Eastern Railroad Discussion > Tray Run Viaduct

I'd bet I am missing something about what I have read, but what's the deal with the old (I mean "really old"...Civil War era) Baltimore & Ohio's Tray Run Viaduct in West Virginia? 

I looked on GoogleMaps at <39.357864,-79.694435>....just northwest of Rowlesburg,  and I note a remark "permanently closed". What is up with this? This is still CSX main line, yes? 

That massive stone viaduct is just a marvel of engineering and I find it tough to believe CSX is not operating on that line. 

Anyone got a scoop on this viaduct and what is meant by "closed"? I think it might even mean a precautionary matter to keep pedestrians from walking over it?

Thank you for whatever info anyone has. 

--Gerrypaul



 

I knew Google had too much power, but I didn't know they were that powerful. Somebody better alert the crews of Q316/317 that Alphabet has closed the Mountain Sub!
-Ted

Tray Run as well as the ex-B&O Mountain Sub of CSX is still among the living. Tray Run was originally a single track wooden trestle that was replaced by a handsome single track cast and wrought iron trestle sometime in the 1860s. When B&O decided to double track the entire Mountain Sub., that iron bridge was replaced by the Double Track Stone Arch Viaduct that is in service today. Construction on the Stone Arch Viaduct began in 1885 and was completed in 1888. Here is repost of a trio of SD50s on the M&K Helpers crossing Tray Run Viaduct on 3/4/1984. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/19 19:08 by perklocal.

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Gerrypaul Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'd bet I am missing something about what I have
> read, but what's the deal with the old (I mean
> "really old"...Civil War era) Baltimore & Ohio's
> Tray Run Viaduct in West Virginia? 
>
> I looked on GoogleMaps at
> <39.357864,-79.694435>....just northwest of
> Rowlesburg,  and I note a remark "permanently
> closed". What is up with this? This is still CSX
> main line, yes? 
>
> That massive stone viaduct is just a marvel of
> engineering and I find it tough to believe CSX is
> not operating on that line. 
>
> Anyone got a scoop on this viaduct and what is
> meant by "closed"? I think it might even mean a
> precautionary matter to keep pedestrians from
> walking over it?
>
> Thank you for whatever info anyone has. 
>
> --Gerrypaul
>
>
>
>  
You must be naive or just easily mislead. I just pulled up google maps for that area and no "closed" icon anywhere around.
Every week, DT Wilson posts photos of trains on the Mountain Sub, where do you think all those trains go on the way to Grafton?
The fact that you think this is a "Civil War era" stone viaduct says to me that you really don't know much about this line or the viaduct.
If this viaduct mysteriously "closed" you can bet someone would report it.
 

Well? I said I suspected it must not be closed. However, there is a "permanently closed" remark on my Googlemaps representation. What it is doing here remains a mystery. 

I knew of Tray Run Viaduct pre-dating the Civil War. I had understood that, when originally built, it had not been constructed with stone. I did not know when the stone had been constructed as replacement. I am dimly aware of Confederate attempts to sabotage the viaduct. The most noteworthy, I guess, was the one in the Spring of 1863 . This preceded WV admission to the Union in June, 1863. 

I am an infrequent reader and contributor to Trainorders. I was thus not following other posts regarding anything about the area. 

In any case, I am happy to have it confirmed that Tray Run is still operational! There have been a LOT of railroad industry losses over these many past years in regard to aesthetic interests. In my opinion, the real whopper loss of all over these past thirty--whatever years was the D&RGW's Tennessee Pass main line. 

In regard to anything here otherwise reflecting my ignorance, you are probably correct. This is much of why Trainorders can assist with a better understanding of the industry. 

---Gerrypaul

Gerrypaul,

Also see perklocal's post at
https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,4746422,4746422#msg-4746422
which includes another of his photographs of the Viaduct.

BTW, the early iteration of the Tray Run Viaduct is depicted on the reverse side of the West Virginia state seal.
-Ted