Blue Ridge

[NW Mailing List]

Frank,

The Google satellite image for the Blue Ridge area gives a very clear view 
of the bridge you have described. It shows a small private bridge very near 
to a gravel yard along the tracks. Using the satellite view as a guide this 
bridge should be easy to get to. Thanks for your help. I always enjoy 
learning new information about the N&W.
Mike
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 11:14 PM
Subject: Re: Blue Ridge



>I lived in the area 60 years ago, and infrequently am back.  Sam's report 

>is useful, and news to me.

>

> So this should do the trick:  from the highest point on Rte 460 (the 

> east-west artery) at Blue Ridge, head east toward Lynchburg. Coming up 

> almost immediately to the right (south) is the yard where the crushed rock 

> "cone" under the end of the conveyor belt from the limestone quarry used 

> to be.  It sounds from Nathan like some sort of remnant Stone Corp 

> facility remains on the site.  If you can gain access to the yard, drive 

> in to the back as far as you can go.  The yard used to extend to a cut 

> where the N&W tracks ran.  Facing the now-NS track, off to the left just a 

> few hundred feet away the bridge is visible, assuming the bridge is still 

> there.

> In the alternative, keep heading east beyond the Stone Corp, and just 

> 500-1000 feet down the road is a turnoff to the right (south), which takes 

> you to the bridge.  I remember it as a private road (never knew the name) 

> serving a cluster of homes south of the trackage.  Some magnificent shots 

> were taken from the bridge, to the west, of head-end power on the curve 

> just beyond Buford's Gap (the line between Bedford and Botetourt 

> Counties), and to the east, of EB and WB trains on the mains and even of 

> just-released pushers from Boaz and Irving on the middle track ending just 

> within sight and extending 1.6 mi (c. 1950) back to Villamont on the 

> eastern slope.

>

> Frank Gibson

>

>

> NW Mailing List wrote:

>> Since the stone conveyor that used to go under the highway was removed a 

>> couple of years ago, I think the "stone cone" landmark is no

>> longer there.

>>

>> Sam Putney

>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "NW Mailing List" 

>> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>> To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 2009 2:50 PM

>> Subject: Re: Blue Ridge

>

>>> I was in the area not long ago and couldn't find the Station or the 

>>> First photographers Bridge. But I think I found the Second. If I am not 

>>> mistakes it is across the street to the Stone Corp. Headquarters? can 

>>> any one confirm this for both myself and Mike.

>>>

>>> Nathan

>>>

>>> NW Mailing List wrote:

>>>> Frank,

>>>> Your directions for the Blue Ridge station area will be very helpful. I 

>>>> could use a little more help for the second  "photographer's bridge" 

>>>> though. Does the road leading to the bridge have a name? And what is 

>>>> Blue Ridge Stone Corporation's landmark crushed limestone "cone" ?  Is 

>>>> it something quite large? Thanks.

>>>> Mike

>>>>

>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "NW Mailing List" 

>>>> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>>>> To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>

>>>> Sent: Monday, August 24, 2009 10:07 PM

>>>> Subject: Blue Ridge

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>> Nathan:

>>>>>

>>>>> To get to the ex-Blue Ridge station site, take US 460 east out of 

>>>>> Roanoke toward Lynchburg, or the reverse from Lynchburg west.  At Blue 

>>>>> Ridge, get on CR 805 south off  Rte 460 (should the road have been 

>>>>> renumbered, just ask locals for "old 805" that goes to the NS 

>>>>> bridge-overpass near the station site) and head in about .3 mi.  When 

>>>>> in sight of the overpass, park along the roadside (little traveled). 

>>>>> Walk east up a rise to the still-active NS tracks, just a minute or 

>>>>> two's walk.  The station site is east just several hundred feet from 

>>>>> the overpass, between the mainline and a spur off the WB main that 

>>>>> circled around the station on the north side. When I last visited the 

>>>>> site early in this decade the spur was still active for stone crusher 

>>>>> service, within sight to the east;  a track still departed north from 

>>>>> the station site (above-referenced curved track) to part of the 

>>>>> limestone complex. The station occupied a fairly tight squeeze between 

>>>>> the WB main and the curved track.

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> There actually were two "photographer's bridges".  The most 

>>>>> celebrated, at the eastern end of a .75-mi s-curve and about .4 mi. 

>>>>> west of the station, was on  CR 616  about .3 mi south off Rte 460. 

>>>>> The bridge was dismantled decades ago and not replaced.  CR 616 ends 

>>>>> near the bridge site,  but you'd have to make your way through lots of 

>>>>> thicket to reach the track.  I actually have walked  west along the 

>>>>> track from the station site to the bridge site, admittedly not so 

>>>>> prudent.  But the trek evokes an epic story.

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> The second bridge sought by photographers in N&W's steam era still 

>>>>> stands (to my knowledge) just east of Buford's Gap (last and first 

>>>>> Appalachian challenges for EB and WB traffic, respectively; .7 mi east 

>>>>> of the station site) just east of the Blue Ridge Stone Corporation's 

>>>>> landmark crushed limestone "cone" on the south side of Rte 460.  Turn 

>>>>> south off Rte 460 on a private road leading to the bridge, a hop and a 

>>>>> skip away. The limestone "cone" will be in sight to your right.

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> At Blue Ridge trackside  you'll find a bounty of aging, rusting track 

>>>>> hardware all over, dating back to the "glory days".  Also ankle-deep 

>>>>> cinder residue from the bowels of N&W's legendary fleet.  Mute 

>>>>> testimonials to a grand rail saga..

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>> The area signal tower, long gone, was at Villamont, about two miles 

>>>>> east of Blue Ridge, hard by the WB main.

>>>>>

>>>>> Frank Gibson

>>>>> ________________________________________

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>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

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>>>

>>> -- 

>>> Nathan Simmons

>>> trainman51 at gmail.com

>>> http://www.t-51.org

>>> KI4MSK

>>>

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>>

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>

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