Even after nearly 30 years, its still strange to see the dormant rails of the L&Ns Cumberland Valley Division between Kelly View and Norton, VA (the lower section back to Appalachia is still in use to serve the former A&G Coal Paragon coal load-out, although its currently idle). I took a short walk a couple of days ago on the inaccessible stretch from the lumber mill to Blackwood---exactly three miles. Its a scenic area, but sadly I never hiked back there to take a train shot, since it involved walking quite a distance (and then waiting...and waiting some more). Attached are a couple of shots from just around the curve beyond the bridge that crosses the Interstate Railroad and Powell River just past the lumber mill. Mother Nature is reclaiming the area quickly, but the 136-pound welded rail is still there. The ties, however, are slowly rotting into oblivion. This track hasnt felt the weight of a train since early 1986. The other two shots are nearby, just back down the grade. The black and white scene was taken on August 1, 1969. L&N GP35 1100 leads train 865 upgrade toward Norton at the lumber mill crossing. The color shot is from early 1985. A two unit pusher (two SD50s) rolls downgrade, just past the bridge. So---its sad, but another example that nothing lasts forever.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 04:08:45 +0000
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