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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Gordon,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Is not at least one tunnel on the Big Sandy line single track?
I've not been up US-52 since before 2002 (I took that route up and back often to
visit my parents in Columbus, OH when I lived in the Carolinas) but
if my memory serves me correctly at least one of the tunnels is single track
only never having been built with the needed clearance for a 2nd track. ??<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Ed Painter - Narrows, VA (living in Russellville, AR)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
nw-mailing-list-bounces@nwhs.org [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces@nwhs.org] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>NW Mailing List<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Sunday, December 13, 2009 11:45 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 3N&W Mailing List<br>
<b>Subject:</b> N&W in 1910--Dingess tunnel<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tunga'>Bluefield
Daily Telegraph<br>
June 30, 1910</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-size:13.5pt'>SPEND THOUSANDS ON OLD DINGESS TUNNEL</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong>Norfolk and
Western Will Preserve Twelve Pole Valley Line to Carry Back Empties</strong><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> The action of the Norfolk and Western in
spending an immense sum of money in putting an arch in the Dingess tunnel from
end to end dissipates the theory not long since expressed that the old Twelve
Pole Valley Line would be abandoned.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> For about a year contractors have been
busy on this work, and thousands of tons of brick and concrete have been
consumed in the work.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> With the exception of a moderate quantity
of local freight and passenger traffic, the old line is now used for the
purpose of carrying empties back to the coal fields after having taken their
tonnage of coal and coke to the markets in the northwest.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> Owing to the heavy grades and sharp
curves which abound on the Twelve Pole Line, all heavy freight trains and all
through passenger trains are run over the Big Sandy Line.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> There is still a good quantity of timber
on the head waters of Twelve Pole and plenty of good coal. It is
believed, however, if there were neither of these commodities in evidence the
road would be preserved for the double track purposes it will now will serve.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>[<em>The six-mile grade of one percent or more against
loaded coal trains on the original single-track Twelve Pole mainline extended
completely through the 3327-foot-long Dingess Tunnel. The single-track
Big Sandy Low Grade Line was opened in December 1904 and was 24.20 miles
shorter than the Twelve Pole line. The N&W completed double tracking
of the Big Sandy line in 1925 and then abandoned the 54.49 miles of the
Twelve Pole line between Lenore and Wayne on September 2, 1933. The
N&W's 1933 Annual Report states, "Removal of the rails, ties and other
items of value on this line was competed in November, 1933, and 53.78 miles of
abandoned right-of-way were conveyed to the State of West Virginia for highway
purposes." For those who may have missed the links where they
were first posted here, one can experience a motorcycle ride on the state
road over the old Twelve Pole line including Dingess and Breeden tunnels by
checking out the following:</em><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <a
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu7yGiS54D0">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu7yGiS54D0</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <a
href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONCos2I2wTY&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONCos2I2wTY&feature=related</a>]<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:24.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS"'>Gordon
Hamilton</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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