Oakvale caboose today

[NW Mailing List]

On Sat, Jun 9, 2018
​,​
at 8:53 AM
​Mike
 wrote:

Appreciate learning that the cab was a Nickel Plate. However, I did not
> make myself clear in that I was asking about the high trestle structure.
>

​The trestle in Oakvale is the Virginian main line to Princeton. The N&W
started its climb into Bluefield back at Glen Lyn where it left the New
River to follow the East River. The Virginian started its climb to
Princeton back around Rich Creek, crossing the New River on a high trestle
at Glen Lyn, crossing the East River on the other side of the ridge on
another high trestle, and continuing to climb, passing through the Hale's
Gap tunnel. The line went up the side of the valley, crossing several more
trestles over deep hollows (including the high trestle over I-77). The
westerly line eventually turned north and entered Princeton.

After the merger of the N&W and Virginian, eastbound coal from Bluefield
used a connection at Kellysville (east of Oakvale) to move to the VGN
tracks. The grade out of Whitethorne was better than the grade out of
Walton. When the Virginia Department of Highways and the West Virginia
Department of Highways coveted and condemned the ​Virginian for road
improvements, the connection at Kellysville was reversed, the VGN from
there to Narrows was removed and replaced with highway. Due to declining
coal shipments, the VGN from Princeton to Mullens is out of service.

For info about this area, see
http://www.brucebharper.info/nwrwy/kellysville/kellysville.html

Bruce in Blacksburg
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