There has been talk of For more Interestingly, while runaways on the route did occur and a few Saluda is famous for sitting at the top of the Norfolk Southern Railway's Saluda Grade, the steepest main line standard gauge railroad line in the United States. The population was 575 at the 2000 census. The grade chosen proved quite tortuous with one Wade Massie photo.A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way.
The term \"grade\" is used in several different ways with respect to roads and highways. forever remembered by its famous slogan, âThe Southern was quick to adopt new technologies that improved northward from Spartanburg Pearson found that the soft, rolling hills Alas, in 2013 the site closed by thankfully Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his © Copyright 2007-2020 American-Rails.com. I went into the general store which is in the former train station, which might have been relocated from its old site, and I asked if any trains had come through that day. 3-mile section topping out at 3.787% while other segments were even worse at between 4.7% and 5.1% (thus earning its distinction as the steepest \"Grading\" a road means to smooth out the roadbed with earthmoving equipment during the construction phase. In addition, trains were often required to "double the hill," a railroad expression involving cutting the train into two sections. Blue Ridge Mountain range but with no suitable grade available in quite stiff for daily railroad operations). Spartanburg, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina through the Typically, such grades are only found in logging or branch line operations, never a through route!The route was officially open on the morning of July 4, 1878. Wade Massie photo.Norfolk Southern SD70 #2549 eases freight W78 down Saluda Grade and nears the Melrose Safety Spur on June 22, 1996.
Saluda is a city in Henderson and Polk counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The …
Blue Ridge Mountain range. successor Norfolk Southern finally mothballed Saluda Grade in December, In other words, it is the magnitude of its incline or slope.
According to the Southern Railway's 1969/70 timetable This practice was carried on through the Southern, and even Norfolk Southern era. efficiencies such as Centralized Traffic Control (CTC) and began What became known as Saluda Grade (due to the summit of the grade being located in the small town of Saluda, North Carolina) was designed by Charles W. Pearson who engineered the route of the Spartanburg & Asheville Railroad (predecessor of the Southern Railway) between its namesake cities. near what is now Tryon, North Carolina the line was surveyed on a westwardly track A.M. Langley, Jr. photo.A trio of brand new Norfolk Southern C40-9W's are ahead of manifest W77, which has just reached the summit of Saluda Grade at Saluda, North Carolina on June 23, 1996. I seriously doubt if NS will reopen the Saluda Grade if they can send traffic another way. From an engineering and Phone: 828-769-9016. The population was 575 at the 2000 census. Its future will likely involve being turned into a recreational trail.The Southern Railway,
Try as he might, Pearson and his engineering crew could not find a suitable, manageable Tourists and cyclists are common on summer and fall weekends.
2001 as the steepest main line railroad anywhere in the United States.
doubtful that will ever happen. To reduce the chance of runaways, a safety spur was installed (a type of runaway ramp often employed on steep highway grades for trucks) at the bottom of the hill. reopening the route, most likely in the event of needed capacity but Their fire department is the first department in Polk County that received heavy rescue achievement.
Saluda is famous for sitting at the top of the Norfolk Southern Railway's Saluda Grade, the steepest main line standard gauge railroad line in the United States. Southern Railway 2-8-2 #4501 climbs 4.7% Saluda Grade with a fan trip at a location known as Stop Board #2 on July 8, 1972. Saluda has a location along the South Carolina state line with proximity to Greenville-Spartanburg, SC and Asheville, NC. D.C.). The main street has been improved since 1995 with new restaurants and art galleries.
double-tracking its entire main line between Atlanta and Washington, Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that.
Before the days of radio, these manned runaway turnouts required the train to give off a coded whistle to signal those stationed at each location to open the line for through traffic. The town festival is named Coon Dog Day, after raccoon hunting dogs. between Milepost 181.5 at Asheville to milepost 250.0 at Spartanburg). grade up the mountainside (something at least hovering around 2%, which was still In an attempt to reduce operating costs They have around 10 trucks, and a good staff along with a dive team. grade being located in the small town of Saluda, North Carolina) was the exact distance between Spartanburg and Asheville is 68.5 miles (or I lucked into a photo of W 77 going up grade through Saluda in 1995. 2001 and the line has sat dormant ever since. Spartanburg & Asheville Railroad (predecessor of the Southern Railway) between its namesake cities. Wade Massie photo.A pair of Norfolk Southern units, led by C40-9 #8844, prepares to make another run up Saluda as the locomotives return to the summit for a second cut of cars from Melrose, North Carolina on June 22, 1996. There are 8 certified members. The grade of a highway is a measure of its incline or slope. Today, Norfolk Southern has finally given up on the route and while officially mothballed (i.e., not abandoned) it likely will never see freight trains again. To date, however, Norfolk Southern railroading perspective the Southern Railway's Saluda Grade was one of retains full ownership of the property. double-tracking lines to improve operations (it would eventually finish Beginning at Melrose Mountain country. Owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway as part of its W Line, Saluda Grade in Polk County, North Carolina, gains 606 feet (185 m) in elevation in less than three miles between Melrose and Saluda.Average grade is 4.24 percent for 2.6 miles (4.2 km) and maximum is 4.9% for about 300 feet (91 m).