Loop Junction, W.Va./PRR Horseshoe-Getouttahere

Classic Trains General Discussion
1

I believe the Virginian has the PRR beat on horseshoe curves.
Loop Junction, W.Va.
Same train
93 cars

For a bigger picture go to;
http://www.modeltrainjournal.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2596&sid=a1aaacd4cad7cfd5e8f78d5decb2607c

2

Topo map-
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=2&S=12&Z=17&X=598&Y=5214&W=1&qs=|sophia|west+virginia|
Aerial photo-
http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=12&Z=17&X=598&Y=5214&W=1&qs=|sophia|west+virginia|

3

Thanks for the map links Nanaimo.

4

You’re welcome. I enjoy hunting for stuff, especially when I have never heard about it. That is one interesting piece of track.

5

You may want to read the following article;
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3943/is_200401/ai_n9382463
Then you can go back to the map, enlarge it and follow it southwest and south. As you say, very interesting.

6

Cool!

7

With today’s Photo of the Day, I got to looking for information on Loop Junction and found this post. Unfortunately, none of these links still works, either to a map reference or the article referenced by BigJim. Can anyone get to the locations in earlier posts?

8

Center of the horseshoe is at about 37.6924N 81.2368W so take a look at

http://mytopo.com/maps/index.cfm?mtlat=37.6924&mtlon=-81.2368

then click on “MyTopo” in the upper right corner and zoom in on it. C&O and Virginian were both climbing thru there; Loop Jct on VGN was a switch at the south end of the tunnel near the horseshoe, where a VGN branch headed south.

9

Was this what you were looking for?

10

BigJim-

I was looking to read the article you posted on 1/25/2006:

You may want to read the following article;
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3943/is_200401/ai_n9382463
Then you can go back to the map, enlarge it and follow it southwest and south. As you say, very interesting.

11

That link only took me to some stupid search engine.

12

The loop is located on the former Virginian Winding Gulf Branch just over 18 miles from Mullens (Gulf Junction), The loop, near Sophia, has an 18 degree curve. Loop Junction was a former junction with Collins Spur that served mines at Winding Gulf. The junction switch was located in Loop Tunnel No. 1 with the points east of the tunnel and the frog west of the tunnel. Much of the line was rebuilt with welded rail and new ties in 2011 to serve a new mine at Affinity.

I have been to the loop four or five times back in the seventies and eighties. Be prepared for long walk if you plan to visit the site.

Tom Marshall