Old Bridge Near Roderfield, WV

[NW Mailing List]

Jeff,



There are indications that the original main line crossed the Tug Fork east
of the bridge location and that the bridge in question was part of the
original “Route 8 - Tug River Highway” between Huntington and Bluefield
built between 1916 and 1932. Route 8 originally went from Roderfield,
through Davy, to Welch and I expect the highway bridge sometime during that
period.”



I have attached two drawings for the Fall River Pocahontas Collieries
Company and the 1925 siding agreement, which also shows the original main
line and the public road river crossing. The drawings are the same with
different clarity on either end. Also attached is the original Cambridge
Coal & Coke Co agreement from 1900, which Falls River took over in 1916.



The N&W had their mile post nomenclature in place when the Ohio Extension
was built or shortly after.



Route 8 was built in sections as money became available, and became US
Route 52 after it was completed. My speculation would be that after Route
52 was opened between Welch and Roderfield in 1932, Route 8 would have been
reduced to a county road status and its miles measured from its
intersection with Route 52 at Roderfield, hence the west to east mileage
measurement. Alternatively, when the Route 8 was completed between Justice
and Roderfield in 1929, the road between Roderfield and Davy was still a
low quality macadam, rather than a rock and asphalt road and its section
was waiting to be built, hence the mileage measurements from west to east.
As an aside the grading to the Premier Cut was completed in 1926 and this
offered and alternative dirt road route between Roderfield and Welch.



When the N&W started letting contracts for double tracking (or adding
sidings that would be later converted to double tracking) the railroad
between Bluefield and Williamson, the contracts were let by mileposts. The
earliest example of a double tracking contract was J. R. Serpell & Co of
Antler WV for a second track and change of line between MP 401.5 west of
Welch to MP 407 awarded on March 4, 1903.



The earliest siding contract from Bluefield to Williamson was awarded to on
June 25, 1902 to  O'Brien & Long of Roanoke for  passing sidings at Davy
and Iaeger.



Alex Schust


Moderator:

http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206.Cambridge%20Coal%20Coke%20Oct%201900%203.jpg

http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206.IMG_2344.JPG

http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206.IMG_2345.JPG

http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206.IMG_2348.JPG



> *From:* NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] *On
> Behalf Of *NW Mailing List
> *Sent:* Monday, February 06, 2017 6:57 AM
> *To:* NW Mailing List
> *Subject:* Old Bridge Near Roderfield, WV
>
>
>
> Attached are several photos of a bridge that carries WV 7 (Davy Roderfield
> Rd) across the Tug Fork between Marytown and Roderfield.  Was this part of
> an old mainline alignment or was this a branch line?  I'm also curious
> about the mileage markings on the bridge.  It was painted "1.28" in two
> different locations using two different fonts.
>
>
>
> I'd previously inquired about the old tunnel and two bridges at Twin
> Branch.  Those had mileage markings of 5.20 and 5.32.  One of which was
> barely discernable.  The mileage increased from west to east.  They sure
> look like railroad markings and I've never seen anything like this applied
> by a state DOT on bridges.
>
>
>
> Any insight is greatly appreciated.
>
>
>
> Jeff Hawkins
> Moderator:
> http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206._MG_1110.jpg
> http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206._MG_1145.jpg
> http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206._MG_1146.jpg
> http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206._MG_1149.jpg
> http://www.nwhs.org/mailinglist/2017/20170206._MG_1152.jpg
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://pairlist6.pair.net/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/attachments/20170206/dc61cc1b/attachment.html>