West Virginia Secondary

[WVsecondary]

I am going to be railfanning and taking some pictures of the West Virgina Secondary next week from around MP 20 (Baltimore, OH) to around MP126 (Kanauga, WV) and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions or warnings for this area before I go. Mainly looking for pics of a couple of tunnels and the covered road bridge Palos. My intent is to gather data for my layout I am building. I have already modeled from Scioto Tower to Brice and am starting construction on the next section. I figure it will be a good day if I even see one train but want to get lots of scenery shots. Any suggestions would be welcome.

[thpbears]

If that takes you near Bluefield  yard there are some good shots running along the river. The road runs along most of the way. There is also a train show in November in Bluefield. Google Pocahontas train show. We come up from about two hours away and spend the day railfanning here. There are usrally alot of coal drags  and freights. But that might not be near where you will be. Any way have fun. Hope that helps you out.

[tq-07fan]

While at Sperry I got to test what is now the West Virginia District back when it was the West Virginia Secondary of Conrail back in 1996. The whole line is fairly scenic and certainly has the most tunnels of any rail line in Ohio. 360 and 361 are the two regular trains on the district. From talking to people along the line in 2007 there are usually these two but sometimes three or four trains in a day. Back in 2007 my friend and I chased the WV bound one and got a meet of 360 and 361 at Thurston Ohio, which used to be a junction with lines to Zanesville and the Eastern Branch to Toledo. I have also heard them heading north out of Charleston WV in the morning around Amtrak time (8am-ish). Also got the southbound close to Nitro in the evening so at least these are, (or were) daylight trains. From New Lexington down to Chauncy (I think) you may also encounter the Ohio Central coal shuttle train. It was operating one direction one day and back the next although this may have changed under the new ownership.

Interestwise I would check out the former junctions of Thurston, New Bremen (where the Pennsylvania Morrow Secondary joined for joint track to New Lexington), junction City (B&O Shawnee Sub crossed), New Lexington (PRR, now OC, separates), Corning (branches and yard), Armitage (C&O Athens Sub), Grosvenor (B&O Parkersburg Sub), Hobson (C&O Pomeroy Sub trackage rights begin), Kanagua (C&O splits toward Galapolis). Also the lap siding at Albany. Depending on what era you are modeling I can try to assist you on when some of these intersecting lines would have disapeared.

Scenerywise, too much to remember. It seams like araound Corning was especially nice as well as remote. I hope it's still there but the train order station at Kanagua is a gem, albeit now a condemd gem. I have pictures of it somewhere in 1994 right after the operator's position was finally eliminated, I never got to see it before that though. The bridge over the Ohio it'self is interseting and it is probably one of  the reasons that this line is not busier. Of course the other would be the low tunnel clearances.

Have Fun!

Jim

[WVsecondary]

Thanks for the help. I will check to see if train order office is still there. I am modeling 2006 with lots of NS GE's and Ohio Central train thrown in. I have done quite a bit of research on line just never visited in.

[WVsecondary]

Took my trip and thought I would update this. I photo'd the junction at New Lexington, New Lex tunnel is unreachable without some serious trespassing which I won't do. Was able to get Moxahala tunnel from above(Private property with permission), Dyesville tunnel also requires trespassing, I did photo at least one side of Dunbar, Wilson and Langsville Tunnels. Happened to hear Ohio Central calling for clearance as I was leaving Corning and was able to photo them at that point. 2 units on front and 2 units on the rear. Saw a caboose in the Hobson Yard (NS 555671) and happened to hear a train calling for the Ohio River bridge. So I scooted down to Kanauga and was able to photo NS 9753 going across the bridge.