Some of you may remember my post about the Saluda Grade and the runaway train ramp. In the old days, the switch was set to the runaway spur and manualy switched to the main line when signaled by the engineer.
The line has been closed over ten years. Rumors surface every year that the Saluda Grade is being reopened. Norfolk Southern recently rejected the requests from two different towns to encroach the ROW. These were minor encroachments that wouldn’t prevent trains from running the line. NS cited the reopening of the line as the reason for rejecting the requests. NS has in the past rejected tourist RR’s use of the line as well as rails to trails. Always citing reopening of the line. So I don’t get to excited when NS talks about opening the line, as they’ve used it as an excuse ever since they closed it. However, few months ago I saw several Norfolk Southern engineers inspecting the signal boxes. Then today, I saw NS replacing the ties on the rail south of the grade. A large MOW crew. This struck me as odd, as the line south of the cut track only averages 1 car a week. Why would NS spend all that money for 1 car a week? I decided to walk the lower portion of the grade. I started at the runaway train ramp. Though the entrance to the ramp is overgrown, it wasn’t as bad further down the line. Here is a small trestle on the runaway line.
The line runs maybe a half mile, running into a large earthen berm. It’s pretty obvious it’s purpose is to minimize damage by a runaway train. It is nowhere near long enough to slow a train down. Story has it that an engineer was killed after crashing into the berm. The loco reportedly toppled into a ravine. There may be some truth to the story. Near the end of the line at the bottom of a ravine, I found these two couplers. Still coupled, but broke off on each end.
After coming to the end of the runaway ramp. I went back to the main line and followed it down. I came across this switchable derailer. Strange, as it would more or less send a train over a cliff.
Walking further, I came to this bridge and crossed it. No walkway or ballast, just ties.
I had heard there was a large washout on the line south of Melrose. This was my goal for the day. I’m not sure if this was the washout in question,as it was nowhere near the size I had been told. But as the Sun was starting to settle, I decided to head back up rather than explore further and see if I could find a larger washout.
The washout is much deeper than it looks in the photos. Probably 40 feet or more down to the bottom.
