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Loop on Potts Creek Branch Rivals Far-famed One at Cripple Creek, Colorado
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OF VAST INTEREST FROM SCENIC STANDPOINT ALONE
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This, However, Was Not Purpose of Construction of Norfolk and Western Feeder Which Will Open Up Rich Iron Deposits
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WILL BE READY FOR TRAFFIC EARLY IN SEPTEMBER
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    A. C. Needles of Roanoke, general superintendent of the eastern division of the Norfolk & Western, accompanied by J. W. Cook, superintendent of the Radford division, and J. D. Hester, train master of the Radford division, arrived in Bluefield yesterday afternoon in a private car attached to No. 1, on a tour of inspection over the division, and also over the Potts' Creek extension of the Big Stony railroad, being built to the iron fields of Craig and Monroe counties.
    The principal matter of interest is the completion of the Potts' Creek branch, which the officials say will take place some time in September.  This feeder of the main line starts at Big Stony Junction between Ripplemead and Curve, in Virginia, and is being built to Paint Bank in Craig county, Va., a distance of thirty-nine miles.  The branch begins in Giles, runs into Monroe county, W. Va., and then circles back into Craig.  Eleven miles have already been completed, and the rest of the lines is being hurried along as rapidly as possible.
    It is a unique piece of railway construction.  At one point the track practically completes a loop, rivaling the far-famed loop of Cripple Creek, Colo.  The rails come within about a quarter of a mile of each other, and then make a circle of nearly five miles.  A passenger may get off the train, walk across the intervening distance and catch the same train on its return from completing the loop.
    From a scenic standpoint alone the road is of vast interest, but this was not the object of its being built.  The iron deposits of Potts Creek in Monroe and Craig, and the immense bodies of virgin timber in this region were the prompting motives.  The main part of the iron area belongs to the Virginia Iron, Coal & Coke Co., and has been held by this corporation for many years.  The deposits are said to be among the richest in the country, but for lack of transportation they have never been worked to any extent except at the terminus of a Chesapeake & Ohio branch which runs from Bessemer to within fourteen miles of the Norfolk & Western branch.  There are whole mountains of good grade iron ore in the locality, and it is said that operations may be carried on at a very small expense, since it is claimed that the ore can be literally quarried, and that there will be no difficulty to use steam shovels to a good advantage.  The ore being hauled by the Chesapeake & Ohio is reduced at Lowmoor, and that which the Norfolk & Western will handle will probably go to Pulaski.
    In addition to the iron there are big stretches of timber tracts which will come into immediate commercial importance.  The officials say that construction work on the branch is progressing very satisfactorily, and no doubt is expressed but that it will be opened to traffic early in September.
    The party returned to Roanoke on No. 16 last night.
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[Too bod most of us didn't have a chance to ride over this line.]

Gordon Hamilton
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