Farewell to the Southern Railway Loops

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Recorded in 2020, this documentary records the final through trains on Norfolk Southern's Old Fort Loops in North Carolina.
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[@DelayInBlockProductions]

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[@theoutdoorsandgames6133]

where is 611 vid

[@tavi9598]

Saluda was abandoned because they were rerouting through freight via the Old Fort Loops. Now they're abandoning the Loops too? What a waste.

[@Ryanstumpie1]

And as of June 2023, things are looking good with the talks of through freights coming back to Asheville District!

[@Scaletrains]

Great video! We actually made the 9613 in HO Scale a few years ago.

[@tylerrose5232]

Nothing like a bit of self promotion I see

[@jeffmiller3150]

That's got tourist railway written all over it!!!🛤️🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃💰

[@joeystrains.9316]

Agreed!

[@RailPreserver2K]

​@@joeystrains.9316same

[@jacobdubielak]

I love how the Norfolk Southern train conductor was talking to you about the drone

[@amyreynolds3619]

I was in Asheville in July and the yard in Asheville was very full and had many NS locomotives there 2023

[@DucatiGTS]

I do not understand how you're sitting at only 114k subs, I know people who have RF channels & have eclipsed 200k subs in less than 2 years. You have great content, that algorithm must not like you.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

We don’t get it either. It’s frustrating. Thanks for watching though and for the kind words.

[@annregovich767]

RIP southern railways

[@tacticalllama67]

This is my back yard...sad to see it in deline. Ran all the ridgetops of Old Fort mountain.

[@Trains-With-Shane]

So while I like the remasters I much prefer your own narration.

[@NS_1903]

Great work!! Thanks Drayton.

[@karenchilders4865]

I love your channel I love it🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@steveamurray59]

Well Done !

[@stanb42]

You’ve really got to appreciate the 19th and early 20th century civil and ROW engineers to meet the requirements of moving tonnage over the mountains with no natural passes.

[@earlschmitt884]

Always 😢sad to see old rail lines come to an end.

[@AngryCatMan1982]

The best hope for preservation is for the state of NC to purchase or lease the route from NS. Similar to it's Piedmont counterpart terminating in Charlotte & Raleigh, this hypothetical "new service" could terminate in Asheville & Salisbury. Of course the entire line needs to be PTC compliant, and there's the roadblock.

[@Captainstrains9882]

The line from Longview to Asheville has a speed limit of 25 Miles Per Hour. It still got signals working for just a few trains somehow! that might be the reason why NS pulled the plug for the Old Fort Loops.

[@cu29640]

S-Line may end up being leased to the Blue Ridge who will hopefully build up some new shippers with a customer service design.

[@MASTERCHIEF1062]

.... dude, they'll be lucky if they get that, has no one told you and the paper mill in Canton is being closed down? that's a major customer gone, money like that is gonna be hard to find on the S line.

[@cu29640]

@@MASTERCHIEF1062 Yep and thats sad but there is hope someone will buy it. Many of Maine's paper mills closed and most have been purchased and fully re-opened. Cartons will be needed more and more if there is a desire to reduce single use plastic. Plastic is good for permanent use...I am referring to drink cartons etc. Lots of other customers on the S-Line with severed spurs. Concrete plant in Marion and others. NS must have not wanted that business otherwise why give up rail if you already have your own private spur.

[@russellhoyle-em5sb]

@@cu29640 don't forget Ingles.

[@joeystrains.9316]

One of the channel`s best captures yet, with the different perspectives. Excellent video. Beautiful country scene.

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Thank you!

[@gordtvradio3465]

The CSX SD70T4s are really nice locos

[@joenewstead4848]

Apparently the chip plant in bristol is under new ownership and it is unown if they are gonna continue getting cars shipped.

[@thomasmackowiak]

Thank you, Drayton, for uploading this video on Norfolk Southern's last trains over the former Southern Railway's Fort Loops and the CSX's Clinchfield Loops. I enjoyed watching this video!

[@williamflowersrailfannerpr3808]

What a way to say goodbye to SOU loops RIP

[@liampurcell9561]

Used to hang out around the Andrew's loop in Old Fort, you could watch the trains come in on one side and see them leave the hollow about 40-50 feet higher. I'd go down there with my girlfriend and we'd pitch a hammock in the trees where you could see both sides of the loop. I think I still have a spike or two from that track. You could feel the diesel shake the ground and the trees as it climbed up and around.

[@liampurcell9561]

Also- I know I watched a N/S train do the loops in Spring of 2021. So they must have kept at least a few more trips running. It was a big one too.

[@Captainstrains9882]

@@liampurcell9561 must have been on a Monday or a Tuesday. we would be having 1 local that is like 5 to 15 cars, but on some Mondays or Tuesdays, it can be as long as 30 cars. but be aware, some Mondays and Tuesdays the train can be as small as 6 cars. P87 once when up to 20 to nearly 40 cars eastbound, since P87 doesn't run on weekends.

[@KNR6292]

"perfect moments cannot be preserved....except in memories" thanks for sharing!

[@dallasrailfanner3870]

RIP Loop

[@RailPreserver2K]

I hope some kind of excursion could be established on this, kind of like the hiawassee loop

[@fluxthelycanroc9603]

These days its kinda common to see "road power" on locals. Further south here in georgia we use dash-9s, sd70s, es44s etc. You name it its probably been on a local. Not to say we dont have any smaller engines more suitable but thats just what we tend to be allocated

[@johnsalomone5101]

Aww, I wish the production of the content actually showed full trains,,being a " train"= video, specially will old & new rolling stock kinda the best part,, is filming it, not to miss heritage showcase the rusty yesteryear,

[@williamflowersrailfannerpr3808]

Gotta miss SOUTHERN Railway loops

[@adrian33161]

Once my brain decided that it’s a donkey on the side of 9802, I can’t unsee it

[@MrSubaru1387]

@1:09:27 first time driving in the NC mountains? lol

[@kennethtiller7916]

Thanks for sharing. If the loops are closed, will NS continue to operate trains out of Asheville? Especially now that the canton mill is closing?

[@doctordeath.5716]

What is going to happen to the loop now?

[@Mudpaws]

Ripping it up

[@coolruehle]

​@@Mudpaws ugh!

[@swbfuf]

@@Mudpaws no way, actually?

[@MASTERCHIEF1062]

@@Mudpaws no you're thinking of Saluda, i heard talk the state's looking at the loops for passenger service between Asheville and the nearest Amtrak station.

[@AngryCatMan1982]

​@@MASTERCHIEF1062 That would be ideal to try to link across the state. I remember a few years ago, the state was looking to extend their service to Wilmington via the old W&W subdivision. Another route was using the Aberdeen Sub. to the Wilmington Sub. Imagine being able to take one train from the mountains to the beach, and back.

[@brandonoconnor1079]

I hope Amtrak brings service to Asheville. It would be a shame for the loops to go the way Saluda did

[@killerbees177]

Is it easy to get to the southern loop?

[@cu29640]

Does the bowater coal train go via Roanoke down to Salisbury? If so why so out of the way versus direct thru Morristown?

[@Captainstrains9882]

Yes, unfortunately. The reason is that the speed from Morristown to Long View, aka West Hickory (160 miles) is restricted to 25 miles per hour, making the trip slower, or the danger of having a loaded coal train going down on the loops. Once NS upgrades the speed, the loops would come back I bet.

[@Bongofurry]

Hopefully they turn it into a bike path.

[@chickdavis8308]

Where is the paper mill near Asheville that uses all of those wood chips?

[@DelayInBlockProductions]

Canton and it has since closed.

[@Captainstrains9882]

@@DelayInBlockProductions Closing soon. Hopefully, the Bridgewater Chip Mill would find a new customer and P87 will still run on the loops. I heard that there going to Charleston SC or Augusta GA, so they might truck the chips down there, or find an alternatives, or still run them on the loops.

[@amyreynolds3619]

NS is having to reopening Lynnwood yard because they were making to much noises at the yard at Spencer and the towns fines the company so much that they are re-opening the yard as of May of this year.

[@johnathanlewis2049]

PSR has done a lot of damage to the railroad industry. It makes the boards of directors and stockholders happy but it destroys jobs

[@killerbees177]

So what did NS do with the loops? Did they tear the tracks up?

[@KNR6292]

Gonna take a road trip to see the Saluda Grade and the Old Fort loops this October!!! lets hope theres something left to see

[@joedelusso1415]

I guess the final nail in the coffin Will be the closing of the evergreen mill in Canton NC in june.

[@yankeesforlife24]

More than likely those locomotives weren’t sent there by upper management. While not “on purpose” most likely the crew member at the power desk is a railfanner or someone who understands the significance and sent them there.

[@mileniumforcefrabfrab2997]

what are loops?

[@kz100]

The loops are a way to gradually raise a railroad from a lower elevation to a higher one. In this case, the loops raise the railroad from the foothills to the top of the Blue Ridge mountain. Other examples are Horseshoe Curve in Pennsylvania, Williams Loop in California and the Tehachapi Loop also in California.

[@nolantherailfan5048]

Was this loop abandoned?

[@Captainstrains9882]

No to maybe. P60 might be the last.

[@jessemoose6970]

No their talking about bringing through freight back and once or twice a week there Is a train taking freight to Linwood or to Asheville

[@Captainstrains9882]

@@jessemoose6970 but we haven’t seen that train in like 2 weeks. If this new service doesn’t happen, the Line from Asheville to Statesville might become a branch line, or hopefully Asheville to Catawba would get sold off. That will mean the Asheville District will be lost, and the line from Catawba to Salisbury will be part of the Danville District.

[@jefferykeeper9034]

Why do you keep changing camera angles because some people would like too see the hole train.

[@austinross1825]

I miss your old narration to be honest it’s really obvious you’re using an AI voice. Whoever said your personal narration is annoying they can stick it I think you have a good natural speaking voice. Hope this boosts your confidence buddy.

[@TrainsAreReallyCool]

A prime example of NS's terminal stupidity in 2020.

[@cellovid]

Is this the clinchfield loops?

[@bigB6flyer]

No. They they go thru Altapass,NC on the old Clinchfield Line now CSX.

[@lakegeorgedental3998]

@@bigB6flyer Thanks... I'm sad to hear of lines closing. I had a lovely day of trainspotting near the altapass tunnel many years ago on a family vacation.

[@tylerrose5232]

That’s a donkey not a horse

[@claudiomoraes6482]

O TREM QUE LEVA A AMANTE O AO ENCONTRO DO NAMORADO CASADO AHAHAHA AHAHAHA AHAHAHA AHAHAHA 👋👋👋👋👋👋👋👋

[@ChainsawNW1218]

Really enjoyed the chase on NS and CSX, just locals NS now,it would be nice if through freights could run on the loops again!🛤🚂

[@williamlee1429]

Two 4,500 hp road diesels doing the work of a 600 hp switch engine back in the day. What a monumental waste of horsepower and fuel.

[@christherailfan5851]

don’t forget about the 2.94% grade

[@Captainstrains9882]

@@christherailfan5851 Running in Notch 4 or 5, and even 3 up a 2% grade, only bringing 12 loads up the mountain with a total of 8800HP at the front. Might be because of fuel prices. If a locomotive is in notch 8, it's wasting some fuel.

[@christherailfan5851]

@@Captainstrains9882 they probably don’t want to be wasting time since the traction motors lose a significant amount of power at speed compared to at a crawl.

[@Captainstrains9882]

@@christherailfan5851 They never craw, up till about 30 woodchip hoppers.

[@christherailfan5851]

@@Captainstrains9882 alr then