Eastern Railroad Discussion > Is a portion of the N-S PD really shutting down?

There is now conflicting information. A local Beckley-area TV news station says this:

"According to the public relations department with Norfolk Southern, the line and the yard will remain open.  Officials with the company did confirm that they were re-routing some train traffic to increase the efficiency of their operations."

http://www.wvnstv.com/story/30134113/norfolk-southern-not-closing-elmore-line-and-yard

Here, language is crucial. Indeed, only "some" train traffic is being re-routed, but that could mean all train traffic between Elmore and Princeton, since Elmore Yard and beyond Princeton will still have traffic. To me, this statement could mean the shutdown between Elmore Yard and Princeton is only partial or temporary, or, it could be carefully worded to mean it isn't. It is hard to say. Maybe there are some other options, like the will still run empties on the full P-D line. A yahoo group has conflicting information as well, some saying shutdown is a rumor, some saying jobs have been shifted.

Visiting last Thursday, one thing that did seem strange was what looked like very recent maintainance in many places, very good looking trackwork, and brand new signals. Like this new signal bridge at Alpoca, where the tracks reduce from 3 to 2. If they truly are indefinetly mothballing the route, was it a sudden change of plan? Would this be a decision that may have come after Wick Moorman stepped down?

 

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new signals and recent track maintenance ... they're not shutting down that line ... that's like a poker player feeding the pot on a non winning bluff hand and then folding ...

I forgot to mention, I have about 20 photos + video to post once I get time to edit them.

Posted from Android

I dunno about that.  I've heard from guys at work that the S-Line between Petersburg and Norlina had just had a bunch of ties replaced when they killed it back in the 80s.

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> new signals and recent track maintenance ...
> they're not shutting down that line ... that's
> like a poker player feeding the pot on a non
> winning bluff hand and then folding ...

inCHI Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is now conflicting information. A local
> Beckley-area TV news station says this:
>
> "According to the public relations department with
> Norfolk Southern, the line and the yard will
> remain open.  Officials with the company did
> confirm that they were re-routing some train
> traffic to increase the efficiency of their
> operations."
>
> http://www.wvnstv.com/story/30134113/norfolk-south
> ern-not-closing-elmore-line-and-yard
>
> Here, language is crucial. Indeed, only "some"
> train traffic is being re-routed, but that could
> mean all train traffic between Elmore and
> Princeton, since Elmore Yard and beyond Princeton
> will still have traffic. To me, this statement
> could mean the shutdown between Elmore Yard and
> Princeton is only partial or temporary, or, it
> could be carefully worded to mean it isn't. It is
> hard to say. Maybe there are some other options,
> like they will still run empties on the full P-D
> line. A yahoo group has conflicting information as
> well, some saying shutdown is a rumor, some saying
> jobs have been shifted.

I have no more knowledge than anyone else, but this would seem to be something that would make sense. The westbound empty trains running the route have no issues with tonnage and can go straight up and over the VGN via Princeton. Assuming there is less overall coal traffic on the N&W Pokey Main, eastbound loaded trains can run west down the Guyandotte to Wharncliffe before heading east on the Pokey main via Bluefield. This would eliminate the need for the Hill runs and would eliminate the need to double trains together on the top of the mountain at Clarks Gap before heading east. It would also eliminate the need to maintain a bunch of sidings on the VGN east of Mullens since you would essentially be making the route a one way railroad.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/15 11:57 by PittsburghMike.

Actually, running the empties up the VGN direct and feeding whatever mines are still productive, and running the eastbound loads west via the Guyandotte, etc makes a lot of sense if crews can be qualified on all routes, like Pittsburgh Mike suggests. The Guyandotte/Gilbert are near level or downhill for loads and the steep part of the Elkhorn grade on the main does not really begin until Welch, I think. So the first Hill crew gets the train to where it can get helpers, sometimes they put them on at Farmville. The second crew with helpers gets it to Bluefield. The helpers may have less work now if NS mines have seen a reduction from other mines so it keeps them busy. That part of the Pokey can easily handle 30 trains and 10 helper or short train moves a day. You can be sure if Kellysville to Princeton sees only one or two empty coal trains per day NS will keep it in perfect shape. And NS empty hopper trains can be up to 180 tubs, were even longer in the old days. Circuity costs are balanced by other savings. Been there, done that.