Join us for a ride on the Abingdon Branch

[NW Mailing List]

I have previously asked a couple of questions about this event with no 
response. I am interested in attending this event with some of my 
family, however, what time this is supposed to start is a mystery as is 
a map of where the bicycle outfitters is located. I would think whoever 
posted this announcement could have done a much better job in order to 
attract more people!

Jimmy Lisle

On 7/30/2015 9:28 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:
>
> RIDING THE ABINGDON BRANCHAKA: THE VA CREEPER TRAIL
>
> We are pleased to announce that the Norfolk and Western Historical 
> Society is sponsoring the first ever “Putting tracks on the branches 
> event”. Our first trip in this series will be September 19, 2015 on 
> the Norfolk and Western’s Abingdon Branch or as it is known to the 
> rest of the world The Creeper Trail.
>
> The line started out in the late 1800s as the Virginia and Carolina 
> Railway to haul timber and mineral resources out of the mountains. It 
> was purchased by the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1918 and renamed 
> the Abingdon Branch. At its peak, the line ran 55 miles to West 
> Jefferson, NC. This little branch became for the N&W’s little 4-8-0 
> class M steam locomotives which ran the end of steam in the late 
> 1950’s. The sounds of the hooter whistle went silent and were replaced 
> by the rumble of the 567 EMD prime movers and five chime nathan horn. 
> The line continued operations with diesel locomotives until it was 
> damaged by flooding in 1977.
>
> If you have never biked a rails-to-trail before this is a good one to 
> start with. First, our ride will start at Whitetop station and then 
> ride 15 miles to Damascus _all downhill_, so very little pedaling is 
> needed.We will be losing almost 1200 feet in altitude, plus we will be 
> stopping and talking about the history of the line and showing the 
> sites where O Winston Link took some of his most famous photos. So 
> there will be of chances to catch your breath, but you won’t need to.
>
> We will start our day at the bicycle outfitters in Damascus where we 
> will pick up our bikes and receive basic operating and safety 
> instructions.We then will board vans for our ride up to Whitetop 
> station where we will gather to start our ride down the trail. While 
> riding down this stretch keep in mind that the 4-8-0s climbed this 
> grade with up to 10 cars and one coach.Soon we will reach Green Cove, 
> the place of O Winston Link’s famous picture of old maude the horse 
> bowing its head to the steam engine. We will be stopping there for 
> questions and looking though the depot. Then we will ride down to the 
> creek crossing site of another famous O Winston Link photo. Keep in 
> mind during your ride of what the engineer was seeing during your ride 
> and allow yourself to step back to the 50s. Leaving Creek Junction we 
> will ride to our next stop at Taylors Valley. From there we will ride 
> back to Damascus to return our rented bikes.
>
> We are planning on the ride taking about four hours. This is a very 
> easy ride and it is going to be the first of what we hope are many 
> more branch line tours to come. And believe me if you have never done 
> it you will love it and if you have ridden this before the speakers 
> and their knowledge will give you a new love for this branch. We will 
> have transportation at each of the stopping points if you think this 
> is too much for you to take you down and someone to change tubes if 
> needed. So plan on coming and enjoy putting tracks back on the branch!
>
> Sign up at
> http://www.nwhs.org/commissary/SpecialEvent.html
>
>
>
>
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