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New River Notes Photo Gallery

A Collection of historic and current photos mostly covering the upper New River area of southwestern Virginia and northwestern North Carolina.

Alvarado - Railroad Trestle
A RAILROAD FROM ABINGDON, VA. LINKING SEVERAL SMALL TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES WAS STARTED IN THE 1880s.  BY 1918 IT RAN FROM ABINGDON TO ELKLAND, N. C. WHICH IS NOW CALLED TODD.  DAMASCUS, TAYLOR'S VALLEY, GREEN COVE AND WHITE TOP WERE AMONG THE STOPS ON IT'S ROUTE.  THERE WERE 100 TRESTLES AND BRIDGES ON THE RAIL LINE.
 
THE VIRGINIA CREEPER WAS STEAM POWERED AND HAULED FREIGHT AND PASSENGERS.  THE STEAM ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY N&W IN 1956 WITH A DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE.   IT CONTINUED IN OPERATION UNTIL MARCH 31, 1977 WHEN THE LAST TRAIN RAN.  THE ROADBED HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A VERY POPULAR HIKING-BIKING TRAIL.  PICTURED IS THE TRESTLE AT THE HEADWATERS OF SOUTH HOLSTON LAKE WHERE THE MIDDLE AND SOUTH FORKS OFTHE HOLSTON RIVER MEET.  Courtesy of Don Smith [email]dsmith1043@comcast.net[/email]

Alvarado - Railroad Trestle

A RAILROAD FROM ABINGDON, VA. LINKING SEVERAL SMALL TOWNS AND COMMUNITIES WAS STARTED IN THE 1880s. BY 1918 IT RAN FROM ABINGDON TO ELKLAND, N. C. WHICH IS NOW CALLED TODD. DAMASCUS, TAYLOR'S VALLEY, GREEN COVE AND WHITE TOP WERE AMONG THE STOPS ON IT'S ROUTE. THERE WERE 100 TRESTLES AND BRIDGES ON THE RAIL LINE.

THE VIRGINIA CREEPER WAS STEAM POWERED AND HAULED FREIGHT AND PASSENGERS. THE STEAM ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY N&W IN 1956 WITH A DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE. IT CONTINUED IN OPERATION UNTIL MARCH 31, 1977 WHEN THE LAST TRAIN RAN. THE ROADBED HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO A VERY POPULAR HIKING-BIKING TRAIL. PICTURED IS THE TRESTLE AT THE HEADWATERS OF SOUTH HOLSTON LAKE WHERE THE MIDDLE AND SOUTH FORKS OFTHE HOLSTON RIVER MEET. Courtesy of Don Smith dsmith1043@comcast.net

stonemanannie.jpg stonemanrheata.jpg CORNVALLEY013.jpg smithjack.jpg ALVARADO029.jpg ALVARADO022.jpg weavermonte.jpg elkinmeth.jpg elkinmethnite.jpg