Eastern Railroad Discussion > NS Roanoke to Greensboro

Myself and my railfan father are planning a trip to Roanoke in late April to shoot the N&W 611 on her trips between Greensboro and the Star City.

This is one line I don't have any experience railfanning and was hoping y'all would give me some pointers on where some of the better photo locations are.

Also, what radio channel does NS use on this line and are there any CPL signals left?

Any info is greatly appreciated.

BNSFDS

Posted from iPhone

I don't know much about the line south of Lynchburg but I will say it is ex-Southern. The 611 will get on the former Norfolk & Western at Lynchburg via the wye there. I believe there may be some CPL's still standing at the wye. There are many locations west of Lynchburg with N&W CPL's including Bedford, Villamont, Blue Ridge, and Webster.

Nolan Majcher
Broadview Heights, OH
Nolan Majcher Photography



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/16 10:49 by IRP.

Hope you guys have a good time Steve...

Posted from Android

So it's going via Lynchburg. For some reason I was thinking that it was going to run via the former N&W Winston Salem line via Martinsville.

BNSFDS

Posted from iPhone

The trips from Greensboro to Roanoke and return are going to Altavista and taking the Hurt Connection then the x-Virginian to Roanoke.  It's not going via Lynchburg.
Mike

lapklub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The trips from Greensboro to Roanoke and return
> are going to Altavista and taking the Hurt
> Connection then the x-Virginian to Roanoke.  It's
> not going via Lynchburg.


In either case, it's not using the Punkin Vine north out of Winston Salem -- which, by the way, is pretty much stripped of N&W signals now as far as I know.
 

That's a real shame.  Too bad they couldn't make it a circle trip, up one way and return the other.

The Js are too long for the line from roanoke to winston salem. The only commonly referred to instance of th Js on this line was a whistle stop election tour by Ike. Even this required alot of grease and special track work.

This route is pretty limited from Roanoke to Hurt to chase. There are some decent photo spots, but Im only planning on being able to get 1 shot each way.


There is also a connection from the old virginian line past the yard, that would allow the 611 to be turned around, without the Y. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/16 23:07 by mpatrickstone.

Good information.  Thanks.  I didn't realize that the curves were so tight on the Pumpkin Vine that J's couldn't negotiate it well.

You're right about the ex-Virginian between Roanoke and Altavista.  Not a lot of good photo ops there.  Easier running than the N&W over Blue Ridge but not as easy to photograph.