Saluda Grade is the steepest standard-gaugemainlinerailwaygrade in the United States.[1] 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 (4.8 km) 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). In late 2001, Norfolk Southern took the grade out of service following a washout.
Captain Charles W. Pearson was assigned to select a route for the Asheville and Spartanburg Railroad to ascend the Blue Ridge front; the area where the rolling hills of the Piedmont end at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Despite numerous surveys, no route was available for a railroad to ascend the mountains at a tolerable grade, and the best route followed the Pacolet River valley and gorge. The line begins its climb at the bottom of Melrose Mountain, where Tryon is today, at 1,081 feet (329 m), and continues on the south side of the Pacolet valley. At Melrose, the Saluda Grade begins and climbs to the town of Saluda, cresting in the center of town at an elevation of 2,097 feet (639 m).
The bottom of Saluda Grade in 2013
Because of accidents involving downgrade runaway trains in the late 1880s, the then Southern Railway built two runaway safety spur tracks. These were originally manned junctions, which were always switched to a 60-foot (18 m) pile of earth, which could stop downgrade runaway trains. Only upon hearing a whistle signal from the downgrade train would the signalman manning the spur junction throw the switch to keep the train on the main line. In later years, CTC signaling was installed along with automated switches and timer circuits for the one surviving runaway safety track at the bottom of the grade at Melrose. Trains running downgrade were required to maintain 8 miles per hour (13 km/h) when approaching the runaway track switch. This would allow a timer circuit to determine if a train was under control, in which case the switch from the runaway track at Melrose would be aligned to the mainline. But for speed greater than 8 miles per hour (13 km/h) the switch would remain aligned for the runaway track. Saluda Grade was one of the few grades in the country where uphill trains could travel faster than their downhill counterparts. Most uphill trains had to double or triple the grade, splitting the train into sections to be taken up the grade to Saluda one at a time and reassembled there for the rest of the trip to Asheville.[2][3]
Norfolk Southern suspended freight traffic between East Flat Rock, North Carolina and Landrum, South Carolina in December 2001,[4] thus ceasing operations on the Saluda Grade. In April 2003, Norfolk Southern severed the line from the rest of its system by placing mounds of dirt over the tracks and disconnecting the rails at mile posts 26 and 45.[5] The signal system is not in use, and grade crossings have had their arms removed and signals covered. Norfolk Southern has inspected and maintained the right-of-way since placing the segment out of service, removing fallen trees and spraying herbicide on encroaching vegetation, but at least four washouts of the roadbed have occurred between Saluda and South Carolina, rendering the line impassable.
Talks of a passenger train excursion and a Rails-to-trails conversion have made no headway in recent years,[6] and Norfolk Southern states it does not intend to abandon the line.[7] However, in 2014, Norfolk Southern sold a portion of the W Line south of Asheville between mile posts 1 and 26 to Watco, a Class IIIshortline railroad operator. Watco operates the line as the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad. Norfolk Southern still retains ownership of the out-of-service segment over the Saluda Grade.
On July 20, 2022, Upstate Forever announced its intent to turn the portions of the abandoned Saluda Grade into a rail trail.[8] However, the conversion to a trail is contingent on a purchase agreement from Norfolk Southern.
^Lori Sondov (January 8, 2003). "Activists launch effort to rescue piece of history in hopes of restoring railroad service thru the Tryon - Saluda area". Greer Citizen.
^. www.polkcounty.org. Archived from the original on 2011-11-28.
^"County manager: Rails to trails 'moot point'". Tryon Daily Bulletin. March 16, 2011.
Gilbert, John F. (1971). Crossties Over Saluda: A Portrait of Southern Railway Power on the Nation's Steepest, Standard Gauge, Main Line Railway Grade (1st ed.). The Crossties Press.
Murray, Tom (2007). Southern Railway. MBI Railroad Color History (1st ed.). Voyageur Press. ISBN978-0-7603-2545-2.
saluda, grade, steepest, standard, gauge, mainline, railway, grade, united, states, owned, norfolk, southern, railway, part, line, polk, county, north, carolina, gains, feet, elevation, less, than, three, miles, between, melrose, saluda, average, grade, percen. Saluda Grade is the steepest standard gauge mainline railway grade in the United States 1 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 4 8 km 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 In late 2001 Norfolk Southern took the grade out of service following a washout The top of the grade in downtown Saluda Contents 1 History 2 See also 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 Further reading 6 External linksHistory EditCaptain Charles W Pearson was assigned to select a route for the Asheville and Spartanburg Railroad to ascend the Blue Ridge front the area where the rolling hills of the Piedmont end at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains Despite numerous surveys no route was available for a railroad to ascend the mountains at a tolerable grade and the best route followed the Pacolet River valley and gorge The line begins its climb at the bottom of Melrose Mountain where Tryon is today at 1 081 feet 329 m and continues on the south side of the Pacolet valley At Melrose the Saluda Grade begins and climbs to the town of Saluda cresting in the center of town at an elevation of 2 097 feet 639 m The bottom of Saluda Grade in 2013 Because of accidents involving downgrade runaway trains in the late 1880s the then Southern Railway built two runaway safety spur tracks These were originally manned junctions which were always switched to a 60 foot 18 m pile of earth which could stop downgrade runaway trains Only upon hearing a whistle signal from the downgrade train would the signalman manning the spur junction throw the switch to keep the train on the main line In later years CTC signaling was installed along with automated switches and timer circuits for the one surviving runaway safety track at the bottom of the grade at Melrose Trains running downgrade were required to maintain 8 miles per hour 13 km h when approaching the runaway track switch This would allow a timer circuit to determine if a train was under control in which case the switch from the runaway track at Melrose would be aligned to the mainline But for speed greater than 8 miles per hour 13 km h the switch would remain aligned for the runaway track Saluda Grade was one of the few grades in the country where uphill trains could travel faster than their downhill counterparts Most uphill trains had to double or triple the grade splitting the train into sections to be taken up the grade to Saluda one at a time and reassembled there for the rest of the trip to Asheville 2 3 Norfolk Southern suspended freight traffic between East Flat Rock North Carolina and Landrum South Carolina in December 2001 4 thus ceasing operations on the Saluda Grade In April 2003 Norfolk Southern severed the line from the rest of its system by placing mounds of dirt over the tracks and disconnecting the rails at mile posts 26 and 45 5 The signal system is not in use and grade crossings have had their arms removed and signals covered Norfolk Southern has inspected and maintained the right of way since placing the segment out of service removing fallen trees and spraying herbicide on encroaching vegetation but at least four washouts of the roadbed have occurred between Saluda and South Carolina rendering the line impassable Talks of a passenger train excursion and a Rails to trails conversion have made no headway in recent years 6 and Norfolk Southern states it does not intend to abandon the line 7 However in 2014 Norfolk Southern sold a portion of the W Line south of Asheville between mile posts 1 and 26 to Watco a Class III shortline railroad operator Watco operates the line as the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad Norfolk Southern still retains ownership of the out of service segment over the Saluda Grade On July 20 2022 Upstate Forever announced its intent to turn the portions of the abandoned Saluda Grade into a rail trail 8 However the conversion to a trail is contingent on a purchase agreement from Norfolk Southern See also EditList of steepest gradients on adhesion railways Reuben WellsReferences Edit Loy Hillman amp Cates 2004 p 19 Steepest main line U S railroad grade falls silent Trains March 2002 p 12 Don Ball Jr 1978 America s Colorful Railroads New York Bonanza Books p 91 ISBN 0 89169 517 6 Lori Sondov January 8 2003 Activists launch effort to rescue piece of history in hopes of restoring railroad service thru the Tryon Saluda area Greer Citizen Welcome to the Saluda Grade www polkcounty org Archived from the original on 2011 11 28 County manager Rails to trails moot point Tryon Daily Bulletin March 16 2011 Norfolk Southern denies Tryon Streetscape railroad encroachment Tryon Daily Bulletin December 28 2011 Three nonprofits seek to purchase Saluda Grade railroad corridor for 31 mile rail trail The Greenville Journal July 20 2022 Archived from the original on July 21 2022 Retrieved July 21 2022 Bibliography EditLoy Sallie Hillman Dick Cates C Pat 2004 The Southern Railway Images of Rail 1st ed Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978 0 7385 1641 7 Further reading EditGilbert John F 1971 Crossties Over Saluda A Portrait of Southern Railway Power on the Nation s Steepest Standard Gauge Main Line Railway Grade 1st ed The Crossties Press Murray Tom 2007 Southern Railway MBI Railroad Color History 1st ed Voyageur Press ISBN 978 0 7603 2545 2 Tillotson Jr Curt 2005 Southern Railway Steam Trains Volume 2 Freight 1st ed TLC Publishing ISBN 0 9766201 5 4 External links EditSaluda Historic Depot Official websiteCoordinates 35 13 25 N 82 20 52 W 35 22361 N 82 34778 W 35 22361 82 34778 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saluda Grade amp oldid 1124844937, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
