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-----Original Message-----<br>
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list@nwhs.org><br>
To: nw-mailing-list@nwhs.org<br>
Sent: Mon, 11 May 2009 12:51 pm<br>
Subject: Re: NW-Mailing-List Digest, Vol 43, Issue 17 - N&W in 1909 - Improvements<br>
<br>
<div id=AOLMsgPart_0_f6ebef21-ec39-469b-8c4b-a6dc0135c955 style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #000; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">It's ironic that according to my records, exactly 50 years ago today, May 11, 1959, the eastward main track between MP N-642 and Lunbeck was taken out of service, thus severing a 10-mile section of double track on the Columbus District. On the next day, the 12th, a new switch was placed in service at the end of double track at MP N-642, and the westbound local was the first train over it. The old westward main then became the remaining single track between there and Lunbeck, with train movements controlled by CTC. Needless to say, the Columbus District was never the same afterward, with a 10-mile bottlneck in the middle of an otherwise high-capacity double-track district. <br>
<br>
Louis Newton<br>
<br>
With the main line through Farmville abandoned, westbounds now operate via the Farmville Belt Line. It's<br>
<U>about</U> 16 miles between the passing siding at Abilene and the siding at Pamplin. There was a passing<br>
siding between these two points - Maloney. It was about 9300 ft. in length, but was removed in<br>
the 60's after the VGN merger. It would seem that placing Maloney back in service would avoid stand-offs<br>
at Abilene or Pamplin, but the powers that be figured that there'd be no benefit because the time<br>
lost entering the restored siding would put the train at either end of the 16-mile single track segment.<br>
<br>
NS has also made a revision at MP 239 - Blue Ridge District. This is at the east end of double track<br>
at Montvale. There HAD been an equilateral turnout good for 70 MPH where the two main tracks<br>
become one. The speed through the turnout was later lowered to 50 MPH. The equilateral turnout<br>
has been replaced by what looks to be a #20. From Roanoke to MP 239 (shown as Montvale in the<br>
timetable) both tracks are signaled for movement in either direction, but westbounds going to #2<br>
track (the northern-most track) must take the diverging route. Is this a new engineering practice ?<br>
Come in Gary Price, where ever you are.<br>
Harry Bundy</div>
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