Comments on the Clinchfield's demise

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Comments on the Clinchfield's demise

A few thoughts regarding Russ Goodwin's notes about the foreboding tale of the Clinchfield RR ...

>>>.  CSX has locals that still run through Erwin. They have also indicated that the line will still be fully maintained,   <<< 

The original CSX statement indicated CSX would take about ten miles of mainline out-of-service near the north end. My assumption is that the other 265 CRR miles will remain in service running regular trains, none of which will be thru trains.

Also I presume that soon after this year's Santa Train (it runs Saturday, November 21) that CSX will pull those ten miles out of service. 

My question is: Does a RR typically maintain rails it has taken out-of-service? I think it is important to point out that this OOS track includes Clinchfield's steepest grade, several tight (14-degree) curves, and the CRR's longest of its 37 remaining tunnels (that are all too short for double stacks). 

Are there differing degrees of out-of-service status for which a railroad would maintain different levels of maintenance which would define how long it would take that railroad to put the tracks back in service?

Russ also noted ... 

>>>.   Also, if they decide to sell it to a regional, like the Buckingham RR between Clifton Forge and Richmond, everything will be in working order.  <<< 

I am hopeful that a strong regional or short line railroad would be able and allowed to take over some or all of the old Clinchfield. At the same time, I doubt that CSX would allow that new owner to have control of all 275 miles to use as it pleases. 

The reason I have doubt about that is because if the new owner put all 275 miles back in service we would have what essensually was the entire old Clinchfield Railroad, which was famously noted for having (in connection with other RRs) the shortest route between northern cities such as Detroit and Chicago for connections to Savannah and Charleston.

I doubt that CSX would in essence say --  "Here… You take this hilly, steep, be-tunneled old railroad… Obviously, we couldn't make it work for us," -- knowing that the new railroad would be competing again CSX with what made the old RR successful.

But of course, if CSX ownership surrounding the Clinchfield (at both ends) stayed the same as it is today, I doubt CSX would feed or allow through trains to ever again operate on the old Clinchfield ... because CSX would use its power to keep those through trains on its surrounding rails even if a bit longer in travel.

CSX's recent move to shut off most of the Clinchfield's soul certainly brings up a strange maze of potential ideas about what will happen with the railroad. Of course I hope the best for her, but we all know that COAL very likely is not coming back and thus, traffic that made Clinchfield notable likely is gone forever.

The new operator that controls much of the rail operations around Asheville and any short line that gets involved on the Clinchfield both will be looking for new industries, new businesses, and new ideas to promote and develop those recently slighted rail properties into something that, for the most part, neither have ever been before.

Both of those rail properties are in battles against all odds. We've seen what's happened in both old and recent years (i.e. VGN) with failed or drooping railroads around our country. Clearly, few rail lines have taken such a drastic cut as has the Clinchfield and come back to win fame and fortune.

Bring on the short lines ... and ... 

Three cheers for the Clinchfield and the many other great rail lines that have taken it on the chin … Bob

Bob Loehne
7028 Tallent Court
Sherrills Ford, NC 28673
980-613-9046
800-611-1218
oezbob at aol.com

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