The Virginian Railroad
Formed in 1909, the 600 mile Virginian Railroad was created to haul coal from the mines in West Virginia to the ships at the Sewells Point docks in Norfolk, VA which were waiting to carry the coal to foreign ports. It was built through the vision and financial backing of H. H. Rogers, who hired talented people and gave them the best equipment that his money could buy.
The railroad owned 83 freight steam locomotives and nearly 15,000 coal cars. In 1950 the VGN hauled over 28 million tons of coal.
Among other achievements, they had a very successful electrification program, replacing steam engines with 7000 horse power electric engines to haul 70+ coal car trains carrying 16,000 tons for the run out of the mountains over 2% grades from Mullens, WV 134 miles to Roanoke, VA. The current was generated at the Narrows, VA power station halfway between the two. The system was activated in 1925 and ran until 1962.
VGN Elmore
The switching yard here at Elmore was over two miles long, incorporating more than a dozen tracks. To your left, the tracks extended all the way to Mullens.
At the east end was a steam locomotive repair shop that appears to have had at least eight bays.
The yard also contained an electric substation for the engone electric system.
Please return the cache to its original position and BYOP.