N&W in 1911--Pumping station

[NW Mailing List]

Gordon:
 
We appear to have posted in parallel, and I came to exactly the same  
conclusions.  To paraphrase my other posting, I have no idea why I have  such a 
strong memory of a different location, given the overwhelming evidence to  
the contrary.
 
I also promised that unless the elusive photo I think I remember showing  
the station in a different place shows up, I bow to the evidence you and 
Bruce  have kindly provided.
 
Dave Phelps
 
 
In a message dated 2/14/2011 3:14:13 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:

Bruce,
 
I believe the photo "3588 - N - 3660 - Graham Station." is  doubtless the 
view westward at the old wooden combination freight and  passenger station at 
the head of Spruce Street ("Depot Street on modern track  charts).  Sanborn 
maps show the freight portion to be east of the  passenger portion as in 
the photo..  Depot Street is exactly at Mile Post  366.0 as apparently 
referred to in the photo i.d., and a track chart shows a 2  degree 16 min. 
right-hand curve at that point just as in the photo.   "Graham" on the sign would 
indicate a time period prior to the name change to  Bluefield, VA, in 1924 and 
the construction of the new brick station that same  year.
 
I believe that the photo of the brick station agrees in all details with  
the proposed station shown on the plan drawing that I submitted  previously.  
I believe the view is looking westward along the Clinch  Valley line.  The 
photo shows the back side of a semaphore signal that  could be the home 
signal for an eastbound train approaching the junction (the  lower arm appears 
to be obscured by the platform canopy).  Also, an  N&W electrification 
diagram shows that only electrified track on the  Clinch Valley was 4,000 feet of 
the main track as shown in the photo  (electrification ended at the west end 
of Furnace siding).  The  track leading off to the right at the bottom of 
the photo shows up  in the plan as a stub track that curves to the north.  
Also, the  freight cars in the distance in the photo appear to be on the west  
leg of the wye shown on the plan.
 
Additionally, the plan includes a representation of  both  platform 
canopies that appear in the photo, even including the four posts  under the canopy 
in the foreground of the photo.  The second canopy can  be seen in the 
distance as shown on the plan.  The platform truck  crossing appears to be where 
the crew of men is working--just where it shows  on the plan.  Also, at the 
left edge of the photo is what appears to be  the corner of a handrailing, 
and that is just where the steps down to the  pedestrian underpass shows on 
the plan.  Even the extent of the concreted  area on the near side of the 
station agrees with the plan.
 
I don't intend this to end the discussion, but I would like to see any  
other evidence indicating whether the brick station was located south of the  
Clinch Valley track or otherwise.
 
Gordon Hamilton
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From:  _NW Mailing List_ (mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org)  
To: _NW Mailing List_ (mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org)  
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 11:16  AM
Subject: Re: N&W in 1911--Pumping  station


On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 10:43 PM, Dave wrote:


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




There are several images in the VT collection, which have the usual  scant 
details about the images.


One is _http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns227.jpeg_ 
(http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns227.jpeg)   and I 
found it by just searching on "Graham" in the imagebase. It has a  handwritten 
note on the edge stating "Bluefield, Va." and is labeled on the  image as 
"3588 - N - 3660 - Graham Station." It isn't the sharpest image,  but I could 
enlarge it enough to see that the signboard does read "Graham"  on the 
platform. The station building is in the distance, but appears to be  wood.


Another is 
_http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns229.jpeg_ (http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns229.jpeg)   
found by searching on "Bluefield" in the imagebase. It too is noted as  
"Bluefield, Va." on the edge, but is just labeled as "698." This station is  brick, 
fills the picture, and has "Bluefield, Va" on the station sign.


The Virginia Tech Library also has access to the digital Sanborn maps  for 
Virginia, so I was able to check out the 1930 and 1938 editions for  
Bluefield (the only ones they have available). Both show the station on the  south 
side of the tracks, next to Virginia Avenue, with a "N&W Ry. Rep.  Shop" 
inside the wye, along with a small storage building. The 1938 map also  shows 
Virginia Ave. jogging under two steel bridges at the Virginia Hotel to  go 
under the Clinch Valley line and the third leg single track of the wye,  then 
jogging again to go between the bulk plants of the Gulf Oil Corp'n. on  the 
right (as one heads west) and the Pure Oil Co. on the left before  
eventually crossing the Bluestone River. On the 1930 map, these two  businesses 
didn't exist, but the Thompson Coal Co. was just west of the  location of the 
Pure Oil location along the Clinch Valley line (both had a  siding into their 
operations).


Bruce in Blacksburg


 
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