University of Virginia Library

Petersburg Belt Line

During this fiscal year, the Petersburg Belt Line,
8.91 miles in length and connecting tracks aggregating
1.69 miles, was under construction from Poe to a point
west of Addison on the main line, running around
and to the south of the city of Petersburg, Virginia.

This is an important feature of a comprehensive
plan of improvement of the Company's facilities in
and near that city and will greatly benefit local industries.

It will form a second track between the points
named, and will furnish a low-grade line for through
traffic and for interchange of business with the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad and the Seaboard Air Line
Railway, avoiding the heavier grades and curvatures
of the old line through Petersburg and the congestion
incident thereto. Its maximum grade is 0.2 per
cent. eastbound and 0.4 per cent. westbound, and its
maximum curvature is 1.5 degrees.

During this fiscal year the Allisonia Branch, 0.6
miles in length to an ore tipple in Big Reed Island
Creek, near Allisonia, Virginia, was completed, and
right of way secured for extending the Dry Fork
Branch 1.72 miles from Canebrake, West Virginia.

Right of way was also secured for the Beech Creek
Branch, from its junction with Dry Fork Branch to
its junction with Indian Creek Branch at the Virginia
state line, 1.56 miles.

Right of way was also secured for the Indian Creek
Branch from its junction with Beech Creek Branch
at the West Virginia state line to Cedar Bluff, Virginia,
on the Clinch Valley District—12.22 miles; and
"Y" connection 0.37 miles at Summit Tunnel was
under construction.

The Dry Fork Branch and connections form a continuous
line from Iaeger on the main line to Cedar
Bluff on the Clinch Valley District, and afford a western
outlet to the coal lands of the Clinch Valley District.

Right of way was secured for the North Fork
Branch of Tug Fork Branch from Jeanette, West Virginia,
4.31 miles, with a branch 0.87 miles to projected
coal operations.

The Lynchburg Belt Line from Phoebe, Virginia,
to Forest, Virginia, 24.36 miles, with sidings 7.68
miles, forming a second track between those points,
was acquired from the Lynchburg Belt Line & Connecting
Railway Company by deed dated April 7th.
1910, and the Blackstone Branch from Blackstone,
5.52 miles, and sidings 0.41 miles, was acquired from
the Blackstone & Lunenburg Railway Company, by
deed dated April 25th, 1910. The Company also acquired
from the Pocahontas & Western Railroad Company
the branch westward from Pocahontas, Virginia,
3.29 miles in length.

The construction work on the Winston-Salem Southbound
line of 89 miles from Winston-Salem to Wadesboro,
North Carolina, progressed satisfactorily. On
June 30th, 1910, the grading was 83 per cent. and
masonry 78 per cent. completed; 75 miles of the roadbed
were finished and 18 miles of main track were
laid.

The railroad, property and franchises of the Interior
& West Virginia Railroad Company, including
17.53 miles of main track and 0.37 miles of sidings,
and the railroad property and franchises of the Virginia
& Potts Creek Railroad Company, including 4.15
miles of main track and 0.32 miles of sidings, were
respectively acquired by deeds dated June 21st, 1910,
to the Big Stony Railway Company. On June 30th,
1910, the latter Company had 38.33 miles of main
track and 1.59 miles of sidings.