VGN Helper Practices over Christiansburg Mountain ?

[NW Mailing List]

According to the 1957 List of Tracks there were these tracks:
Ironto         House Track      952'   enter at east end     electrified
Fagg          Passing Track   7281'                                        "
Set Off Track      611'   enter both ends             "
Ellett          House Track      770'    enter east end               "
There was no wye at Ellet.

Glenn Fisher

>     On 08/25/2021 9:58 PM NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>      
>      
>     Abram raises questions I find interesting and wish to add several:
>      
>     There is a mile or so of double track at Fagg, about a mile west of Ironto. It appears from the grade that at some past time there were perhaps two or three additional tracks along this stretch.  Were there, and if so, what were they used for (perhaps for assembling  trains brought over the mountain in sections???).  Were there facilities at Ironto or Fagg in addition to the Ironto wye?
>      
>     I live near Ellett and currently watch traffic on this line from my house. At present there are 7-9 trains daily, all eastbound: 2-3 coal trains, 2-3 grain trains, 1 tank train (not every day),
>     2-3 mixed freight including auto racks. Distributed power is now seen on several of these trains.  Pushers (also used for breaking) were used on some eastbounds from Whitethorn to WEDT Fagg until a year or two ago and still occasionally seen. But occasionally there is westbound traffic occasioned because of maintenance or a wreck on the mainline through Christiansburg. When that happens, this becomes classic mountain railroading sometimes with pushers and/or relatively short trains westbound.
>      
>       Ray Smoot
>      
>      
> 
> 
>     Sent from my iPad
> 
> 
>         > > On Aug 25, 2021, at 9:35 PM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> > 
> > 
> >     > 
>         > >         No carping, please, about the term *Christiansburg Mountain.*  I chose a word which people would understand.  Had I written "Allegnany Mountain,* someone would have practiced being a sharp-shooter about that one, too.
> >          
> >         QUESTION:  Can anyone furnish a description of VGN helper practices over Christiansburg Mountain between Roanoke and Merrimac, BEFORE ELECTRIFICATION ?
> >          
> >         E.g.  What class engines were used?  Were trains pushed in both directions over the top ?  If so, where did assisting engines couple onto trains ?  Did heavy westbounds get helpers for the heaviest portion of the westbound grade (Ironto to Merrimac Tunnel) ?  If not, why was there an engine turning wye at Ironto ?  How was the Ironto Wye used ?  Were helper crews based at Whitethorn?  Were there engine turning facilities at Whitethorn?  Where did helper engines take coal?  Did assisting engines ever stay with the train they had assisted to the opposite foot of the mountain?  I.e. did westbound helpers ever stay with trains all the way to Whitethorn, turn at Whitethorn, then assist an eastbound back to Merrimac ? Any idea on tonnage ratings over Merrimac for the VGN's big engines ?  And other suchlike interesting questions...
> >          
> >         Someone should have thought about this before, and investigated it.  I hope that soul is still around and able to type...
> >          
> >         -- abram burnett
> >         Invisible Plasma Turnips    
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