Roanoke to Winston-Salem line

[Tri-State Tom]

Have seen this single-track line snake it's way south of Roanoke into North Carolina to a large auto distribution facility just north of Winston-Salem and than into the city limits to a fairly large yard complex. I've never been lucky in catching any action in either direction during weekday afternoons or Sunday afternoons.

Does this line have a name and can anyone relate the regularity of train activity and best times/places to do some watching/chasing/picture taking ?

Also, does that yard in W-S have a particular name designation ?

The scanner frequency for NS in and around W-S would also be welcome....

thanks.

[ATF1224]

The line is NS's Winston-Salem District.

160.440

4 - 5 trains per day.

I live along the line, so PM me if you are interested in railfanning some time.

[Tri-State Tom]

ATF -

Much thanks....I'd just about given up on this post.

4-5 trains per day....combo in each direction I presume....and only M-F ?

Where might there be any long passing sidings between Richmond and Winston-Salem ? The only multiple track ROW I've seen is at the auto facility just north of W-S.

Anything on Sunday afternoons ?

[ATF1224]

The trains mostly run as needed. Here is a list:

274 - Southbound Loaded Autoracks to Walkertown
195 - Northbound Empty Autoracks

50J - Southbound Grain Loads*
51J - Northbound Greain Empties*
50K - Southbound Grain Loads
53K - Northbound Grain Empties
54T - Southbound Grain Loads
55T - Northbound Grain Empties

754 - Southbound Loaded Coal to Belews Creek
755 - Northbound Empty Coal to WV
756 - Southbound Loaded Coal to Belews Creek
757 - Northbound Empty Coal to WV
758 - Southbound Loaded Coal to Belews Creek
759 - Northbound Empty Coal to WV
846 - Southbound Loaded Coal to Goldsboro, via Greensboro.*

930 - Work Train
961 - Northbound Light Power
963 - Northbound Light Power
971 - Northbound Power transfer and mixed freight

* Occasional detour over the R-Line, usually runs via Danville and Greensboro.

As I said, the trains run on an as-needed basis. Also the coal trains run with assigned power, which is a set of 5 9700's. Catching trains is pretty much hit and miss. A radio is essential.

Passing sidings are located between Watkins and Stoneville, Basset and Fieldale, and Wirtz and Rocky Mount. I have not been able to access the South end of the siding at Fieldale.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help with!

[Tri-State Tom]

Thanks again for the additional info Jake.

[UP9390]

I also live along the line. It just depends on part of line to see how many trains u will see.

[MBTA1052]

Hello I'm new to North Carolina and I am also trying railfan and figure out what type of diesels run in Winston-Salem that pass a bunch of shopping centers like food-lion and a few car dealers?? But where I live I may hear a train going into the around 6:50 in the morning every now and then but some days never hear a return trip. Occasionally I heard a train go by between 2:30 - 3:30. I also did some research and turns out that this line runs Monday-Friday, along with the trains start in Charottle,NC through Winston-Salem to somewhere South, any help will be thanked!!

[tvcigar]

Are you talking about the Northside of town, or the Southside? The line in the North runs from the Winston-Salem train yard thru to Rural Hall where it interchanges with the Yadkin Valley RR.

Southside line is the old Winston-Salem Southbound, which uses CSX power.

[frank754]

BTW the Yadkin Valley line still sees some traffic, at least to Roaring River, not sure what type (grain, industrial), nor sure who operates the line anymore. But as you approach Wilkesboro, the last few miles seem to be overgrown with some small trees growing in the tracks, and once in Wilkesboro, the depot still stands as well as most of the tracks almost up to it, though paved over at street crossings. Just east of town, there is a huge linear Lowes (lumber) warehouse along the track, but I don't believe they get rail service anymore, although there are a bunch of cars stored along the unused tracks, at least as of a year ago.

[MBTA1052]

I live on the Northside of town and the line sees NS power along with KLWX trains and seems to me like KLWX locomotives must be assigned to this line because engines 6001,6003 and 6004 continue to appear over here around 6:30 to 7am on the weekdays!!

[UP9390]

A guide for the line: http://pumpkinvine.wordpress.com/ A few questions: Anyone on here got a youtube with some railfanning videos on the line? I got a youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/UP9390?feature=guide Has someone made a version of ATCS for this line??? Has anyone made a Model Railroad or route on a Train Simulator of the line or one thats based off it????????????????????????????????????

[MBTA1052]

I have both the line from N.Winston to Rural Hill along with the short line to North Wilkesboro done on a Train sim (On the radio is called YV1/2). I also have the NS line that runs through downtown W-S to Greensboro,NC (That is calles P30) on my Train Sim as well both lines start out at around 6-8:30 in the morning M-F and sometimes come back to the yard around 3-4pm, but I'm not 100% with P30's timeable but I have seen CSX power move along that line to mainly mid day or evenings.

[UP9390]

That train list is very out of date, I'm gonna post a new updated one:
Train Symbol & Radio Frequency List as of 12-7-2015:
Norfolk Southern Winston Salem District "Pumpkin Vine"

Radio Frequencies:

160.440 (AAR 22): Road Channel
161.190 (AAR 72): North Winston Yard
161.250 (AAR 76): Winston Salem Southbound Railway (WSSB)/NS Roanoke Terminal
160.260 (AAR 10): Maintenance of Way (MOW)
160.950 (AAR 56): NS Danville District (Piedmont Division)
160.500 (AAR 26): Yadkin Valley Railroad Channel 1
160.815 (AAR 47) Yadkin Valley Railroad Channel 2
457.937 EOT Channel

Autorack trains:
272: Loaded Autoracks to Walkertown
27V: MTY (Empty) Autoracks
29W: MTY Autoracks
The ID for the MTY Autoracks depends on where they're being sent.
Extra symbols use "I" (I72, I9W, I7V)
Frequency: Daily
Sometimes the MTY autoracks go to South Carolina. In addition, rarely, loaded autoracks will hold at Walkertown and go to the ports in South Carolina. Some days the switcher will bring a cut of loaded autoracks that a Piedmont train brought to North Winston. If the carlot is full when a loaded 272 arrives, it is sent to North Winston.

Coal:
Train ID depends on where it's coming from:
Frequency of Coal: Daily

Bailey Mine Train (Northern Appalachian Coal (NAP) (PA):
746: Loaded Coal
747: MTY Coal Hoppers

Illinois Basin Coal:
752: Loaded Coal
753: MTY Coal Hoppers

Central Appalachian Coal (CAP) (WV):
754, 756, 758, 760: Loaded Coal
755, 757, 759, 761: MTY Coal Hoppers

Extra Coal Trains use "Q" (Q46, etc)

Ethanol trains:
Frequency: A couple of times a week
64M: Loaded Ethanol Train to North Winston, interchanged with WSSB
65M: Empty Ethanol Tankers going back north

Grain:
Grain trains go to either WSSB or YVRR
Frequency: As needed

42V, 44T, 44V, 48V, 58T, 58V, etc: Loaded Grain
51R, 51T, 51V, etc: MTY Grain Hoppers

Light Engines:
Frequency: As Needed
961, 963, 965

Limestone: Used at Duke Energy's Belews Creek Power Plant
Frequency: As needed
68R: Limestone Train to Duke Energy's Belews Creek
69R: MTY Limestone Hoppers

Local trains:
V74: Payne-North Winston-Payne most days.
V77
V78
V79

Maintenance of Way (MOW) "Maintenance in the Way (MIW)"

91V

North Winston & Walkertown Carlot:
VW24, VW42, VW84: Switchers for North Winston and the Carlot at Walkertown

Piedmont Division Trains: (These trains sometimes go past North Winston while building their train.
P94: Local from Linwood, NC
P30

Pushers:
Used on loaded Coal, Ethanol, and Grain Trains:
V41, V42, V43

Yadkin Valley Railroad:
VY2
Yadkin Valley Railroad is owned by Gulf & Ohio Railways. Uses Knoxvolle Locomotive Works Power. YVRR interchanges at North Winston Yard.

Winston Salem Southbound Railway (WSSB):
Unaware of the Train ID's they use. WSSB is jointly owned by CSXT and NS. WSSB Interchanges at North Winston Yard.

I run a heads up group for the line on Facebook, anyone still on here nearby, add me: Dylan Niten

In the past week there's been a lot of MOW Activity!
Would anyone happen to know what channel NS Police is on?

[MBTA1052]

Happy Holidays everyone, it seems time 160.950 don't really get used much these days by YV1/2. However they still use 160.500 and I believe Yadkin Valley services up to Roaring River on certain occasions but mostly Yadkin Valley's Switcher which goes by the name ET1/2 covers everything pass Rockford.