I was employed by Chessie System/CSX from 11/80 until I retired 4-1-2001 and in the course of the 6 years in Huntington, WV my late wife and I took a number of day trips in WV just to see the scenery. You can't do that without noticing the rail lines so for those of you that elect to download the incomplete Virginian route (140+ so far) maybe some will add detail to it, but there are some interest spots. One on trip we drove through Beckley and down to Mullins. Then we took the highway (WV-10) that follows the line up Clarks Gap until Garwood, WV where the railroad takes a turn to the southeast and is not seen again until near Princeton. At Covel there is a long steel viaduct easily seen and years ago there was a spur that extended down into the hollow and on to a coal mine. At Garwood the railroad turns southeast and goes over the highway and into a tunnel. This was a favorite spot for fans years ago. Now this line is mothballed by NS. Simon van de Laak created the section from Mullins to just east of the New River at Glen Lynn. He did a great job of detailing the Mullins to Garwood section and the great bridge (now gone) at Glen Lynn. Another spot that I put in the route is the viaduct and mine lead at Slab Fork. This line is now an active shortline which runs from Deep Water, WV to Mullins. I also added the line from Mullins toward Beckley which includes the loop arrangement near Beckley to get the railroad up to the Beckley Plateau. At this location, there is also the Gulf Swtchback on the C&O(CSX) which line was abandoned around 1995. The next spot is where the line crosses over I-77 on a long curved viaduct. NS still sends an occasional train up to Princeton but the line is mothballed from there to Mullins.
And lastly, I added the Guyan line from Mullins to Gilbert. This part was always Virginian and from Gilber to Wharncliffe was N&W. Off this line is a long branch to Kopperston. There used to be a coal mine at Kopperston but now there is a silo, processor & loadout which is served by a 5+ mile long conveyor from a mine near Barrett, WV. The mine was originally served only by C&O but then NS offered better rates and the conveyor has been in use since the late 1990s. Since the coal ultimately went to power plants in the south, the routing was better by NS.
Jerry (landnrailroader)
And lastly, I added the Guyan line from Mullins to Gilbert. This part was always Virginian and from Gilber to Wharncliffe was N&W. Off this line is a long branch to Kopperston. There used to be a coal mine at Kopperston but now there is a silo, processor & loadout which is served by a 5+ mile long conveyor from a mine near Barrett, WV. The mine was originally served only by C&O but then NS offered better rates and the conveyor has been in use since the late 1990s. Since the coal ultimately went to power plants in the south, the routing was better by NS.
Jerry (landnrailroader)