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"Progress Report - construction of Nora Branch etc. CC&O RWY"

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landnrailroader (117 posts)
Jan-12-02, 10:11 PM (EST) "Progress Report - construction of Nora Branch etc. CC&O RWY" To the remote Board of Directors, Kibitzers, Klugers, etc.First a word of explanation. The Real Clinchfield railroad was not constructed in the same order that I am constructing the simulation. By 1908, it was complete from Dante, VA to Spartanburg, SC, but then there was a period of breath catching. The northern extension, 38 miles or so, from Dante to Elkhorn City, Ky was constructed between the spring of 1912, and its completion in 2/1915 at what is now the south switch of Trammel Siding, or approx. north portal of Sandy Ridge Tunnel.
For this stretch, more than 40 route surveys were made, and some of those surveys became part of branch lines eventually, but the route selected was the most costly, and most direct, involving, as it did, 25 tunnels, and several major bridges.The first major branch was the Nora Spur, orignally built as a seperate operation by a coal & lumber operation. This folded in the depression, and the railroad was left to rot, until about the time of WW-II when the demand for more coal, lots more coal, was enough incentive to rebuild a number of such branches nationwide. Now, in fact, it is abandoned again, south of the Neece creek spur line which is still the site of a large processing plant.The reportIn 1940, or so, the local pilot who was very bold, had joined that group of not so select pilots who were bold, therefore never got old------. Roll film had been developed, and now the locating engineer, hired a local crop duster, and went looking over the new reconstructed Nora Spur. Although another 40 years would elapse before the Neece Crk. spur was added, it has miraculously already appeared in this reconstruction------.The first aerial photo is of Nora Junction, where the spur leaves the mainline and follows Open Fork creek generally southwest toward the top of Sandy Ridge.Although the ties had rotted away, that lumber company built some mighty nice bridges. The first one has a faint EUROPEAN look to it.However, the next one looks like a fugitive from the local scrap yard, but maybe it will do------.Proceeding further southwest, a couple of miles, brings us to what will become in 40 years or so (1979 to be exact), the junction to the Neece Creek Spur.Some distance further on, we come to the location of two tipples which while not related corporate-wise, were still rather close as such things go. This is Lamberts to the left, and Wohlford to the right and around the bend a short piece.Almost at the end of the branch, at the lower level, there is the Kilgore Creek loader, operated by the Clinchfield Coal Co. (no relation to the railroad). The grade has not exceeded 2.5% up to here. However, the track leading around to the left and further on, for about a mile, ascends at nearly 5% to reach the Open Fork tipple.In 1979, Clinchfield Coal will start construction of the new McClure mine and preparation plant, considered the most modern mine in the US at the time, and the safest, but in the early 80s, there will be a tragic mine explosion which will kill several miners, and by 1990 or so, the mine will be shutdown. Later it is sold, and it recently (2001) reopened as a source of metallurgical coal for Geneva Steel in Utah. There are no track charts available for this spur, and the real aerials are quite fuzzy, so it is part truth, and part fiction, as to it's actual layout. Although the McClure spur and mine are a few miles north of Nora Jct., the Neece Creek mine was built as a somewhat smaller operation to aid in training employees for the new McClure operation. This training mine is the subject of this Neece Creek Spur.The first shot is of the "famous" (well it would have been if it was real) curved bridge near the middle of the branch. At this point there was not room for creek, railroad, and road (which will be added later).Finally, here is the view looking back toward the junction from over the end of the Neece Creek spur. A tipple will be erected here - WHEN SOME AMBITIOUS SOUL CREATES ONE.Concluded,J. H. Sullivan, P.E. (retired)
but recycling in the real estate department of CSX
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Subject Author Message Date ID What is a 'tipple'? lwhelan Jan-12-02 1 I found one...... lwhelan Jan-12-02 2 RE: I found one...... sniper297 Jan-13-02 3 RE: What is a 'tipple'? NickF Jan-13-02 4

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lwhelan (44 posts)
Jan-12-02, 10:23 PM (EST) 1. "What is a 'tipple'?"
Looks good Jerry,And while I am asking the meaning of 'tipple'
a couple of other queries (Australian you see)What is a 'coil car'What does 'Bethgon' refer to? Regards,
Laurie Whelan
Brisbane, Australia
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lwhelan (44 posts)
Jan-12-02, 10:30 PM (EST) 2. "I found one......" .... a tipple that is.http://www.master-creations.com/coalmast.htmAnd it only costs $249.95 or there abouts.Google is good!Cheers,Laurie Whelan
Brisbane, Australia
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sniper297 (1323 posts)
Jan-13-02, 00:47 AM (EST) 3. "RE: I found one......" Hey, Laurie, long time! You check out my latest yet?http://www.train-sim.com/dcforum/DCForumID6/3073.htmlSully, I'm wondering if you've tried out another project I'm working on;http://www.train-sim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c3d22853fb41330.zip
Still a beta version, but hard to get into trouble with so far. And it gives you a lot more bridges to choose from.
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NickF (600 posts)
Jan-13-02, 12:31 PM (EST) 4. "RE: What is a 'tipple'?" Laurie,A coil car is basically used to carry bulk steel sheet and/plate rolled into copils. And here's some links to information on Bethgons.http://www.johnstownamerica.com/parts/prt_bethgoniso.htmhttp://crcyc.railfan.net/crrs/hop/hopinfo.htmlNick Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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