Eastern Railroad Discussion > Altavista, VA Help and Info

Hello everyone,

Does Altavista, Virginia see a good amount of traffic? Just was looking thru some spots to visit along my way thru next week. Thanks in advance of course.

Allan R. Williams Jr.
 

I spent part of a day in Altavista a few years ago and would call the traffic level decent, but not busy. The ex-Southern main line crosses the Roanoke River on a long bridge parallel to Business US-29 but at the time, the sidewalk on the railroad (west) side of the aging highway bridge was closed. The traffic on the intersecting ex-VGN main is mostly eastbound coal loads, grain loads, and manifests, but there's a little bit of westbound traffic, and of course there are trains using the south-west transfer southeast of town.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/15 11:23 by toledopatch.

I would reccomend visiting Natural Bridge and Solitude, Virginia while you are in the area.

Nolan Majcher
Broadview Heights, OH
Nolan Majcher Photography

Trains that run an all ex. SOU (north - south) routing:
Intermodal:
203, 204, 211, 212, 213, 214, 217, 218, 290, 24Q (24Q runs 1x a week).
Manifest:
158, 159, 12R, 13R, 35Q, 36Q
Amtrak:
19, 20

Trains that make the connection between the ex. SOU and VGN:
Manifest:
169, 190, 194, 195, 17M, 18M
Grain trains also take this connection.

Trains that run an all ex. VGN (east - west) routing:
Manifest:
188, 189, V05
Expect to see about 6 loaded eastbound coal trains to either Lamberts Point, Hyco, and Mayo. The majority go to Lamberts Point. Only empty Hyco and Mayo coal trains run westbound through Altavista. Empty Lamberts Point trains run west on the Blue Ridge District through Lynchburg.

Andrew

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/15 12:06 by florida581.

A nice spot to visit. Although still a vital route, the war on coal at home and a changing world economy have slowed the coal conveyor belt that was the old Virginian and then N&W....as a young Assistant Roadmaster stationed at Altavista I still recall trying to patrol track one morning in the mid-80's and being told by the Crewe dispatcher "call me back after 13 (yes 13!) eastbounds are by you".