Newbie to the group

landnrailroader · April 16, 2011, 10:19:08 PM

Colleagues,

My name is Jerry Sullivan, age 72, worked for the Southern Test dept. from 1965-1978 before moving on tp the FRA and eventually to Chessie System/CSX from which I retired 3-31-01, but still work full time for a signal contractor just because I love it.

Although I don't model the Southern, NW, or NS, I am particularly interested in the 2nd District of the CNO&TP as when I worked there, my job was to manage the track geometry car R-1 (now retired and I believe it is in the Roanoke Museum) which required a trip every 30 days over every foot of the main tracks of the CNO&TP.

I noted that someone started a Microsoft Train Simulator route a couple years back. I also plan to do the 2nd district and wouldn't mind getting a early copy of the other route before track linked items are in place, because what I want to do is roll time back to the last day of operation on the old routes in 1963, when there was probably a turnout at Tateville so traffic went up Sloans Valley until the official cutover and likely there was one at the top of the hill as well. There is a control point on the new line on Greenwood Hill that I believe they call "KD tower" if memory serves me, but there was a spur on the east side of the east track at that point and it seemed that nearly every northbound trip, we would be put in there for a while to let the "per diem" trains around us.

J.H.Sullivan

E.M. Bell · April 16, 2011, 10:48:15 PM

Jerry,

Welcome to JREB! I think you will find a lot of good folks here, and a lot of folks who are big CNO&TP fans. Im sure everyone would love to hear some of the stories and information you must have, so feel free to share.

billworsham · April 17, 2011, 01:55:53 PM

Welcome Jerry, you will be a valuable asset to this board. I suppose you saw my invitation on the trainsim board to become a member here. You have a highball to explore the board and contribute in any way you'd like...I truly love this board; it's my favorite one of 'em all!

landnrailroader · April 17, 2011, 05:53:06 PM

Quote from: billworsham on April 17, 2011, 01:55:53 PM
Welcome Jerry, you will be a valuable asset to this board. I suppose you saw my invitation on the trainsim board to become a member here. You have a highball to explore the board and contribute in any way you'd like...I truly love this board; it's my favorite one of 'em all!

I'm figuring out how to post, but yes, I saw your invitation, and I do have a question. I am in communication with the lad working on the 2nd district, CNO&TP, and will probably help him with it a bit, and he will help me by providing what he has done to which I want to add the old route. To that end, I saw the images of the tunnels on the side of Sloans valley, but does anyone have images of the old bridges (trestles) over there as well as of the old bridge over NewRiver in Tennessee. I admit to having been right at it once (1956) and having seen it at a distance (as my inspection car soared over the new bridge) many times. I have several images I took on the CNO&TP and I'll see about postiing them.

Jerry

butch · April 17, 2011, 06:14:34 PM

Hey Jerry, welcome. There are several of us who have explored the original tunnels, but other than High Bridge and the bridge at Burnside, I haven't seen anything on the big bridges/trestles.

Butch

E.M. Bell · April 17, 2011, 11:19:02 PM

Jerry,

"Somewhere" in all my boxes of slides, I have a few shots of, and on the OLD New river bridge...I just gotta find them. These would have been taken in the late 80's or so, before they took out the approaches on both sides of the main span.

Today, all that is left is the main span over the river...rather ghostly, as this 2009 image shows.

landnrailroader · April 19, 2011, 06:38:43 PM

Quote from: E.M. Bell on April 17, 2011, 11:19:02 PM
Jerry,

"Somewhere" in all my boxes of slides, I have a few shots of, and on the OLD New river bridge...I just gotta find them. These would have been taken in the late 80's or so, before they took out the approaches on both sides of the main span.

Today, all that is left is the main span over the river...rather ghostly, as this 2009 image shows.

Anything you have would be appreciated. If I don't get any actual images, I have a good idea what those bridges should have looked like. One of the tunnels, actually goes under US-27 just south of Tateville. Once, many years ago, I rode up through there and remember that one trestle could be seen from the highway in Sloans Valley.

J.H.Sullivan