N&W in 1911--Pumping station

[NW Mailing List]

Funny how you don't pay close attrention at the time, but I do have a vague 
memory of the station being where Dave says it was. I was riding 15 at the time, 
so I was not standing on the ground, but I think I remember it being where he 
says it was.    Jim Nichols




________________________________
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Sent: Sun, February 13, 2011 9:43:56 PM
Subject: Re: N&W in 1911--Pumping station

Gordon:

I lived in Bluefield VA 1947-1953, and the station was not in the location shown 
on the drawing you attached.  It was definitely between the main line and the 
Clinch Valley line.  It could not have been where the drawing shows because by 
then Virginia Avenue was in place approximately where the dashed lines are in 
the drawing.  The picture I remember also shows the little-known electrification 
of the Clinch Valley line as far as Tip Top.

In the "Images of America" series book for Bluefield Virginia on page 58, the 
station pictured on the bottom is the one I remember.  Unfortunately you can't 
tell from that picture exactly where it stood.  The picture at the top depicts 
the track arrangement shown in your drawing.  I have seen a picture of the 
station that places it where I remember, but I couldn't put my hands on it in 
the short time available tonight.  I'll look some more tomorrow.

Incidentally, if you want to know what I looked like in the fourth grade 
(cringe....) look on page 86 of that book; I'm the little guy with the big ears 
in the front right as you look at the picture.  Contrary to the "perhaps" of the 
caption, that really was just the fourth grade, no doubling up.  I have fond 
memories of Mrs. Hardy, even if she did threaten to flunk me if my penmanship 
didn't improve!

I'll keep digging.  Maybe the N&WHS archives or the Virginia Tech collection 
will show something.

Dave

In a message dated 2/13/2011 9:03:36 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:
Dave,

> 

>I placed the Bluefield, VA station on the south side of the track from memory, 

>but knowing the fallibility of my memory, I checked track drawings in the 

>Archives at this week's session and found a 1917 drawing of the proposed station 

>in the location where I remembered it, a pertinent portion of which drawing is 

>attached.  It even shows the steps down to the pedestrian underpass and steps up 

>to the platform on the north side of the Clinch Valley line and to both 

>platforms on the main line, all somewhat as I remember it.  There is also a 

>grade crossing of the tracks provided for use of baggage and mail platform 

>trucks.  Incidentally the 1924 N&W Annual Report indicates that a new station 

>was built in Bluefield, VA that year.

> 

>Because the drawing referred to the proposed station, I consulted with Louis 

>Newton to see if the station were actually built in the location shown on the 

>drawing.  Louis checked his notebook sketches from his days as road foreman of 

>engines on the Pocahontas Division, and his sketch of the actual location of the 

>station agreed with the location of the proposed station shown on the drawing.

> 

>I believe that I recall that you lived in Bluefield, VA, so I would 

>appreciate any comments you may have that would indicate whether more research 

>needs to be done in order that information posted on the Mailing List be as 

>accurate as possible.

> 

>Gordon Hamilton

>----- Original Message ----- 

>>From: NW Mailing List 

>>To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 

>>Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 7:50 AM

>>Subject: Re: N&W in 1911--Pumping station

>>

>>Gordon:

>>

>>I suspect you may have meant to say either that "In later years...station was on 

>>the north side of the Clinch Valley track...." or that it was on the "....south 

>>side of the main line track...". 

>>

>>Dave Phelps

>>

>>In a message dated 2/12/2011 6:46:47 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 

>>nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:

>>Bluefield Daily Telegraph

>>>June 21, 1911

>>>

>>>THE GRAHAM DAILY NEWS

>>>------

>>>New Pumping Station

>>>    Workmen have begun the foundation for the addition to Norfolk and Western 

>>>pumping station here.  The stone is being received from the quarry on the 

>>>premises of Mrs. A. C. Davidson at Nemours for the masonry work.

>>>------

>>>[In 1911 at the junction where the Clinch Valley line branched off the main line 

>>>there was a track (long since gone) between the Clinch Valley line and the main 

>>>line west of the junction that formed a wye with the main line and the Clinch 

>>>Valley line.  The pumping station was inside the wye and pumped water from the 

>>>nearby Bluestone River to be piped to the N&W's facilities in Bluefield, WV.  In 

>>>later years the Bluefield, VA, passenger station was on the south side of the 

>>>Clinch Valley track not far from where the pumping station was located.  But in 

>>>1911 the combined freight and passenger station was located east of the junction 

>>>at Spruce street.  Nemours, WV (where the stone for the pumping station was 

>>>quarried) is located on the N&W between Flat Top Yard and Bluestone Jct., and 

>>>was the site of a large E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. gunpowder plant, 

>>>presumably located there to supply the coalfields (or maybe the Hatfields and 

>>>McCoys).]

>>>

>>>Gordon Hamilton

>>>

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