Norfolk & Western Pocahontas Division

The Pocahontas Division of the Norfolk & Western Railway covers the lines between Bluefield and Williamson, Bluefield and Norton, and all the lines of the Virginian Rwy. in West Virginia. Headquarters of the division is in Bluefield. This division is the "heart and soul" of the N&W because this is coal country. While the number of working mines and the number of branch lines (and branch lines from branch lines) has diminished, there is much tonnage moved from and through this division. There are three “main lines” and and several important connector branches. Curves, tunnels, and grades abound in this portion of southern West Virginia, far Southwest Virginia, and the eastern tip of Kentucky.

The three districts on the divison are the “Pocahontas District,” the “Clinch Valley District,” and the “Princeton-Deepwater District.” The Pocahontas District (the “Pokey”) covers the N&W main line between Bluefield and Williamson and includes a number of branches. The Clinch Valley District covers the N&W main line between Bluefield, W.Va. and Norton, Va. The district also includes the Dry Fork Branch between Cedar Bluff, Va. and Iaeger, W.Va. and the Buchanan Branch between Richlands, Va. and Devon, W.Va. The Princeton-Deepwater District (the “P-D”) covers the former Virginian Rwy. line from Kellysville to Princeton to Elmore and on to Deepwater. The district also includes the Guyandot River Branch from Elmore to Gilbert and the Winding Gulf Branch that extends from Elmore.

These are track charts from the 1980s. They are OK scans of OK photocopies, which at the time were about the best available for photocopies.

MP N-361 to N-368 Bluefield to Hale
MP N-368 to N-375 Falls Mills to Bluestone Jct.
MP N-375 to N-382 Elkhorn Tunnell to Elkhorn
MP N-382 to N-390 Elkhorn to Eckman
MP N-390 to N-397 Vivian to Maitland
MP N-397 to N-404 Welch to Mohegan (included Farm)
MP N-404 to N-411 Davy to Claren
MP N-411 to N-418 Big Sandy to Wilmore
MP N-418 to N-425 Sandy Huff, Iaeger, Hull
MP N-425 to N-432 Krolitz to Mohawk
MP N-432 to N-439 Alnwick to Ben
MP N-439 to N-446 Glen Alum to Looney's Curve
MP N-446 to N-453 Devon to Vulcan
MP N-453 to N-460 Delorme to McCarr
MP N-460 to N-467 Matewan to Rawl
MP N-467 to N-470 Williamson

This is a track chart from 2003.

The 1951 Employee Timetable for the division has schedules for passenger service on the main line and several of the branches, plus local operating rules.