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Abandoned Rails
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Main Page
Fallen N&W Color
Position Light Signals
- NS Pocahontas District -
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This
page contains photographs of N&W color
position light signals that have been replaced along
the NS Pocahontas District.
If you have
any photographs or additional information that you'd like to contribute, please
contact me at
jl.hawkins@comcast.net.
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Allen Street (N363.6)
This pedestrian walkway also doubled
as a signal bridge across Bluefield Yard. The
modern pole signal below the bridge on the far left
was activated in late 2004, which is why the CPL
head at the far left (for Main 1) is turned
sideways. While
the bridge itself has been closed to foot traffic for many
years, it continued to support the active CPL signals at
Allen Street until it was removed in the fall of
2008. A modern cantilever signal bridge is now located
here as seen in this
photo and all signals seen in the above image
are
gone. These excellent
1981 and
1984 views offer a look at the CPL signals in better
times.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(August 14, 2005) |
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Hales Bottom (N367.5)
Also known as Pinhook, these signals
had seen better days as evidenced by this early 2006
photo. This location is often used as a
holdout for eastbound trains waiting to enter
Bluefield Yard. This
photo shows a coal train with a spectacular
lashup passing the signals several months prior to
their removal.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(January 6, 2006) |
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Keystone (N387.3)
Protecting the crossover at Keystone
was this cantilever signal bridge. Replaced
between August 2007 and October 2009.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(January 6, 2006) |
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Eckman (N388.3)
Looking east at the N&W cantilever
signal bridge at Eckman that was replaced in early
2009. The westbound signals
(visible in the distance) were replaced when the new
US 52 bridge was constructed.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(August 12, 2005) |
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Farm (N401.1)
One of the more well-known locations
on the "Pokey" is Farm. It is here that most
eastbound trains pause to receive pushers for the
climb to Elkhorn Tunnel and into Bluefield.
The three eastbound signals seen in this photograph
were replaced in early 2007. Somehow the
westbound signal mast (far left) has managed to
survive.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(January 6, 2006) |
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Wharf (N401.4)
The interlocking of Wharf is just
around the curve from the coaling tower at Farm.
These signals were replaced in January 2007.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(February 17, 2005) |
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Iaeger (N422.3)
The signals at Iaeger came down in
the summer of 2009. Crews replaced not only
the mainline signals, but also the the signals on
the wye connecting to the Dry Fork Branch as well.
Fortunately the northbound signal just
outside of Auville Yard adjacent to the Route 80
grade crossing is still standing. To see what
this scene looked like before the bridge was built,
click
here.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(August 5, 2007) |
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Hull (N424.7)
Two miles west of Iaeger was a myriad
of crossovers along with access to the center siding
at Hull. The interlocking was goverened by a
pair of three track signal bridges. Since late
2009, new signal structures were located on site but
for unknown reasons, it took nearly three years for
the new signals to be erected and activated.
That time finally arrived in late August 2012 when
the signal bridges at Hull were finally retired.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(October 17, 2009) |
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Panther (N429.7)
A typical humid and hazy summer day
in 2005 finds the westbound signal at Panther still
guarding the crossovers. The eastbound signal was just out of view
around the curve. Both were replaced in
October 2007. Click
here to see a photo of the new signals being
installed.
Photo by Jeff Hawkins
(August 12, 2005) |
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