Roanoke Belt Line Right-of-Way Question

[NW Mailing List]

“The other possibility, however, and a far-fetched one, is that Rorer crossed the hill now occupied by Colonial Avenue and ran down the the gentle declivity to the west of the Towers Shopping Center, now occupied by a road shown as *Brandon Lane,*  to the little stream called Murray Run, and turned westward at that point.  That would have saved Rorer the expense of bridging Murray Run.  Such a  route over-the-hill would have presented a grade of about 80 feet over 0.7 miles against movement of empties returning to the ore pits.  That equates to a 1.13% grade for almost three-quarters of a mile, which is probably no worse than the grades the little line faced up on Yellow Mountain.”

 

That’s exactly what it did Abram. My guess it probably crossed the Colonial Ave ridge at the junction w today’s Persinger Rd (Stephen may know exactly) and then descended south-westerly to the watershed that led to the mines; Ore Branch.          John Garner

 

From: NW Mailing List [mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org] 
Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 5:27 PM
To: N&W Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: RE: Roanoke Belt Line Right-of-Way Question

 

Herr Garner & Co. -

 

For the east end of my measurement, I used the approximate location of old South Roanoke  "Q" telegraph office and block station, at the southern most end of the wye track connecting the Belt Line with the Roanoke & Southern.  Approximate coordinates 37.25235, -79.95339.  Which spot seemed reasonable to me, given the lay of the land.

 

For the west end of my measurement, I used the approximate west end of the Rorer washery operation, behind Roanoke Ice and Cold Storage in Wasena.  Approximate coordinates 37.2619, -79.95349.

 

Indeed, both points are reasoned assumptions on my part, since I have never seen a drawing of the Rorer R/W.  And, of course, I have not seen either of those locations for over 40 years, so am operating on memory.

 

If the Rorer & Pacific Fast Line Iron Haulin' Ray-Road did not follow the present N&W alignment east of Murray Run, what route did it follow?  You raise a very interesting possibility, but I cannot fathom how Rorer could have reached Murray Run save by the present N&W alignment.

 

The other possibility, however, and a far-fetched one, is that Rorer crossed the hill now occupied by Colonial Avenue and ran down the the gentle declivity to the west of the Towers Shopping Center, now occupied by a road shown as *Brandon Lane,*  to the little stream called Murray Run, and turned westward at that point.  That would have saved Rorer the expense of bridging Murray Run.  Such a  route over-the-hill would have presented a grade of about 80 feet over 0.7 miles against movement of empties returning to the ore pits.  That equates to a 1.13% grade for almost three-quarters of a mile, which is probably no worse than the grades the little line faced up on Yellow Mountain.

 

So, what route did Mr. Rorer's little cabbage cutters use east of Murray Run ?  Have any maps survived?

 

-- abram burnett,

advocating for the curiosity which kil't  the cat


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