Introduction
This is a part of the overall Frograil Norfolk Southern Railway Appalachian Route Tour. As of September 2006, the tour has been completed between Bluefield, Virginia and the eastern approach to Cedar Bluff, Virginia. If you like mountain railroading with enough railroad traffic to make it interesting, but not too much street traffic to make it a hassle, this tour is for you.
To tap into the overall Appalachian Route Tour, which has been completed between St. Paul and Knoxville, go here.
Contents And Navigation:
Contributors
Tony Hill: Webmaster and all text, unless otherwise noted. Any use of the first person singular pronoun in this tour refers to Tony.
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Help
If you'd like to contribute to this or any other Frograil tour, simply e-mail me here , and let me know what you're interested in. We'll work together -- you supply the data, and I'll take care of the HTML stuff. Frograil can only be as good as its contributions, so keep 'em coming. Over 1,300 folks a day visit Frograil, so your material will not just be moldering away -- it will be used by railfans.
Supplemental And Back-Up Data
The Railroad -- Geography. For this entire Tour segment, we are in the Valley and Ridge Province of the Appalachian Mountains. As the name implies, there are long ridges interspersed with valleys. They all trend from northeast to southwest. Everything -- roads, towns, railroads, creeks, etc. -- obeys this geological rule. There are many places where the railroad clings to the edge of a ridge, and others where the railroad grandly speeds thru the valley, but no matter where the railroad is, it never gets away from the limitation of the ridges. If you will study your DeLorme, or even the Internet-based MapQuest, you will see this played out on the ground.
The Railroad --Traffic. As of mid-2006, the coal business is booming. Expect to see several coal trains a day thru this portion of the railroad, perhaps as many as 8-10 total moves a day.
In the summer of 2006, the US Department of Transportation, the states of Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio, and Norfolk Southern Corporation reached an agreement whereby a public-private partnership will work to increase vertical clearances between Norfolk and Columbus. This is a done deal, as far as the governments and funding is concerned, so there will be a great deal of work being done on the Virginia and Pocahontas Divisions during 2007 and 2008. I don't know what work will be done on specific locations, but it will be interesting, and the result should be an increase in container traffic between the two end points.
Photographic Considerations: As in several Other Tours, I've attempted to rate the photo fields for all 4 quadrants of many crossings detailed in the tour. The following format is used: NE2, SE1, SW4, NW4, where you go clockwise around the quadrants from northeast to northwest, and numerical ratings, from 1 to 4, with a 1 being excellent, and a 4 being non-existent, are assigned. Note that I'm rating only photo field availability, not the photogenic qualities of the site. I'm a picture taker, not a photographer, and you guys who are good photographers will have to make your own determinations.
Life Support. For the most part, this is a tour way out in the sticks. That said, there are more than enough places to get gas and food along the way. Bluefield, Fourway, North Tazewell, and Richlands all offer plenty of amenities for the hungry/thirsty traveler.
Abbreviations. Some phrases are used repeatedly in this tour, so I've developed some standard Frograil abbreviations:
AG. An at-grade crossing.
CP. Control Point. A place on the railroad where something specific happens, such as a junction, set of turnouts, etc.
CV. Clinch Valley District -- the line we are following in this tour segment.
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.
NFOG. Not found on the ground. Often, very minor roads depicted on maps of rural areas do not exist on the ground, turn out to be private driveways, or have become overgrown in forests. I lump these together in the NFOG category.
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.
WEBMASTER'S NOTE: I do not recommend walking along the tracks, as this means trespassing or exposing yourself to danger. You will have to be creative, in some instances, to avoid trespassing while getting to the detailed locations included herein, but you will either have to be creative or not visit those sites. At no point in this tour guide, or any other tour which is part of Frograil, is it recommended that you trespass or expose yourself to danger. If you are a fool and have a leg cut off (or worse), don't come crying to me: You have been warned. Trains are big, powerful, and often surprisingly quiet. Don't end up being a statistic.
Railfan sites
| Alphabetic listing of sites | Sequential listing: North to South |
|---|---|
| ------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| Bailey | Bluefield -- Junction CV 366.3 |
| Bluefield -- Graham | Bluefield -- Graham |
| Bluefield -- Junction | Bluefield -- Thistle Street |
| Bluefield -- Thistle Street | St. Clair -- VA-640 |
| Cedar Branch -- East Leg Wye | St. Clair |
| Fourway | Bailey |
| Fourway -- Burks | Tip Top CV 376.0 |
| Maxwell | Wittens Mills |
| N. Tazewell -- Blacksburg Street | Fourway |
| N. Tazewell -- Industrial Park | Fourway -- Burks |
| N. Tazewell -- Station Area | N. Tazewell -- Industrial Park |
| Pisgah | N. Tazewell -- Blacksburg Street CV 385.2 |
| Pounding Mill | N. Tazewell -- Station Area |
| St Clair | Pisgah |
| St Clair -- VA 640 | Maxwell |
| Tip Top | Pounding Mill CV 397.0 |
| Wittens Mills | Cedar Bluff -- East Leg Wye |
The Tour -- Bluefield - St. Paul
Bluefield -- Junction. We don't know the railroad name for this junction, but that doesn't really matter. If you are starting this tour from the Pocahontas Division, continue south (compass west) from Bluefield, WV, on US-19, and approximately 1/8 mile past College Avenue, there will be a vacant lot with an old building foundation in it on your right. The lot is unposted, and because it's on the south side of the tracks, it should be good for photos most of the time. The single track going to the southwest is the secondary main line to St Paul, Frisco, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. It doesn't see the traffic that the Pocahontas route sees, but it's still a very important part of Norfolk Southern. The two main tracks heading northwest are the Pocahontas Division's main line to Williamson.
This is MP CV366.3 on the Clinch Valley District.
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Bluefield -- Graham. Go back to US-19, take a right, and continue compass west. You'll go under the CV, over the Bluestone River, and should look for a left onto East Street. This will curve to become Greever (Gurney?) Avenue. At Graham Street (Avenue?), the tracks begin a fairly short siding to the west. The switch is "Graham", at MP CV 366.6. It is the first of a few fairly poor photo locations thru Bluefield and environs.
There is a nasty pole line on the north side of the tracks, which helps create the following photo ratings: NE4, SE4, SW3, NW3. This is a poor location, but if you need to get trackside in a hurry, this will do.
Bluefield -- Thistle Street. Further along Greever Avenue, pass up the crossing at Montrose Street, which is AG, but NARL. At Thistle Street, there is a crossing recommended for weekend and evening fanning only, as it is an industrial area, and you don't want to be there during work hours. Park near the Thistle Foundry and Machine facility.
Photo ratings are NE3, SE4, SW1, NW4. The shot from the southwest quad is from the road along the WGSC facility, and is excellent for morning trains.
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St. Clair -- VA-640. The nomenclature for the next two sites is a little confusing if you are relying on maps only. I will give you what's on the ground. Continue west on US-19, which will go up and over the tracks on a NAG/NARL. Just before going over the tracks, take a right onto VA-650. The latter will parallel the tracks and US-19 for half a mile or so, and then turn from a southwest orientation to a due west heading. There is a spur track continuing southwest, but the main line also swings to westerly. At VA-650, take a left and park. This is another weekend or evening location, as there is substantial industrial activity here.
Photo ratings are NE2, SE3, SW3, NW4. The shot from the northeast is from just north of the stop sign north of the crossing. The spur further down VA-640 appears to be active, but I have no idea when and if there is local switching activity. There is a defect detector at MP 369.2, just west of the crossing of VA-640.
St. Clair. Continue west on VA-650. This road will make a rather lazy "S" crossing, and you'll see signal masts and control gear. This is CP "St. Clair", MP CV 369.8, and note that it is several miles west of the map location of St. Clair. The control point is the location of a switch that begins a siding westward for 1.8 miles.
Photo ratings are NE4, SE2, SW2/3 (shooting east and west, respectively), NW3. This is probably the best location since the beginning of the CV, but still is nothing to write home about. We will be in pretty hilly Valley and Ridge Province territory, and wide open shots are almost non-existent.
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Bailey. Continue west on VA-650, and pass up Loggers Lane, as it is private and NARL. Some 3 miles or so past Loggers Lane, look for Unity Road on the right. It is not a major road, so be careful, or you'll zoom right by it. Take the right and drive to the tracks and park. This is a pretty highly elevated (above VA-650, that is) location, and to the east is the site of a 3 track storage yard for coal cars. Don't walk down there, and take all photos from Unity Road.
At NE3, SW2, SW1, NW4, you should get good shots pretty much all day, and the sun will be behind your back. CP "Bailey", at MP 373.1 is just east of the crossing.
Tip Top. As you continue west on VA-650, the road begins to slope to the southwest. By the time you get to Tip Top, it's virtually at 225°, so keep that in mind as you look at the photo ratings. At Tip Top, VA-650 goes to the right, crosses the tracks, and then to the left to follow them further southwest. Park on the southeast quad before the crossing. Ratings are NE4, SE1, SW2, NW3. A pole line ruins the northeast quad. MP CV 376 is just east of the crossing.
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Wittens Mills. This next location is a tough one to photograph, but serious shutterbugs, at least in the winter, can get some awesome stuff here. If you have the ability to capture video or DVD with sound, it will be even more awesome. VA-650 will end at VA-651, and you'll bear left to follow the tracks, which have also made an almost 90° turn to the south. The tracks are well overhead, and would be much more visible in the winter than during leafed-in periods of the year.
As you descend towards the south on VA-651, you'll pass two NAG/NARL locations, and then the railroad will cross the road on a high, curving trestle. The curvature is such that squeals and screams from unhappy wheels will echo thru the area. It's a visual and audio hoot. We caught a long hopper train there, and it seemed to take forever until that train finally exited the trestle.
There is a defect detector at MP CV 380.6, which you should be able to hear.
Fourway. VA-651 will end at US-19. Take a right and when the road becomes a limited access highway (just before going up and over the railroad), take your first exit to the right to join US-19Business. The exit will go under the highway, and be very close to the tracks, but this is NARL. You'll cross the North Fork of the Clinch River a few times, and enter the area known as Fourway. When you get to Bull Run take a right, cross the river again, and park near the tracks in the church parking lot. [Note that the street sign says Bull Run, but MapQuest very clearly shows it as Dial Rock Road. Just understand that it's the first right going over the tracks from US-19Business.]
The ratings are NE3, SE2, SW2, NW4. Just to the east is MP CV 383. To the west you can see a 3 signal mast. These are for CP Burks, which we will visit next.
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Fourway -- Burks. If you need life support, continue west to Market Street, which is the main commercial drag in the area. If not, go back to US-19Business, take a right, and then another right onto VA-61, a major Virginia highway. There is parking near the tracks. Photo ratings are NE1, SE1, SW2, NW4. Best since we started this tour segment. Be careful here, as VA-61 is very busy.
CP "Burks" is just to the east, and is the signal beginning a 1.9 mile siding to the west.
North Tazewell -- Tazewell Industrial Park. Go north from Burks and follow VA-61 as it bends 90° to the west. Follow the signs. You'll see a sign for Tazewell Industrial Park, and a very hard left turn onto VA-1302. While probably fairly active during work days, this is not so busy that you should avoid it. Ratings are NE4, SE1, SW2, NW2. You're still well within the siding which began at Burks.
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North Tazewell -- Blacksburg Street. Continue west on VA-61, go under US-19, and enter the North Tazewell area. Cross the Clinch River and take a left onto Blacksburg Street. As you approach this location via VA-61, you'll see signal masts and the end of the siding from Burks, but there is no access. At the Blacksburg Street crossing, you'll see the end of the siding and a 3-signal mast. This is CP "Tazewell", at MP CV 385.2.
Viewing isn't so hot, at NE4, SE3, SW3, NW3, but it's a place to get trackside fairly quickly if something is coming.
North Tazewell -- Station Area. Get back on VA-61 heading west. After about 2-3 blocks, the station is on your left, south of the tracks. It's in pretty good condition, and may still be used for railroad storage. Take your pictures while you can.
Oddly enough, my photo field notes show data from the south side of the tracks only: SE2 in both directions, and SW4. If I recall correctly, the area north of the station is open, but I don't remember the northwest quad at all.
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Pisgah. Further west on VA-61, you'll come to the River Jack area. There is a NAG/NARL at Fairground Road, and 2 crossings in the Bishop Street area that were NFOG. However, it's possible that I made an error here, so you might want to try and find Bishop Street. In River Jack from VA-61, go south of Fairground Road to a right onto VA-632/Pisgah Road. This road will parallel the Clinch River to the south, with the tracks on the north bank. VA-632 will veer 90° to the south to join US-19, but at the point of the veer, turn right onto VA-693, cross the river, and park on the right below the crossing. This is a most interesting location, and I think you'll like it.
This is another of those lazy S-type crossings, with the following photo ratings: NE1, SE3, SW4, NW3. To the east you'll note what appears to be a defect detector, but it's not on my station list. Anyone know what it is?
Maxwell. Retrace your route down VA-693, take a right at VA-632, and go down to US-19. Take a right to continue southwest. The highway will go over the tracks on a NAG/NARL, and will be to the south for a while. Look for a crossroads, with Pounding Mill Branch Road/VA-637 to the left. Take that left and go down into the community of Maxwell, taking a left at the first intersection. Take your first right onto Maxwell Station Road, go over the crossing and park on the southwest side of the tracks.
Photo ops are decent at NE3, SE3, SW2, NW1. This is a curvy section of tracks, so scope it out and maybe you can get the Great American Railroad Picture. It has been a long time since there was a station on Maxwell Station Road, but there is a most interesting structure just beyond the crossing.
Note that MapQuest shows a crossing just west of Maxwell Station Road, but it is NAG/NARL. There's another further west on VA-637, but it was not observed.
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Pounding Mill. This is, by far, the most interesting location on the tour so far, but we'll have to do some driving to get to it. Go back up to US-19 and take a left to head further southwest. You'll see signal masts marking the westward start of a passing siding (CP "Cliffield" at CV 393.3, and then the signal masts for the end of the siding at CP "Gillespie" at CV 395.1, but neither of these are accessible -- they are buried within private property. To make matters worse, there are also 2 crossings in the areas of the CP's, but both are NARL. Just before CP Gillespie, the highway goes up and over the road, and you'll be able to see the signal masts to your right. There is a vestigial road that veers back towards the tracks west of the overpass, but it has deteriorated to the point that you cannot drive it, and to walk in is to blatantly trespass.
Get on VA-637 via a right turn, and go over the tracks on a NAG/NARL. The Clinch River will be on your left, with the tracks beyond the river, and even further south will be US-19. When you cross the Clinch River the second time (from US-19), look to the left for Post Street. If you see a road with any other name, or no name at all indicated, take it and go up the steep hill into the Pounding Mill community. Indeed, when you see this road going up into Pounding Mill, if you can find a place to park along VA-637, do so, and then walk up the road towards the tracks.
If you miss Post Street, take a (real hard) left and go up Bell Street. Both Post and Bell come together north of the tracks, and go over them as one street. Parking is a problem in the vicinity of the tracks, as this is a village, not an open crossing area. Indeed, you have to be careful not to trespass. Photo ops are not great, at NE1, SE4, SW4, NW2, but this is one of those areas where a real photographer can make a great deal out of just a little. To the west is the MP CV 397 marker, and maybe 300 yards further west, there is a short tunnel and signals. The curving track adds to the drama. This is a cool place.
When you leave, you have several options, but whatever you do, do NOT go down from the tracks via Bell Street to the northwest. At the foot of Bell where it joins VA-637, there is a completely blind curve, and you are risking your life -- and those of the folks driving on VA-637 -- to try to make a left or right turn here. To continue the railroad tour, either drive via Post Street, or walk down (to your car) to VA-637, take a left, and continue west.
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Cedar Bluff -- East Leg of the Wye. Drive southwest on VA-637 to US-19, take a left, and continue towards the southwest. Before you cross the Clinch River, there is a road going up to a crossing (no name is available), but it was not observed. After this non-observed crossing, the tracks go 90° to the north and will be well away from any roads. Therefore, continue on US-19 until it splits, with US-19 continuing to the southwest, and US-460 going straight north. Take the latter, and watch for US-460Business/Cedar Valley Drive on your right. Take this and pass up the first crossing, as it is a construction site (in September 2006), and look for the second. This is Old Mill Road, and it's a hard right turn. You probably will not see a street name sign, so just take the first hard right beyond the site under construction.
At this point, the railroad coming from the northeast continues on towards the southwest, but also diverges to the north to gain the important trackage to the rich coal fields of Virginia and West Virginia. There is lots of good stuff going on...but it will have to wait for another day, as we are ending our tour at this point. Hopefully, someone will come forward and provide text between this point and St. Paul, but in the meantime, here are the photo considerations for Cedar Bluff: Well, let us just say that they are poor. There is one shot, however, that is really full of potential.
Looking towards the northwest, both the main line and the branch line sweep around and under a signal mast. The mast is on the west side of the tracks, and extends out above both of them. Over the tracks and signal bridge is the immense sheer rock face that was created when the new US-460 was built. There are trees going up along the upper margins of the steep ridge, but the stars of the view are the rock face, the signal mast, and the tracks. To get a train rolling thru here with the immense rock face towering overhead would be an excellent composition.
The eastern leg of the wye is at MP CV 400.7.
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