Princeton–Deepwater District |
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ThePrinceton–Deepwater District is a rail line inWest Virginia that connectsDeep Water, West Virginia, on theKanawha River southwards toPrinceton, West Virginia, and beyond to rail lines leading toVirginia.[1][2][3] It is known for its rugged terrain and opportunities for rail photography.[2][4]
Originally part of the main line of theVirginian Railway, its northern half is now owned by theKanawha River Railroad and the southern half byNorfolk Southern Railway.
The line links parts of thePocahontas Coalfield beneathFlat Top Mountain to consumers in theMidwest andEast Coast.[1][2][4]
The very steep 2%grade from Elmore Yard up to Clark's Gap posed challenges for the operation of the line, necessitating "hill runs" where short coal trains were brought up to Clark's Gap and combined into longer trains for the rest of the trip. The segment was difficult forsteam locomotives, so the line waselectrified south ofMullens, the location of Elmore Yard, from 1926 until 1962, which increased efficiency.[1][2][4][5]
Several branches diverge from the through-line, although some are no longer in use.[1][3][6] TheWinding Gulf Branch serves theWinding Gulf Coalfield, and connects at its end to the CSXRaleigh Southwestern and Winding Gulf Subdivision.[7] TheGuyandotte River Branch is mainly an outlet for westbound coal, and connects to theGilbert Branch and the CSXLogan Subdivision.[6][8]
The line originally formed the West Virginia half of theVirginian Railway main line, and was constructed between 1896 and 1909.[2] The Winding Gulf Branch was constructed between 1904 and 1910.[9] The Glen Rogers Branch opened in 1923,[10] and the bridge over theKanawha River was built in 1931.[11] By 1933 the line caused the creation of 91 coal mines along it, as well as an additional 47 on its branches.[1]
The Virginian Railway was acquired in 1959 byNorfolk and Western Railway, which later becameNorfolk Southern Railway.[2] The Glen Rogers Branch ceased operation in 1960, but was put into use again from 1973 to 1996.[10]
In 2015, Norfolk Southern mothballed a 50-mile segment of the southern part of the line between Elmore Yard and Princeton due to decreases in coal traffic, opting to divert trains over the Guyandotte River Branch instead.[8][12] In 2016, the newKanawha River Railroad acquired the part of the Princeton–Deepwater District north ofMaben, as well as most of the connectingWest Virginia Secondary.[13]
