The Crescent Route
Greensboro - Charlottesville
Introduction
This is a continuation of our self-guided tour of the Norfolk Southern's Crescent Route. The Introduction to the over-all tour is here. This segment begins at the Elm Street interlocking in downtown Greensboro, and ends at the NS/CSX crossing in downtown Charlottesville. This is a total of 172.2 timetable miles. In this segment, we'll see busy city/terminal action, as well as heavy mainline action thru the countryside.
While there is plenty of terminal activity in Greensboro, Danville, Lynchburg and Charlottesville, the majority of this tour goes thru beautiful, rural countryside. Expect some coal on the southern part of the segment, but most trains are intermodal and general freight. Finally, passenger service is seen between both cities, with Amtrak's Crescent going thru in the wee hours in both directions daily.
Principal contributors to this segment are:
Tony Hill, Webmaster and all content, unless otherwise noted. Any first person singular pronoun refers to Tony.
Mapwork: Much of the tour is not easy if you have no detailed map for back country roads. I definitely recommend you get a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, study it before your trip, and copy pertinent pages for your field work. You can find information here about Railfan Maps that are available.
Abbreviations: Some phrases are used repeatedly in this tour, so I've developed some standard Frograil abbreviations:
NAG.A not-at-grade crossing. Unless I mention otherwise, these are usually not worth the time and trouble to drive to.
NARL. Not a railfan location. This is because of any number of reasons, such as lousy photo ops, dangerous, no shoulder on a NAG bridge, etc. As a general rule of thumb, it is wise to avoid NARL's.
Railfan Sites:
The Tour -- Greensboro, NC to Charlottesville, VA
If you're just starting the tour, take exit 125 from I-85/I-40 and go north on South Elm-Eugene. After a few miles, take a right as Elm veers of from Eugene, and continue straight north into the downtown area. Cross the three tracks downtown and park on the east side of Elm. Walk back to the tracks. There is a pedestrian area which allows excellent train viewing. This site is where the North Carolina Railroad was started in 1851, which was perhaps the most important event in the state's history since Columbus sailed.
If you're continuing on from the Charlotte - Greensboro segment, you're already here, so let's all get going towards Charlottesville, Virginia.
Greensboro -- Southern Railway Depot. From one historic site to another! From the tracks at Elm Interlocking, go north and take your first right onto McGee. Immediately get into the far left lane and swing north onto Davie. Take your first right onto Washington, and the very large, and very impressive station will be on your right. Greensboro was a major city on the Crescent Route, and the depot is certainly a signature structure.
[Webmaster's Note: As of December 2005, the depot has been restored, and is open as a multi-modal passenger terminal. Chuck Till reports that platform access is for ticketed passengers only. In the adjacent bus station, you can see the Crescent Route thru a tall iron fence, but the H-Line to Raleigh is barely visible. We really don't consider this a railfan location.]
It should be noted that railfanning through most of north central Greensboro is not very rewarding. Some areas are rough, but most are OK. The biggest problem is that the right of way has trees on both sides of the tracks, and there are relatively few open areas. In some areas, the tracks are so close you can just about touch them, while in others, you'll not be able to see them. However, from the depot north, you'll never be more than a quarter mile or so away from the tracks, at least until you get out into the countryside.
Get back on Davie and continue northward, and veer right onto Summit. After a short while, take a left on Church Street. Here, the tracks will be on your right for quite some distance north, and you'll notice that the tracks have returned to grade level. Thru much of this part of your drive, you'll see that the tracks seem to be in a shallow cut. There are several streets over the tracks, but the straight north-south alignment of the tracks and trees combine to make photography quite difficult.
Stay north, for about 2 1/4 miles, all the way to Sixteenth Street and turn right. Sixteenth runs east-west and goes over the tracks on an overpass. Continue to Summit and turn left (north). Go about 1 3/4 miles north, and take Southern Webbing Mill Road which veers off from Summit at an odd angle, so be alert. After one-half mile or so, the railroad will come back in from the west, and will be hard by you all the way to a dead-end at Lee's Chapel Road. However, there are few if any photo locations. I know you're tired of driving at this point, but you can't change geography! Besides, things will shortly get better.
At Lee's Chapel Road, turn right, and after a mile or so, the railroad will be back on your left. Along here there are 2-3 decent photo sites, but there is a better site right ahead. (BTW, Donald Arant's correction has been applied to this paragraph -- Thanks, Donald.)
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Greensboro -- Bryan Park Lee's Chapel Road will come to Rudd Station Road. Turn left and go over the tracks. The park is on both sides of the road, with a soccer field complex on the left. On the right is a more extensive facility, with golf course, practice facility, and other goodies. Trails near Lake Townsend intersect with quite a network of trails in the reservoir area north of the city. This is an excellent place to spend some family time, and the NS main line is right in front of the park.
There is plenty of room on both sides of the tracks for good photos all days. This is somewhat a nne-ssw track here, so southbounds will give better photos. This is a lawn chair and cooler railfan location. [NOTE WELL: The park closes as dusk, so don't get your car locked behind the gates.]
From Bryan Park, go east on Rudd Station Road until it dead-ends into Scott. Turn left on Scott, which will likewise dead-end in a very short distance. Once again, you're at Summit Road, which will wander around a bit, but will be rewarding, all the same. Summit will pass the northern entrance to Bryan Park, and then swoop down towards US-29. Do not get on US-29. Continue north on Summit, and it will swing away from the highway. Summit will turn back to parallel US-29, but don't go that way. Go straight on Browns Summit Road.
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Browns Summit. Cross the tracks at Browns Summit and find a place to park. This truly is a summit, and you can see the tracks coming uphill from both north and south. The photos ops are OK here, if not super, but add in the struggle the locomotives undergo to fight the pull of gravity, and this is an enjoyable railfan site. There is a convenience store here, so life support is available. From here to the center of Reidsville, the tracks and roads do not like each other, and therefore stay rather far apart. Your best bet is to simply get back to US-29 and get on up to Reidsville.
If you look at the map of Reidsville, you'll note that the main tracks are separated by 75-100 feet in the southeast part of town. Just looking at the map, you'd think this would be a good railfan area, but it really isn't. This area is hilly, with Little Troublesome Creek running parallel with the tracks. Therefore, the best way to railfan Reidsville is to continue on US-29 to the Barnes Road exit, and drive on in to town.
If you want to see the trackage in the southeast part of town, take a left on the Turner Road Extension, and go west to the tracks. When you're finished, backtrack to Barnes Road, turn left, and continue north to Allison Street. Take a left (west) on Allison to just before the railroad underpass, and take a right and go north on Market. Here begins a most enjoyable drive along the Crescent Route.
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Reidsville -- Edna. As you drive north on Edna, the tracks are your companion to the west. Just north of Harrison Street is a station sign for "Edna" [MP 260.4]. This is the site of a double crossover, and while trains are seldom held here (too many blocked crossings), dispatchers use the facility to route priority trains here, as it's right in the middle of a 10 mile section of double track. Good pix from off Market Street. Continue on Market north.
At Settle Street (aka Holderby? Street), you'll note that Market also runs parallel to the tracks on the west side of the tracks. If it's late afternoon, you'll probably want to cross the tracks and head north on West Market from here. For most times of the day, continue north on East Market Street, as the sun will be your friend. From either of the two Market Streets, drive another 1/2 mile, and you're at one of the best railfan sites you're going to see for a long time.
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Reidsville -- Downtown. Continuing northward on Market, you will cross Morehead Street. Here, the area is wide open on both sides of the tracks, and you can park, set up the lawn chairs and get out the cooler. This is great -- no trees, safe neighborhood, plenty of traffic, you couldn't ask for more. The tracks are strictly north-south here, so you'll want to enjoy the northbounds, and take pix of the southbounds. This is just an excellent railfan location.
Continue north on East Market right out of town, and the railroad faithfully stays on your left. US-29Business comes in from the southwest, and hugs the tracks on the north side. Here, the tracks have begun a much more northeastern bias than what we saw downtown. When you get to Narrow Gauge Road (don't you love it?), turn left and go over the tracks. From here north, we'll be on US-29Business for a while, so turn right and continue. [NOTE: You can take a right onto Narrow Gauge Road, and it will take you out to US-29, so this is a good place to either begin or end this tour.]
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Reidsville -- Sadler. Well, this site is really north of Reidsville, but can't be found on maps, except on those of the USGS and DeLorme, so we'll include it in Reidsville. Continue north on US-29Business until you see the Sadler Elementary School on your left. [NOTE: At this point, there is supposed to be a road east of the tracks, Crossover Road, but I missed it, and suspect it to be barely a track. Contact me if I'm wrong, and let me update this posting.] Watch to your right as you drive northeast of the school, and you'll see a signal mast. Park off the road and walk to the tracks. It's difficult to take pix here without trespassing on either railroad or private property, but if you're waiting to see something you've heard on the scanner, there is plenty of off-railroad property here. Just don't plan on spending much time.
This is where the double track thru Reidsville ends, and is "Sadler" [MP 256.1].
As you depart Sadler on US-29Business, you'll be right next to the tracks all the way into Ruffin. However, there is very little in the way of photo ops, as the line is hugged by trees, the elevation works against you consistently, and the sun is in your face most of the time. The few crossings tend to be very steep, as the ground drops off considerably east of the track embankment.
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Ruffin. As you come into town from the south on US-29Business, you'll see a smallish grain elevator. There is an old caboose just north of the elevator. Turn right and cross the tracks. There is good viewing in this area pretty much all day. There is also plenty of off-railroad property west of the tracks. This is a pretty good site.
From the east side of the tracks, follow them northward via Ruffin Road. [Note that the DeLorme atlas you have may label this road as "Mayflower Road." As you get out of town, the road name becomes Old US 29, and will remain so on into Danville, but we won't take it that far.] Between Ruffin and Pelham, you'll again be very close to the tracks, and you'll have a little difficulty finding good photo sites. However, you're on the east side of the tracks now, so the light will usually be your friend. There are a few nice places for some dramatic shots, but you'll have to pick and choose, and a scouting trip is recommended. It's an easy and short drive between Ruffin and Pelham, so taking a little extra time won't hurt a thing.
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Pelham -- Swann. As you enter Pelham, the new, brick post office will be on your right. As soon as you pass it, you'll note the signal masts of the Swann interlocking [MP 245.0]. This is the end of double track southbound and a double crossover. Just before you got to Swann, you passed Railroad Avenue(?), which dead-ends behind a house at the tracks. Probably, the best photos are from the interlocking area, but I'd want to be in a pick-up bed or the top of a van for photos here, as the tracks are a little elevated.
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Pelham -- West Side. North of Pelham, Old US-29 continues to closely parallel the tracks all the way into Danville, but it is pretty difficult to find a decent train watching site. So, here's an interesting site west of the tracks.As you leave Pelham to the north, at the stop sign for NC-700, take a left and go west towards US-29. The US-29 entrance ramp is just a few hundred yards west. However, just before the highway, do a U-turn, and go up the embankment to get back on the road you came from. If you're not sure where to make this turn, cross US-29, do a U-turn, and at the sign to "Pelham Community Center", go up toward the tracks. There is a nice grassy area west of the tracks which is good for afternoon photos. You might consider bringing a pair of lopping shears with you. Lots of intermodal, very fast stuff thru here, so be ready and stay away from the tracks.
Now, if you go across US-29, there is a North Carolina Welcome Center just to the west. This is worth a visit any time of the year. The grounds are always impeccable (and are worth the visit by themselves), the Center is stocked with loads and loads of info about places to see and visit in the state, and the hostesses are knowledgeable and most pleasant. They also usually have free coffee, which tastes mighty fine if you've been doing this tour on a cold day. This is the best welcome center/rest stop your webmaster has ever visited--every time I stop there it's the same--perfect!
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Pelham -- Sheldon Baptist Church.Retrace your steps to Old US-29, and take a left to continue north. Continue to watch left for the Sheldon Baptist Church and its large parking lot. If you see Hammond Road on your right, you have just passed the church. Just past the building, turn left into the parking lot, and go all the way to the end of the lot, which is just next to the tracks.
This timetable Shelton,MP 242, and there are intermediate signals to the south. To the northwest is the spur track going into a large quarry. Note that the quarry and railroad location are spelled with a T, and the church is spelled with a D. The quarry spur sees occasional Herzog ballast hoppers.
There is a Web site for the church, which you can Google. The site contains an e-mail address for the Webmaster (and church member, I believe), so if you're going to sit in the shade and watch trains for awhile, you should e-mail ahead for permission. Railfanning on Wednesday night, and anytime Sunday is not recommended.
Frograil thanks Khalil Poole for the information concerning this nice location.
VIRGINIA
Danville -- Country Club. From the intersection of US-29 and NC-700 at Pelham, go north on US-29. You'll almost immediately be in Virginia, and Danville. Take US-29Business, and the railroad will come in on your right as you go north into town. The street name here is West Main, and you need to be careful because there is also an East Main and South Main in different parts of the city.
In the area of Stokesland interlocking, Lithia Springs Avenue will be on your left. The branch to Leaksville heads west here, but there is no place to set up for photos, so continue north.
You will soon see the grounds of a golf course beyond the tracks. This is the Danville Country Club. In the middle of the grounds, there is a dirt road which leads from West Main Street, over the tracks, and into the maintenance area of the golf course. Photos from this road would rival that of any other location in the area, but you would have to get permission from the club. If you looked decent, and were articulate and polite, I think you'd have a pretty good chance of getting permission, especially during the winter.
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Danville -- Bentley. From West Main Street, turn right on Edgewood Drive, and cross the tracks. Immediately past the tracks, turn right and park in the small parking area next to the tracks. This site is "Bentley" home to a double crossover north of Edgewood, and a defect detector maybe 30 yards south of your car [MP 240.0]. This is an OK site for most of the day. Mid to late PM will probably not work for photos.
Get back on Edgewood and continue east until you take a right on Dula. This will curve around, and then take your first left on Carlson Avenue (there will probably be no sign), and go north back towards the tracks. As you drive these neighborhood streets, look at the small houses. Most of them are mill houses, and are quite interesting. They're all the same, and yet each family living in them puts its own personality (or lack thereof) upon them. Don't linger in these streets. Just before the tracks, turn right onto Lanier Avenue. Here, the street is directly south of the tracks, and you can get pretty good pix, but I'd suggest you drive a little further for a much better location.
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Danville -- Lanier Avenue. You'll come to a tee intersection at Stokesland Avenue, and you want to take a right, and then almost immediately, take a left. Now, you're back on Lanier. At Bishop Road/Augusta Avenue, you'll do the same thing, only in reverse, by taking a left/right, and you'll end up back on Lanier. What you have just done is get around what used to be a large coal dock trestle. It was used by Dan River Mills to generate power. [Webmaster's Note: John Barbour provided information to Frograil that allowed this railfan location to be updated.]
Immediately north of Bishop Road/Augusta Avenue , Lanier goes up a slight hill and there is a small, apparently no longer used parking lot between Lanier and the tracks. Park, get out the cooler, set up the lawn chairs, and enjoy some train watching. This is probably the best site in the Danville area. Just over the tracks and to the north is the beginning of the Dan River Mills mill complex. You might want to ride around the area and check it out. It's rather an historic, interesting site.
From here northeast, the tracks go thru industrial areas, and there are no satisfactory sites for train watching. Therefore, go back to Bishop Road/Augusta Avenue, go north under the tracks, and take a right onto West Main Street. Pass NC-86/ Central Boulevard, and take a right onto Holbrook Avenue. Just past crossing over the tracks, at the intersection of Holbrook and Industrial Avenue, turn left and follow Industrial all the way to the east end of Danville. The railroad will be on your left, close, but will be inaccessible. You'll notice a small yard of several storage tracks on your right, and the Dan River is beyond that yard. The yard is to serve industries along the remains of the branch to Blanche. Goodyear has a tire plant along that line, as evidenced by the carbon black cars in the yard.
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Danville -- Lynn Street. Industrial Avenue will begin to curve around from northeast to northwest. Just before this happens, take a left on Lynn Street, and find a place to park near the tracks. Remain off railroad property. Here, all thru NS Crescent Route traffic comes from its crossing of the Dan River, passes the station, and goes across Lynn Street on it's way south. Also, there is a bulk unloading facility to the northeast of the crossing. There is lots of room here, and good pix are possible most of the time. This is a pretty good site, but you want to have a male friend or two with you, and you want to remain back from the tracks, and be alert, as this is a busy street/railroad crossing.
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Danville -- Station Area. Go back to the intersection of Lynn Street and Industrial Avenue, and turn left onto Industrial Avenue. Industrial will take a 90° turn to the northeast, you'll go under the tracks, and then take a right into the station parking area. The station is quite attractive, and has been renovated as the Danville Science Center. This appears to be an excellent family destination, as it apparently is a hands-on, active display format museum. There is an Amtrak facility still in use within the building, but it's only open 30 minutes before and after the Crescent passes thru in the middle of the night in both directions.
However, the platform area is not locked, and you can wander all over the place, but it's not advised. What I'd recommend instead, is to walk up from Industrial Avenue on the east side of the tracks. It's not posted, and you can keep well back of the tracks, and out of range of official eyes. Actually, the Lynn Street area is better than the station for photos, and you can incorporate the station and its platform in some views.
Before continuing on our tour of the Crescent Route, here are two diversions worthy of your consideration. If you're hungry, continue up Craighead Street (Industrial becomes Craighead Street after its big bend) to Patton Street and turn right, go over the Dan River, and take your first left onto Riverside Drive, US-58. Go past three lights, and you will shortly see Short Sugar's Bar-B-Que restaurant on the left. You're now in a part of the east where the BBQ is changing from NC white/vinegar pork to a somewhat sweeter reddish/vinegar pork. All are excellent, and Short Sugar's is rather unique. It's well worth a stop.
There is another reason for going over to Short Sugar's, and it has nothing to do with food. On your way back towards the intersection of Main Street and Riverside Drive, you'll go up a hill. At the top of the hill, turn into the parking lot of a gas station, and walk back the way you came. You'll see an historical marker. It was on this spot, on September 27, 1908, that old engine 97 pulling the Southern Railway mail express left the trestle here and flew into the ravine far below your feet. Nine people died and 7 more were injured. Looking down into the jungle of the ravine, you wonder how anyone survived. So, the next time you hear Johnny Cash sing about how the brave engineer must "get her into Spencer [Yard], on time.", you'll think of this place.
If you've got children with you, I strongly recommend you save some time for the Dan Daniel Park. This large park is east of town, just north of the Dan River, and is reached via US-29. There is a huge number of things for kids to do.
When you come to think of it, don't you think the food, Dan River Mills area, trains, Dan Daniel Park, trains, museum and still more trains are worth more than a short family visit?
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Danville -- Dundee Yard. If you leave from the station area to continue the tour, go north on Craighead Street (take a right out of the station parking lot) and then take a right on Patton, which will join Main Street. Go over the Dan River, and after several blocks, take a right onto Thomas Street. This will join Halifax Road, and you continue eastward on Halifax. You'll cross Little Fall Creek, and then will cross the tracks. To your left is the yard tower and smallish classification yard, and to your right is a repair facility and what appears to be a crew office. All quadrants of the crossing are well posted, and there really is no place for fanning here. The street is too busy to fan from it. Unfortunately, this is not a railfan location.
As we've seen from north of Greensboro on, the train watching has gotten more and more difficult thru the countryside. Unfortunately, it gets even more so north of Danville. Apparently, and this is a guess only, the State of Virginia has spent money and worked with the railroad to eliminate grade crossings. I don't know this for a fact, but from Danville north to Charlottesville, there are relatively few such crossings. To make matters worse, the curves, trees and vertical profile all increase. However, this is a tour, not a grinch session, so we'll push on thru the countryside. Besides, the countryside is beautiful, some of the road names are bizarre and it's just worth the time, at least once. [NOTE: If you wish to skip this thru-the-country part of the tour, go back to Main Street via Halifax/Thomas Streets, and then south on Main to US-58/US-360 eastbound, River Road. Go east to US-29 and go north on US-29 directly to the junction of US-29 and US-29Business south of Gretna.]
From the yard at Dundee, the Crescent Route goes almost straight north thru Pittsylvania County all the way to Hurt and Altavista. What looks simple to railfan isn't, as there is no parallel road for virtually the entire distance. Go back the way you came on Halifax/Thomas, and go north on North Main Street. At the wye of Main and Richmond Boulevard (VA-360), veer to the left and stay on Main. After about 1 1/2 miles, go right on Forestdale Drive, which is a little hard to see. This road curves around, becomes Seminole Drive, and you'll find yourself quickly in the countryside. Your first real right turn will be Kirk Drive, which you will take. It will eventually cross the tracks (not at grade), and become Twin Arch Drive. You'll meander thru the countryside, cross over US-29, and tee into Livestock Road.
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Blairs -- Railroad Avenue. Take a left on Livestock Road, and go under US-29, and then over the tracks (not at grade), on a rather poor location for photos. You'll come to a tee, take a right, and then almost immediately another right onto US-29Business. You'll cross over the tracks and look for Railroad Avenue on your left after about 1/3 mile. Take this left and drive to the tracks. There is OK morning watching here, but stay close to your car, because the locals may not be real friendly, judging from the looks of their respective properties. This is prime redneck right here, folks. There is no photo opportunity from the west side at all. Go back out to US-29Business, and turn left on East Witt Road after a rather short distance. This is the crossroads of Blairs, and there is a defect detector in the area "Blairs", but I don't know its exact location.
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Blairs -- Witt Road. Travel west on Witt until you get to the tracks. You'll see them sweeping south-north on a very high, kudzu covered fill. In the morning, you should be able to get some dramatic photos of this spot.
Travel back to US-29Business, and go further north. The road will join up with US-29, and after about 2 miles, R&L Smith Road will go off to your left. You can take it to a rather non-descript, at grade crossing, but it's really only good if you know a train is coming, and you need to get trackside quickly.
Pretty much the same comment applies to the community of Dry Fork, which is reached by going another couple miles north on US-29, and then going west (left) on Dry Fork Road. This is not an at-grade crossing.
Continue north on US-29 for yet another couple of miles or so, and take a left (west) on Tight Squeeze Road. The crossing is not at grade, so continue west to Beverly Heights Road, which is less than a mile from the tracks. Turn right, and enjoy the countryside for a few miles until you get to Callands Road, VA-57. Turn right, and head into Chatham.
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Chatham -- Station. On the western outskirts of town, you'll cross a few local industry tracks (which have just been somewhat repaired and upgraded), and then you'll go under the Crescent Route main. Take your first right, and go up to the small industrial building on your right. Turn into this building's lot, and drive around the building to the tracks. The rather decrepit Southern station is at the tracks. This is a very good photo location from the east side of the tracks, but the west side is very tight and falls off steeply. You could probably relax and spend some time here.
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Chatham -- Day Crossover. Retrace your steps to Callands Road, and take it further east to the center of town and US-29Business. Chatham is a very pretty small town, and you'll enjoy driving thru it. I'd suggest you take the opportunity to gas us, eat, and enjoy an honest-to-goodness indoor toilet before heading on further north. In the north part of town, take a left on Hodnetts Mill Road. Go west a mile or so until just before you go under the tracks. Turn right on the dirt road going up to the tracks, and find a place to park which will not block the tracks. This is the site of a double crossover, and offers good views to the west. Go back to Hodnetts Mill and turn right and go under the tracks. [NOTE WELL: This "tunnel" is extremely narrow and low. If you're driving a big RV or pulling a big camper trailer, don't attempt it.]
Immediately after crossing under the tracks, there is a vestigial road to your left, going up to the tracks, which offers photo ops to the east. I've not been up there, and don't know how open it is. Stay well back from the tracks in both these Day locations, and you'll be OK. Get out close to the tracks, and you may get a chance to meet a real railroad Special Agent.
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Whittles Station. Continue west on Hodnetts Mill to Dry Bridge Road. Take a right on Dry Bridge and continue all the way to US-29. Go north for over a mile on US-29 to Payneton Road. Take a right on Payneton and drive to the grade crossing. There is a large open area on the west side of the tracks, but the east side is fairly tight. Between Whittles Station and Gretna, there are a few, non-descript, non-grade crossings, so I'd recommend you get back on US-29 and drive right up to the town of Gretna. When you get there, take US-29Business into town. It is at the junction of US-29 and US-29Business that those fans who drove up directly from Danville will re-join the tour.
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Gretna. In the center of town, the tracks will be on your right, and there is good viewing from the west. There's not much from the east, as it is very tight. Continue north on US-29Business, all the way out of town. There are several crossings of the railroad and streets and roads, but they are not at grade. I'd recommend you continue north on US-29 Business, join US-29, and go all the way north to the Hurt area.
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Hurt -- Pittsylvania Wayside. At the junction of US-29/US-29Business, take the latter towards Hurt. As you proceed towards town, you'll go down a hill, and will note the large, high trestle over the Sycamore Creek valley to the east of you. Turn into the wayside past the creek by using the second left. Walk to a location which suits you, and you'll be able to see the NS in action over the trestle. This is an afternoon location for photos.
Before discussing the train watching spots further into Hurt, it's important to understand what you're seeing, and for that, we need a short history lesson.
The old Virginian Railroad line comes in from Roanoke and the west, and hugs the Staunton (Roanoke) River on the south bank, as virtually a flat railroad. This is why, when N&W took over the Virginian, it ran loaded coal trains on the latter's relatively flat line thru Altavista towards Crewe. It ran empties over the hillier N&W line thru Lynchburg to the north. That pattern still holds today, so don't expect to see many trains of empties on the line along the river.
The Southern's Crescent Route is quite different. The railroad on both sides of the river is well up on the plateau, and cuts across the river valley on a very high bridge. Therefore, the old N&W and Southern were crossing on a 2-dimensional map, but were far, far apart on a real world, 3-dimensional basis.
This all changed some time after the Southern/N&W merger. NS built a connection between the valley floor and the plateau, and allowed eastbounds/southbounds from Roanoke to join the Crescent Route southbound here. This has added a lot of traffic and tonnage on the NS south of Altavista, but somewhat at the expense of the Roanoke -- Winston-Salem line. As the connector comes up from the valley floor into the south end of Hurt, you get an appreciation for how steep the grade is, as there are areas in Hurt where you're on the level of the Crescent Route, and hear a train coming up from the valley, only to discover that the train is rather well below you. Here are two locations, a morning and afternoon one, respectively.
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Hurt -- Glorious Church. As you come into Hurt, you'll see a grassy area with a large industry on your left. There is a big sign announcing "1155 Main Street/Burlington Industries Distribution Center." Immediately after passing the sign, there is a narrow, steep driveway/road on your right, which goes up and over the 4 tracks here. At the beginning of this road is a smallish sign announcing this to be the entrance to the Glorious Church of God. This is a pretty wild road/area, and one doubts the church still exists. If you have a pick-up, full-sized van, or SUV, go over the tracks and park off the road/driveway. If you're driving the typical sedan, you might want to park elsewhere and walk in.
Beginning with the track closest to US-29Business, the four tracks are as follows: 1. The connector to the Virginia Division. 2&3. Crescent Route (Piedmont Division) main tracks. 4. Little-used siding/storage track. Directly to the south is the signal bridge and its myriad of signals. This is the Hurt/Hurt Connection, MP 197.8, and it's now less than 200 miles to Washington, DC via the Crescent Route!
Plan on spending some time here, as you'll see all Crescent Route action, plus everything in and out of the Virginia Division connection. You'll be in the grass, and away from most eyes, so break out the insect repellant, lawn chairs, and coolers.
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Hurt -- Spencer Street. Continue north on US-29Business, and go under the connector track. Shortly after the underpass, take a right onto West Hurt Road, and then very shortly thereafter, take a right on Church Street. Church will bend to the left and become West Spencer Street. Just before crossing the Crescent Route, take a left and go up the dirt road to the storage area west of the tracks. This is the best afternoon location around, but you will miss the trains coming up from the river. This may be railroad property, but you can sit well back from the tracks and get good shots. There is no need to venture near the tracks, and as long as you don't do so, you'll probably be OK.
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Altavista -- Staunton River Bridge. Hurt and Altavista are separated by the Staunton River, and the street bridge over the river is rather old. There is a separate, safe walkway on the west side of the bridge giving a glorious view of NS's high, long trestle over the entire valley. This is a great location to get excellent morning photographs, although it is double track here, and southbounds will appear a little "short". However, if you want to get your photos into TRAINS Magazine or a calendar or some other such venue, this is a place to consider.
Altavista -- Station Area. As you enter town, Broad Street is your second or third left. Take it and go up the hill towards the new, fancy municipal building. Broad used to cross the tracks at grade, and older maps still show that. However, the street has been cut at the tracks, and this nice new building was erected on what was the street. Follow the street signs here, and go to your left just before the building. The Southern Station is straight ahead. This has been restored, and is in use as the Chamber of Commerce. There is a large meeting room in the building, which the Chamber rents out for a nominal fee, and it is apparently very often used. Park at the station and walk back to the new municipal building and continue on behind and past it. There is a nice grassy area for train watching here which would be good virtually all day for southbounds, and OK for northbounds much of the morning. This is a lawn chair and cooler spot. Plan to spend some time, but be alert, as the trains are fast and quiet here.
Go back down Broad and take your first right, and then another right onto Bedford, a major street. Take either 9th or 10th street right to Broad, and turn right once again to get down to the tracks. You're on the north side here, near the grassy area just mentioned, but the viewing is very tight, and the sun is in your face virtually all day. Do a U-turn and continue north on Broad. In a few blocks, Broad changes dramatically from a city street to a narrow, winding country road, VA-626, and wends it's way thru a rather long community of modest homes. Be advised that the speed limit, all along here, is 25 miles per hour, and the very narrow road and many homes makes such a limit understandable. Go under US-29, and you'll shortly cross the tracks.
Here, let me tell you some good news. If you remember, all the way from the outskirts of Danville thru Pittsylvania County to Hurt, there were very few at-grade crossings, and those few were not worth a detour. From here north, we'll see several at-grade crossings, and some of them offer excellent train-watching potential. This particular crossing is rather good, as far a viewing from off-railroad property on both sides of the tracks, but there is no parking here. I'd suggest moving a little farther north to a better site.
[Webmaster's comment: This is also a good point to mention that, from this point north, you'll be going thru countryside which is well suited for growing grapes. Indeed, there are several nice wineries from here all the way to the outskirts of Washington. I'd suggest getting a list of Virginia wineries from the state's tourism folks before starting the tour of the Crescent Route. You'll come very close to some nice ones along the way.]
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Lynch Station. You'll come to a tee/stop sign. Turn left, go under the VERY LOW 9'2" underpass tunnel, and take an immediate right to continue north on VA-626. You'll cross the tracks in about 100 yards. Before crossing the tracks, go left towards the new Lynch Station Post Office, and park in the parking lot. Walk a little west of the tracks for a good, off-railroad property viewing area.
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Otter River -- Deal. Continue north on VA-626. The road surface will change a few times, but keep on going. You'll cross the tracks, and Deal Interlocking is about 100 yards south. There is a small parking area just northwest of the tracks. Immediately south of the crossing is a defect detector "Otter River". There is good, off-railroad property viewing here.
From this point, VA-626 goes away from the railroad for a short ways, and then you'll come to a fairly confusing series of intersections. Just bear to the right and go with the flow, and you'll end up on VA-682, Leesburg Road. As you approach Evington, the tracks will go under you, and you'll come to a stop sign at VA-24. Take a left, and drive carefully down the twisty, narrow, steep road into the crossroads of Evington.
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Evington. This is a wide open crossing, with particularly good viewing from the southeast side of the tracks. Indeed, you could spend a pleasant time here with lawn chairs and cooler deployed, but I do think there are even better places ahead of us. Indeed, Evington might be a little "public" for some folks, but the viewing is excellent.
Leaving Evington is a little tricky. From the east side of the tracks, facing east, turn left (to go north) onto Miles Lane/VA-683, which will shortly bend 90° to the right to get you back to VA-682, Leesville Road. Take a left and you'll go northwest towards the tracks. Just before the tracks, turn right back onto VA-683, which is Lawyers Road. You'll take Lawyers Road all the way to US-29 in Lynchburg, but there are two most excellent sites along Lawyers that you'll want to visit. Even though they are in the country, I'm going to identify them as Lynchburg sites, because they are close to no other town.
This location was updated and corrected in January, 2008, by John Moore.
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Lynchburg -- Pacoman Road. Three miles north of the VA-682/VA-683 intersection, Pacoman Road/VA-691 will be on your left. Take it and drive 1 mile (slowly, as it's a rough, narrow road) to the crossing. Park on the left just past the crossing. This, at least in my opinion, is the best place to watch trains on the Crescent Route anywhere in the Lynchburg area. There is a slight elevation to the ground on both the SE and SW sides of the tracks, giving an excellent photo angle. There is plenty of off-railroad property. The site is fairly remote and quiet. There is little traffic on Pacoman Road. There is an intermediate signal visible well to the north of the crossing.
Break out the lawn chairs and the cooler, and plan to spend some time here -- be prepared for some pretty fast trains.
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Lynchburg -- Lawyers. Continue north on Lawyers Road, and you'll come to the crossroads of Lawyers about 3.5 miles north of Pacoman Road. Now we approach another somewhat tricky spot. The original Waterlick Road has been replaced by a modern VA-622, which is now called Waterlick Road. The vestigial remains of the old road are still extant, as there are several houses on it. It is just before the newer road. However, the at grade crossing that was on the old road looks to be cut from the south (based on both MapQuest and Google Earth aerials).
Therefore, take a left (west) on the newer VA-622, go over the tracks on an overpass, and take the first left (a very sharp turn). This is the connection with the remains of the old road. This will take you to the area of the old crossing. There is a defect detector, "Lawyers," about 40 yards south of this spot. Interlocking signals are visible to the north ("Walke"). There is plenty of off-railroad property for photos here. Viewing is excellent. However, I personally prefer the Pacoman site, as it is quieter. At Lawyers, there is more street traffic, and you're getting pretty close to the Lynchburg airport, so you get a good bit of noise from airplanes. That said, however, this is still an excellent train watching site.
Joe Shaw and John Moore have provided updated information to us on this location.
Lynchburg is just north of here, and we'll look at some spots, but just remember these things about railfanning the city:
1. Major east-west lines (NS ex-N&W, and CSX ex-C&O) enter and leave the city. The major north-south thru the city is the Norfolk Southern's Crescent Route (ex-Southern).
2. All these roads, as well as an additional NS secondary main interconnect and most cross each other, but generally not at grade.
3. NOTHING IN LYNCHBURG IS LEVEL, except for the very narrow slice of land next to the James River which the C&O follows. Therefore, what looks easy on a map is often anything but easy.
4. Don't trust the local map. I bought a new one published by Map Supply, Inc., and it neatly labels the Crescent Route as CSX all the way thru the entire city. MapQuest and other aerials are very helpful.
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Lynchburg -- Montview. From the junction of Lawyers Road/VA-683 with US-29 in the Airport area of Lynchburg, go north into the city on US-29. You will pass a very large Wal-Mart Superstore on your left. Directly opposite the Wal-Mart is an un-marked road going very steeply up a hillside. The road is curvy, and the top is steep, so be careful. DO NOT STOP, cross the tracks and continue to the large parking lot on your right. This is Liberty University property. Park and walk down to the tracks at the crossing, but don't stay long, because you're parked in the University's parking lot.
The interlocking complex immediately to the north is "MONTVIEW" and guards the entrance to the ex-Southern's classification yard in Lynchburg. There is close but tolerable viewing off-railroad property to the east of the tracks, but the west side drops off precipitously.
When you drive back down the road, you'll have to go north on US-29, as there is no left turn from this odd, nasty road. Just a little further up the highway will be a big Wilco gas station on your left. This place has the lowest prices in the entire region, although there is now a Sheetz and an East Coast which are matching the prices. When you pump your gas, look to the southeast, and you can see the signal bridge and masts at Montview and a slice of the edge of the yard. You'll often have a chance to see a train thru the somewhat obstructed view.
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Lynchburg -- Southern Yard. Get back on US-29 going north, and quickly get over to the far right lane. Just before going up the ramp for the US-29/US-501 expressways thru town, take a right up the ramp into the River Ridge Shopping Center. This is a big mall, and you could probably care less about shopping, but bear continuously to your right, and drive around the extreme southeast-east-northeast edge of the huge parking lot. The NS's ex-Southern yard is just beyond the screen of evergreens to your right. Continue north until you see a Red Lobster restaurant straight ahead. You'll see a sign for the NS facility.
Park in the mall parking lot, and walk over to the road leading down to the tracks. As long as you stay above the tracks, off the road, and out of any railroad property, you'll be alright here. There are usually 1-3 engines here, although there are more at some times. Foreign power is not uncommon. Apparently, this yard is mostly for maintenance, although it looks as if some classification is being done here. For photo purposes, this is an afternoon site. Trees preclude any viewing from the east side of the yard.
From this point northward, the railroad stays surprisingly far away from any parallel streets. Crossings on Odd Fellows Road, Carroll Avenue, Campbell Avenue and 12th Street are not only unremarkable, they are downright poor railfan locations. None are at grade, and all are busy, noisy streets. I would suggest the best thing to do would be to go directly to the passenger station.
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Lynchburg -- Station Area. Exit the mall parking area to the west of the Red Lobster restaurant onto Candler's Mountain Road westbound. There is a traffic light here, so it's an easy entrance to this busy street. Get in the right lane and enter the ramp for US-29 northbound. This is an expressway. From US-29, take the Kemper Street exit, and go west on Kemper. It will turn south into Park Avenue, and the station is on your right. Unlike most such stations, you won't see Amtrak station signs on any streets until you're right on top of the station. If you cross over the tracks on Park, you've gone too far. Park in the north end of the station lot, and walk down the hill, away from the station.
At the bottom of the hill, on your left, is the end of the station passenger platform, which is really long! It must be a quarter mile. North of this area is a great open area for photos, but it is posted, so stay off it. From the end of the platform, all the way back to the station is good viewing from the northeast side of the tracks (the railroad goes almost east-west here), but there are only two ways to get shots from the other side of the tracks. There is a steep hill in the vicinity of the station, and if you don't mind standing knee deep in kudzu, you'll be able to get good photos (we've probably lost a few fans in that kudzu over the years. Their bones have made great fertilizer for the next generation of kudzu, no doubt.). "How steep is the hill on both sides of the tracks here," you ask? Well, the station is one story at the parking lot, and three stories at trackside! This, incidentally, is the ex-Southern station.
The other place to get photos from the other side of the tracks is to cross the tracks on Park, and take your first (?) right, and go down to the street maintenance facility. There is a parking lot close to the tracks there, and shots are OK from there. You might want to stand in the back of a pick-up, or on top of a van or SUV to get your shots, as you're a little low, relative to track level.
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Lynchburg -- Blackwater. Here's a most interesting site, but you'll need running/walking shoes or a bicycle to get to it. From the station, go northeast on Park to a left (NW) on Fort Avenue, which will become 9th Street. Take either Federal Street or Jackson Street left (NW) to Hollins. Some of the streets in this area are one way, but take whichever one will go in the direction you want. Turn right onto Hollins, and it will curve around at an odd intersection and become Hollings Mill Road. Along Hollins, off to your left, is a deep ravine, within which some extensive tracks of the N&W ran far underneath a high trestle carrying the Crescent Route across the tracks and streams in the valley floor.
Hollings Mill will give you a fleeting view, probably only in the winter, of this big, impressive structure. You'll come down a hill, and a parking lot and entrance to the Blackwater Natural Area park will be on your left. Park in the lot, get your running/ walking shoes or bicycle out, and you can go along the ex-N&W roadbed on what are now rail-trails, to the trestle
There is a map (in color, and very helpful) for the area on the http://www.lynchburgva.gov site. From the parking lot, walk south on the Point of Honor trail (from the parking lot, facing the creek and railroad tracks, the trail is on your left). You'll twist along with the river for 1/4 to 1/2 mile before you meet up with the Blackwater Creek Bikeway; this is the old Norfolk & Western right-of-way.To get to the trestle, take a right onto the Bikeway and you'll almost immediately see the trestle rising far above the valley floor. This is a morning shot, and is best when the leaves are off the trees.
Frograil thanks Nick D'Amato for providing specific info on this location. Note that there are many other possible viewing sites for seeing the growlers on the trestle. Do some exploring.
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Lynchburg -- Rivermont. Continue north on Hollings Mill to a tee with Bedford Avenue, and turn left (west). An overpass will take you over the tracks, and you must immediately (before the Food Lion parking lot) take a left and follow the crude road way down the hill, thru what may or may not be a still-operating business, to the tracks. Straight in front of you is an interlocking, "Rivermont" [MP 170.8] which is the beginning of southbound double track thru the terminal. Behind you to the north is the Bedford overpass, and then the Rivermont tunnel. Rivermont is the street which runs along the high ridge above and parallel to the James River far below. The tunnel allows the railroad to avoid a significant hurdle. The area between Bedford and the tunnel is rather overgrown, and extremely tight. It is not recommended for photos or attempting to fan. Where you are now parked is open, off railroad property, and a good place to see trains in the mid-late afternoons, as it is west of the tracks.
There is a large business area east of the tracks, with loading docks, etc. You might be able to find a place along here for shots to the west, but you'll have to explore on foot. If, however, you really want to do some exploring, go to the next site.
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Lynchburg -- Riverside Park. Get back on Bedford and continue west to Magnolia Street. Go right on Magnolia, and then another right onto Rivermont. The large building (a school of the arts, I believe) sits right on top of the Rivermont tunnel. Immediately past the school is the entrance to Riverside Park. Take this left and go into the park are park. Now, if you've still got your athletic shoes on, good, because you're really going to need them here.
The park is essentially a parallelogram with the west side boundary being the Crescent Route, and the north side boundary the CSX James River Line and the river itself. Where you park is far above the surface of the river. To see the Norfolk Southern's high trestle over the river, you'll have to hike to a vantage point, and I cannot help here, as I've never gotten out of the parking lot. If you've got some time, you will quite probably be able to find a fine morning vantage point. If you want to do the over and under photo of both lines, you'll really have to do some hiking, and you'll also need a whole lot of luck, because much of the park seems very wooded. Again, any feedback would be most appreciated.
Garland Harper offers the following assistance to us: Park and walk west. There is a road closed to vehicular traffic that makes a loop thru the park. It will take you north, and at the point where it turns to the east, get off the road and walk into the woods to get a decent shot of the James River trestle from above. Garland sent me a photo he took from this spot, and it's way cool. It's well worth the time. This is an AM location.
Garland also reports that there is a C&O 2-8-4 in the park, and that it is in the process of being cosmetically restored.
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Lynchburg -- Norfolk Avenue. From the park, get back on Rivermont and head west for about 3 blocks, and take a right onto Quinlan Street. Go 2 blocks and turn right onto Norfolk Avenue. Norfolk will turn 45° and dead end at Columbia Avenue. It is this very short last few feet that is interesting. Park and walk to the north side of Norfolk. Look straight down. Those tracks way down there are those of the Crescent Route. As you look straight down and realize that those tracks are far over the CSX down at the river level, you get an appreciation not only for how high this bluff really is, but also for the engineering that made all this rail action possible.
Pictures are difficult in the summer, and much better in the winter (but then the shadows are worse), but this is really a "special effects" picture location, not a railfan spot, per se. It's also extremely dangerous, so don't get stupid trying to get the "Great Railroad Picture" out there.
Leave Lynchburg by heading east on Rivermont, and staying on it as it becomes Church Street downtown, to the entrance of the US-29 expressway, and heading north over the river into Amherst County.
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Lynchburg -- Huron Avenue. Here is a place to get a lovely view of the high James River trestle, as suggested by Garland Harper. Go back out to Rivermont, take a left, and after 2-3 blocks, look for Huron Avenue on your left. Take it and park at the end. Huron dead-ends on the river bluff, and the trestle is to your left. You'll need a fairly muscular telephoto, but the view is superb. Be there in the morning.
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Madison Heights -- River Road. This site was submitted by Garland Harper, and is one I didn't know about. From Huron Avenue, continue southeast on Rivermont Avenue. After quite a while, you'll get to US-29Business/Fifth Street. Take this road north over the river, and immediately exit onto River Road. Take a right to go northwest, and after what seems like a longish drive, you'll come to an at-grade crossing. This crossing is at the very end of the trestle, and the view will knock your socks off. You are dead north here, so photos are challenging much of the time, but the view is something else. This is one heck of a bridge.
NOTE WELL: Over the past not-so-many years, several people have been killed on this trestle. The local police and Norfolk Southern are more than routinely vigilant when it comes to observing this bridge. Do NOT set foot on the railroad at any place other than the River Road crossing itself. It is probably wise not to spend a lot of time at this location.
WEBMASTER'S WARNINGS:
1. You are entering a portion of this tour which is not merely rural -- it is remote. You will find few gas stations, convenience stores, etc., even at the few places where you will drive on US-29. You should be gassed up, have water and other drinks, food/snacks, and anything else you feel might be needed in a hurry.
2. Unless you have a DeLorme or other USGS-type map, you will get hopelessly lost, because some of the road signs are counter-intuitive. To make things worse, some of the DeLorme info is incorrect: You must study ahead of time, so you'll know how to make the proper decisions when necessary.
3. This is a Combat Railfan segment of the Crescent Route. If you're not up to narrow, low underpasses -- steep up and down roads -- twisting, turning, almost one lane roads -- dirt roads apparently ready to end momentarily -- then simply get back on US-29 and head into Charlottesville.
4. You will not be able to "chase" trains anywhere along here. The best piece of engineering anywhere in Amherst or Nelson counties is the Southern Railroad's roadbed, and when you get going on VA-6xx at 15-30 mph, there is no way you're going to keep up with a pig train going 60 mph, so forget it.
5. With few exceptions, this is one of those strange sections of railroad which is poorly suited for morning photos. From Monroe all the way to Charlottesville, there are no good AM photo locations. I'd suggest doing this segment of the Crescent Route in the afternoon.
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Monroe -- Iron Bridge Road. Backtrack to US-29Business, and take it north. It will join US-29 shortly. As you leave Lynchburg, the commercial sprawl will begin to thin out (heed the warning above -- this area is your last chance to get your logistics in order before you get out in the wilderness), and you'll finally start to get back out in the country. You'll see a mileage sign showing that Monroe is 2 miles, and eventually, you'll begin a very long downhill right hand curve. You will go a long ways down, and the road will curve relentlessly. Before you get to the bottom, you'll come to Cedar Gate Road on your left (west), and you want to make this turn and thread your way thru town. Don't worry if you're on the wrong road, because they all eventually end up at or near the tracks in the west side of the small, quaint village.
At the west edge of town, you'll come to an overpass (a virtually new concrete one); go over it and take your first left onto Iron Bridge Road. The road takes a nasty but short curve down to the tracks. There is a nice, well-maintained grassy area here, and it's a nice place for the kids to get out and run around. Since you're on the west side of the tracks, it's definitely an afternoon photo location. On the east side, there's a large LPG retailer, with lots of gas bottles, etc, sitting around. That business is reached by taking a left onto the dirt road going down to the business just before the overpass. On a Sunday, you'll probably be OK here, but any other time I would not recommend this location. Besides, the west side is so nice that photos may not be that important to you.
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Monroe -- Monroe Yard. Go back the way you came on Cedar Gate, but take a left on Old Country (VA-1202), and wind your way (slowly) as it twists and turns to an end at Brooks. Take a left on Brooks, and then another left on Lynchburg, which takes you down to the tracks. It's immediately obvious that there must be more here than meets the eye, but whatever is this place? Park where you don't block any roadways and absorb what you see.
In the song "The Wreck of Old 97", Johnny Cash informs us that "...they gave him his orders in Monroe, Virginia, saying Steve, you're way behind time. This is not 38, this is old 97, you must put her into Spencer on time." This is the train that left the tracks in Danville almost 100 years ago. Back then, this was a crew change point for all Southern passenger trains. There was a large yard, ancillary facilities, and a passenger station. Today, there is a single main track, a little-used storage/siding track, a lot of "No Trespassing" signs, and untold memories. The area is mostly off limits, due to posting, but you can get very good pix from off railroad property at any time except mid- to late afternoon. This is a must visit, and if possible, one best made during the winter, when the trees and brush obscure much less of the area.
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Angelo.From the tracks at Monroe, wind your way back thru town to US-29 and head north for about 5 miles. Take a right on Coolwell Road, and you can stay on it to a crossing, but it's NAG/NARL. So, at Old Stage Road/VA-661 [Webmaster's Note: In June 2008, the street sign said "Stage Road", with no "Old", although every map I've seen has it as "Old Stage Road".], take a left to head north. After about 2 miles, you'll come to an overpass of the tracks, with a signal mast to the north, and an interlocking. Old Stage carries a small amount of traffic, but this is a beautiful area, and I think this is a nice fanning location. Sight lines are pretty decent. This area must have been quite a farming operation back in the day.
Sweet Briar Station. Continue on Old Stage until you go around a curve and up a hill. Pull over to the left. You have a nice view of the overpass. Now, when I did my original research in this area several years ago, there was a Sweet Briar Station Road, and an at grade crossing. The crossing is now an overpass, and I can find no remant of Sweet Briar Station Road. In recent years, an Interstate-level upgrade of US-29 splits off just north of here, and goes south to by-pass virtually all of the Lynchburg metro area north of the James River. This effort obviously changed the roads in this immediate area. You can hoof it up to the top of an artificial hill and look to the northwest and the overpass. In June 2008 there was a good view, but as trees begin to grow, you'll lose that view.
The station that served the community of Sweet Briar and its college was probably about where the overpass is today.
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Amherst. Continue on Sweet Briar Station Road until you reach US-29. If you have time, I recommend driving/walking thru Sweet Briar College, which is straight across the highway, as it is a beautiful campus in a very lovely area. To continue the tour, get on US-29 northbound, and head for Amherst. There is basic life support available in Amherst -- gas, food, etc. Unfortunately, there is not much for the railfan. The tracks run on the far east edge of the town, and the only noteworthy location is the classic Southern Railway station.
As you come into the Amherst area, do not take US-29Business. Stay on US-29, which becomes a limited access highway. The tracks are on your right (east side), but are hard to see. Be on the lookout for the roof of the station, which is a fairly large building. Just north of the station, get off US-29 at the US-60 exit, and head west (compass north, actually) into Amherst. Your first street to the left is Washington Street (Whitehead Drive on the northeast side of US-60). Take your left, and follow it until it ends at Depot Street. Take a left, and follow Depot Street as it goes downhill, passes under US-29, and the depot is right in front of you. This is not quite as simple on the ground as it sounds in this write-up, but just use your railfan nose. If you saw the station from US-29, you already know where you need to end up.
This is a decrepit building in a decrepit part of the town, but the solidness and grace of the structure still is evident. Take your pix now, because it probably will burn down or be demolished shortly. Railfan photos are OK from the west, but not readily available from the east.
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Tye River. Retrace your drive back to US-60/US-29, and head north on US-29. At the intersection of US-29 and US-29Business north of Amherst, go northeast on Boxwood Farm Road (VA-739). After about 1 1/2 miles, you'll cross the tracks (not at grade), and after about 5 more miles, you'll come to Toy Town Road. There is a non-grade crossing about a mile northwest (to the left, that is) of Boxwood Farm on Toy Town Road, but it's not a railfan location. Continue on VA-739/Boxwood Farm into the area of New Glasgow, a distance of less than 4 miles. Be careful here. New Glasgow Road goes off to the north, and crosses the tracks in a non-railfan location, but you want to continue on VA-739.
After about 4 more miles, you'll come to a confusing 3-way intersection. Bear to the left (west), and stay on VA-739. The name of the road is unimportant, but the Virginia rural road number is. After 2 miles or so, you'll come to the village of Tye River (population may be 40-50 souls). You'll cross the river, and then (slowly -- honk your horn first) go under the railroad in a narrow, low, curved underpass. Take your first right onto Tye River Depot Lane, and go up the gravel road past two houses, and continue to drive along the tracks for perhaps 100 yards or so, and you'll see a very attractive older house with beautiful landscaping. At this point the tracks are about 30 yards to the east, and there is plenty of off-railroad area for photos. Apparently, this is where the depot was in years gone by. Bring a weed whacker in the summer, but all-in-all, this is the best train watching location between Monroe and Charlottesville. It is, unfortunately, suited for PM photos only, as there is no access from the east side. It's very quiet and peaceful here, so I'd plan to stay awhile.
There is a signal mast about 150 yards to the south [MP 150.1] at the end of double track, and a defect detector ["Tye River"] just south of the interlocking [MP 150.2].
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Arrington. Continue west on VA-739 for about 3 miles, and then go north on US-29 for about 3 more miles. Take a right and head east on Wilson Hill Road/VA-665 into Arrington. As you enter the village, there is an open area which was used by an oil supply firm, and was probably the site of the depot. There is plenty of off-railroad property to the west of the tracks, but nothing to the east.
The railroad goes thru a fairly shallow but steep cut all the way thru the village from this point on, and photo opportunities are zilch. Get back on VA-665, and head north into the village. Take a right and go over the tracks, and there is a convenience store and post office. Go back over the tracks to VA-665, and the old depot (which was probably moved up from where the oil supplier is) is at the northeast corner of this intersection. It's in an open area, so you can get pix.
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Shipman. To get to Shipman from Arrington, DO NOT use the Delorme Atlas, as there is a mistake in it. The atlas shows that you can take Habel Road directly to Edwards Branch Road, a distance of some 4 miles. We could not find Habel Road, and we looked fairly thoroughly. Therefore, here is the way to get to Shipman:
Head northwest (back towards US-29) on VA-655. You'll come to a crossroads in about one mile. Diggs Mountain Road will be on your right, and George Gowen Road on your left. Take your right onto Diggs Mountain, and go 2 miles to the tee with Oak Ridge Road/VA-653. If you take a left, you can get to US-29 in less than a mile. To continue the tour, take a right on VA-653, and continue for 1-2 miles until you reach a rather bizarre 3-way, triangular intersection. Do not continue on VA-653 -- bear left and go north on VA-650. In less than 2 miles, you'll reach VA-56. Take a right and continue to the village of Shipman, about one mile at most.
There is an at grade crossing of VA-56, and the viewing from the west is good, but not from the east.
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Faber/Craigtown. In Shipman, just to the west of the grade crossing, Gordon Crossing Road/ VA-639 goes off to the northeast. VA-639 parallels the tracks for almost a mile, and there is an at-grade crossing in another mile or so. It is unremarkable. Continuing on, you'll come to the community of Elma in 3-4 miles. There is a crossing less than a mile north of Elma, reached by VA-641, but it is not a railfan location.
After another 6-8 miles on VA-639, Rockfish Road/VA-617 will be on your left, and another crossing is about one-half mile north on VA-617, but it is not a railfan location. VA-639 will take you to Old Faber Road/VA-632 in about 2 more miles. Take a left onto VA-632, and follow it about 1 mile into the hamlet of Faber. You get very close to the tracks here, but they're virtually inaccessible, as is the not-at-grade crossing of VA-6 in the hamlet itself. Continue north on VA-632 past Faber, and there is an "OK" at grade crossing with VA-714 in a mile or so. Continue north into Albemarle County, and right at the county line, there is a better location where VA-632 itself crosses the tracks. From here north to its end at US-29, VA-632 hugs the tracks, a distance not much more than a mile. However, the trees, kudzu, etc, really don't give you any photo locations.
At the US-29/VA-632 intersection is a nice, large store with all kinds of goodies and life support. This area is "Craigtown", according to the highway sign, but it does not appear on the atlas or any other map I have. Temporarily, this is the end of the narrative for this segment of the Crescent Route tour. Charlottesville is just 15-20 miles up the highway, and you can pick up the tour there.