mileage
MONTGOMERY station, Washington Street and 3rd Avenue. Elevation
approximately 640 ft. The town was named after James Montgomery, an early settler, in 1891. It was originally called Coal
Valley. Montgomery was incorporated on April 1, 1891. It is the home of the West Virginia Institute of Technology, whose
campus is visible to the right of the railroad (eastbound). The Institute is the largest regional campus of West Virginia University,
and is separately accredited from the main campus of WVU in Morgantown. Additionally, the town of Montgomery is dominated by
chemical industries.
241 Across the river is the town of Smithers, named after early settler James Smithers.
243 Across the river is the town of Boomer. There are numerous coal strip mines throughout the Pennsylvanian-aged hills in this
area. Most mines are taking coal from the Allegheny Formation.
245.5 Cross Loop (or Loup) Creek and pass through Deep Water (Deepwater). This town was the starting point of the Deepwater Railway, which was founded by William N. Page in 1898. The railway was built
as a logging railroad, and served a sawmill to the south of the river near here. The Deepwater Railway and the Tidewater Railway
eventually merged to form the Virginian Railway in 1907.
Bluffs on the south
(right if eastbound) are now composed of Pennsylvanian-aged Kanawha Formation, another formation consisting mainly of sandstone and
shale with coal seams. The Kanawha Formation is older than the Allegheny and Conemaugh Formations, which we have been traversing
for some time now.
247 Charlton Heights is visible across the river.
248.5 Just above the railroad on the right (eastbound)
is the community of Boonesborough. Bluffs are composed of Early Pennsylvanian Kanawha Formation.
249 Pass beneath
a seemingly “bridge to nowhere” across the Kanawha River.
249.5 Pass through the town of Kanawha Falls, named after the low waterfall
in the river 1.2 miles to the north (upstream).
250 On the left (eastbound), the low Kanawha Falls are visible.
251 Across the river is the town of Gauley Bridge. This is also where the Gauley River and the New River come together to form the
Kanawha River, which we have been following for some time now. For the next 60 miles or so, we will be following the New River
upstream, and passing through the spectacular New River Gorge. The New River is actually a very old river, since it formed long
before the Ice Age glaciers advanced and covered much of the northern part of the United States. The New River flows through
the old channel of the pre-glacial Teays River (see MP’s 123.5 and 192 above). Since the river has been around for such a long
time, it has cut quite a deep gorge through erosion, and the views of the New River Gorge from the tops of the cliffs on either side
of the gorge are spectacular. The New River is also a favorite for whitewater rafters. Look carefully through the trees
which separate the railroad from the river, and you may see some rafters somewhere in the next 60 miles or so!
The town of Gauley Bridge was the site of an 1861 Civil War battle in which the old bridge was destroyed during a retreat of the Confederate
Army from Union General William S. Rosecrans. During the 2nd weekend in September, the town of Gauley Bridge celebrates its
Civil War Days Festival.
252.5 On the left (eastbound) can be seen the mouth of the 3-mile long Hawks Nest Tunnel, through which water
is diverted from the New River to a hydroelectric power plant. During the construction of the tunnel, workers found the mineral
silica and were asked to mine it for use in electroprocessing of steel. The workers were not given any masks or breathing equipment
to use while mining, despite the fact that management wore such equipment during inspection visits. As a result of the exposure
to silica dust, many workers developed silicosis, a debilitating lung disease. A large number of the workers eventually died
from the silicosis, in some cases as quickly as within a year.
253.5 Nearly 1200 ft vertically above the river and the railroad is
the Hawks Nest Country Club.
256 As we travel through the New River Gorge, the bluffs on either side of the river
and railroad are still composed of Pennsylvanian-aged Kanawha Formation.
256.5 Pass beneath W.V. Highway 16 at Cotton Hill.
258 Spanning the river on the left (eastbound) is the other end of the 3-mile long Hawks Nest Tunnel (see MP 252.5 above).
258.5 Above
the railroad on the left (eastbound) is Hawks Nest State Park, accessible by highway or by a tram from river level. Nestled
in the heart of whitewater rafting country, Hawks Nest State Park encompasses 276 acres bordering a rugged section of the New River
Gorge National River. Long known for its panoramic views, the park offers a modern, 31-room lodge for the comfort of its overnight
guests. Below the lodge, the New River forms peaceful Hawks Nest Lake. Above the lake, the narrow canyon and rushing water create
one of the most challenging whitewater boating waterways in the nation. The bluffs upon which Hawks Nest is situated consist
of Pennsylvanian-aged Kanawha Formation sandstones.
Adjacent to Hawks Nest is
the town of Ansted, which was named after David T. Ansted, a British geologist and owner of the land where the town was built. The town was originally settled by Baptists in 1790. Ansted is also the home of Contentment, the restored antebellum home of
Confederate Colonel George Imboden. Contentment contains a museum and a restored one-room schoolhouse.
At this point, the tracks diverge and cross the New River. Typically, the eastbound Cardinal follows the south side of the river,
and the westbound train follows the north side.
263 Pass beneath the famous New River Gorge Bridge, a 3030-ft long
steel arch bridge, which carries US 19 over the New River at a height of 876 feet (267 m), making it the highest vehicular bridge
in the Americas, and the second-highest in the world. Construction began on the bridge in June 1974, and completed on October
22, 1977.
The bridge is the centerpiece of Fayette County's "Bridge Day," during
which the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic. Until recently, the bridge was half-open, with two way traffic. Security
concerns, however, have prompted the closing of the entire span to vehicles during the festival. This festival includes demonstrations
of rappelling, ascending and base jumping, and is held on the 3rd Saturday of October. Bungee jumping has been banned from Bridge
Day since 1993. Base jumper Brian Lee Schubert, 66, of Alta Loma, California, died during Bridge Day 2006, when his parachute
did not open in time. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death was the first that occurred during base jumping at the
New River Gorge Bridge Day Festival since 1987, and only the third ever.
The
city of Fayetteville is located approximately one mile southwest of the bridge. Fayetteville is the county seat of Fayette County.
As we travel deeper into the New River Gorge, we are encountering older and older rock formations. Just east of the bridge,
the cliffs closest to the railroad are composed of Lowermost Pennsylvanian-aged Pocahontas Formation, which again is composed primarily
of sandstone and shale.
263.5 On the right (eastbound) is the old New River Gorge Bridge, which followed a tortuous path down the mountain,
with numerous switchbacks. Before the modern bridge was built, it would take nearly an hour to cross the river on the old road.
265 Pass through Kaymoor, the site of an abandoned coal mine, coal processing plant and company town. The mine property was purchased
in 1873 by Abiel Abbot Low, Managing Director of the Low Moor Iron Company of Low Moor, Virginia, which was to be the mine's chief
client. The property was kept in reserve until 1899, when the Kay Moor mine was opened to supply coal and coke to the company's
blast furnaces. In 1925, the mine was sold to the New River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company, a subsidiary of the Berwind-White
Corporation of Philadelphia. The town was named for James Kay, a Low Moor Iron Company employee who was in charge of building
the town.
The site is now extensively overgrown and obscured by foliage. Structures and machinery have deteriorated due to the corrosive interaction of coal dust and rainwater, while the bench level was
salvaged in 1980-81. Despite this, the site retains significant amounts of mining machinery and is considered one of the most
complete examples of an integrated coal mine and company town in West Virginia.
266 We are now passing the Nuttallburg
Coal Mining Complex and Town Historic District. Nuttallburg was closely associated with the Nuttallburg underground mine, a
room and pillar mine that was sealed in 1858. The mine was established to develop the New River Coalfield in 1870 by John Nuttall,
who correctly anticipated that the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad would be built through the New River Gorge. When the railroad
arrived in 1873 Nuttall had built almost 100 houses, with 80 coke ovens, a variety of mine structures and a coal tipple on a railroad
siding. Flat land by the river was dedicated to railroad and industrial use, leaving houses to seek perches on the hillsides.
268 As we continue through the New River Gorge, we are continuing to traverse the coal-bearing Lower Pennsylvanian Pocahontas Formation.
269.5 The
tracks again merge onto one line here, now following the east bank of the New River.
270 On the left (eastbound)
is Babcock State Park, home of the Glade Creek Grist Mill, a replica of the original Cooper's Mill that was located nearby. The current grist mill, completed in 1976, was assembled from parts of three other West Virginia mills.
Babcock State Park offers its guests 4,127 acres of serene, yet rugged beauty, a fast flowing trout stream in a boulder-strewn canyon
and mountainous vistas to be viewed from several scenic overlooks.
273.5 Pass through Beury, as we continue through the New River Gorge. The Early Pennsylvanian-aged Pocahontas Formation is still visible at river level as we wind through the area, and again, there are
many productive coal mines in this area, many of which are high above the river and not visible from the railroad.
276.5 THURMOND station,
intersection of Highways 25 and 2. Elevation approximately 1073. This small community was incorporated in 1900, and is
named for Capt. W. D. Thurmond, who settled here in 1844. He served in the Confederate Army and died in 1910 at age 90, and
acquired the land in 1873 as payment for surveying work. During the heyday of coal mining in the New River Gorge, Thurmond was
a prosperous town with a number of businesses and facilities for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway. The town was the filming location
for John Sayles' 1987 movie Matewan since it still possesses many of the characteristics of a 1920s Appalachian coal mining town.
The primary economy of this small town is coal mining.
278.5 Note low bridge crossing the river here at Stone Cliff. We have
now traveled even further back in geologic time, as the rocks exposed at river level here are the Upper Mississippian-aged Bluestone
and Princeton Formations, which are composed primarily of shale, with some sandstone.
280 Pass through Claremont
as we travel yet further back in geologic time. From the river level up, the rock formations visible now are the Mississippian-aged
Hinton Formation, overlain by the Bluestone and Princeton Formations, then overlain by the Early Pennsylvanian Pocahontas Formation.
282.5 Pass
through Thayer.
285 Pass through McKendree. Rock formations exposed along the railroad and river are Mississippian
aged Hinton Formation overlain by Pocahontas Formation.
287 Pass through the short Stretcher Neck Tunnel, which is
cut into Upper Mississippian Bluestone and Princeton Formations.
287.5 PRINCE station, Highway 41-N. Elevation approximately
1197. This is a small community, and is a drop-off point for river rafters on the New River. It is predominantly a coal
town. Exposed rocks on either side of the railroad and river are Mississippian-aged Hinton Formation, which consists mainly
of shales and sandstones.
288.5 Pass through Quinnimont, which is a Latin word meaning “Five Mountains.” We are in the center
of the New River Coal Field, and at one time, Quinnimont was the location of a major railroad yard serving the coal field.
291 Backus Mountain, on the north (left if eastbound) is composed of Mississippian-aged Hinton Formation, overlain by Bluestem and Princeton
Formations and then Early Pennsylvanian-aged Pocahontas Formation.
297 Enter SUMMERS County, which was named after
George W. Summers, a Kanawha County jurist. The economy of the county consists of livestock, dairy, fruit, tobacco farms, timber,
and natural gas. Summers County was created by an act of the West Virginia General Assembly on February 27, 1871 from parts
of Fayette, Greenbrier, Mercer and Monroe counties.
298 Pass through Meadow Creek. We are still traversing
outcrops of Hinton Formation as we near the southern end of the New River Gorge.
301 Pass beneath Interstate 64.
301.5 Pass
through Sandstone, also known as New Richmond or New River Falls. The Sandstone Visitors Center was built here by the National
Park Service in order to provide outreach and awareness to the various environmental issues along the New River Gorge. The facility
is “green,” with local and recycled materials comprising its structure, and native plants in a xeriscaping project absorb rainfall
and thermal heat. An interactive museum is part of the draw for its thousands of visitors.
Laurel Creek flows into the New River at Sandstone.
303 Visible on the right (eastbound) is the low Sandstone Falls,
in the New River.
306.5 Pass through Brooks.
307.5 Pass through Barksdale.
310 HINTON station, Front Street & 5th Avenue. Elevation approximately 1385. Hinton is the county seat of Summers County. It was established in 1873 and chartered in
1897. Hinton was named for John "Jack" Hinton, a prominent lawyer of Summers County and husband of Avis Gwinn Hinton, who owned
the land upon which the city of Hinton is located. Hinton's complete downtown was placed on the National Registry of Historic
Places in 1984. There are several museums in Hinton, including the Veterans Memorial Museum, Wood’s Clock Museum, the Hinton
Railroad Museum, and King's Civil War Museum.
312 We are now leaving the New River Gorge and the New River. We will now be following the Greenbrier River for the next 35 miles or so. The Greenbrier is the longest undammed river left
in the Eastern United States. It is heavily used for recreational pursuits. Across the river is Bellepoint, and a mile
or so further up the New River is Bluestone Dam, which was built in 1949 to control flooding and to form the Bluestone Lake. Bluestone Lake is the source of drinking water for much of Summers County and parts of Mercer County. We are still traversing
the Upper Mississippian-aged Hinton Formation.
315 Pass through Wiggins. We are still traversing the Hinton
Formation.
317.5 We are leaving the Greenbrier River for a few minuets, and are now passing through the Little Bend Tunnel, which is
cut into older Mississippian Bluefield Formation now, which consists primarily of green to red shale and sandstone.
318 On the right is the town of Hilldale. Bluffs are composed of Bluefield Formation capped by Mississippian-aged Greenbrier Group,
which consists mainly of limestone.
Enter the mile-long Big Bend Tunnel, which
was started in 1870 and took 3 years to complete. The tunnel is best known as the likely place where American folk hero John
Henry had his well-documented fight with the steam hammer, as told in the popular song. The truth about John Henry as the strongest
man alive is obscured by time and myth, but one legend has it that he was a slave born in Missouri in the 1840’s. A statue and
memorial plaque have been placed along a highway south of Talcott as it crosses over the east end of the Big Bend Tunnel in which
the competition may have taken place.
320 Pass through Talcott, where we rejoin the Greenbrier River. Talcott
was formerly also known as Rolinsburgh or Rollinsburg.
322 Cross Greenbrier River and pass through Lowell, which
was first settled in 1770 by Colonel James Graham; it was the first settlement in what is now Summers County. Lowell was later
attacked by Indians, who killed three members of Mr. Graham's household and kidnapped his daughter, whom Graham did not recover for
eight years. In 1871 or 1872, the brothers A.C. Lowe and Erastus Preston Lowe settled in Lowell, built a hotel, and entered
business in the community. The settlement, which was unnamed prior to then, was ultimately named Lowell after the Lowe family. Lowell was an important point of commerce during this period, as it was the shipping point for the Red Sulphur Springs until 1904.
324 Pass through Pence Springs. The first known person to have settled in what is now Pence Springs was William Kincaid. The
land on which he settled was later known as the Jesse Beard Plantation. On this land was the celebrated Pence Springs but known
only then as a buffalo lick and called Buffalo Springs. For more than 100 years it was a prime hunting destination for buffalo,
elk and deer. In 1800, William Kincaid moved on west leaving on trace of known decedents.
Once a hot spot for travelers, Pence Springs is now a quiet community home to a large flea market, which is held in the area that
was once used as the bottling facility by Andrew Pence. The water that flows from the spring won awards at the St Louis Expo
in 1904. In 1918, Pence built a 3 story brick hotel above the spring, which attracted tourists and those wishing to visit the
spring. The hotel was used as a state women's prison through the fifties, sixties and seventies. The old resort is currently
being occupied by the Greenbrier Academy for Girls.
325 Across the Greenbrier River is the Hinton-Alderson Airfield.
327.5 At
Barnettown, briefly enter MONROE County (see MP 330.5 below).
328.5 Back into SUMMERS County.
330 As we round the
bend at Glenray, the 2-story light brick buildings visible make up the Alderson Federal Prison Camp for minimum security females (formerly
known as the Federal Reformatory for Women). This is a federal prison which stresses vocational rehabilitation for women. The prison is nicknamed "Camp Cupcake" by most residents and the media. Local residents have also referred to it as "the college
campus." Notable women who have done time here include Tokyo Rose, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, of the Charles Manson Family, and more
recently, TV personality and businesswoman Martha Stewart, who was convicted of insider trading and obstruction of justice in 2004.
330.5 Re-enter
MONROE County, named after President James Monroe. The county was formed in 1799, but was first settled in 1774 by James Alexander. The county’s economy consists of natural gas, iron ore, livestock, dairy and fruit farming, and limestone quarrying.
331.5 ALDERSON station,
Railroad Avenue and Greenbrier Street. Elevation approximately 1549. Alderson is named after John Alderson, a Baptist
minister who settled here in 1777. The largest employer in the city is the Federal Prison Camp (see MP 330 above). Alderson
has the largest Fourth of July Celebration in West Virginia. Each year the events span an entire week, always ending with a
"Rubber Ducky" race on the Greenbrier River. Alderson was also the home of Ada Beatrice Queen Victoria Louise Virginia Smith,
better known as “Bricktop,” who was an American dancer, singer, vaudevillian, and self-described saloon-keeper who owned the nightclub
Chez Bricktop in Paris from 1924 to 1961, as well as clubs in Mexico City and Rome. She has been called "...one of the most
legendary and enduring figures of 20th-century American cultural history."