Hurricane Helene has dealt a terrific blow to the southeastern U.S., with floodwaters also devastating rail lines in western NC. Such flooding has never before been seen. The Clinchfield is wrecked, with even the Nolichucky River bridge at Poplar, NC washed away. This is the scene near Asheville on the NS at Biltmore, before, currently and in a 01/26/2019 shot I took just to the right of these images. I've been here many times. The highway crossing in the two photos below is behind the train in my picture. The train is crossing the Swannanoa River which overflowed its banks.
More can be found at this link. https://www.trains.com/trn/news-rev...-largely-unrecognizable-after-historic-flood/
The scope of rail line destruction may have consequences for the region. Asheville has become an increasingly lonely outpost on the NS system map. Blue Ridge Southern (BLU) interchanges with NS there, but BLU has lost traffic over the years. Then there's tourist-hauler Great Smoky Mountains RR which is dependent on the BLU for a connection. The Clinchfield has had significant loss of coal tonnage in the last decade. Even if billions in Federal and State aid is brought to bear, repairs will take time and what might be left of rail-dependent commercial enterprise on these lines upon repair can't be known.
Wow. Mentally I was probably thinking like many other folks. About the winds and that type of damage. This outcome is worse than ugly.
Really a bad situation up there and I fear it may be the end or a good bit of the former Clinchfield. Will be interesting to see what NS and CSX do based on the extreme damage they have suffered in the region from the combination of a front that brought an unprecedented amount of rain followed immediately by the remnants of the hurricane. Sadly, the perfect recipe for disaster.
I just read that NS has no estimate for restoration to service to Asheville via either line, east or west.
Another before and after comparo. This is the NS (former SOU) bridge just west of Asheville as the mainline crosses the French Broad. Here's the same bridge, with Blue Ridge Southern on the way to Asheville Yard. Taken 06/13/2015.
Peeps on the bridge are nuts, have no idea if the bridge is being undermined and about ready to collapse!
My wife said the same upon seeing this. Lots of gawkers out and about not putting much thought as to the risks they're taking.
Just found out that this bridge on the Loops at the west end of Old Fort has been damaged as well. I think its approaches were augured away. [07/23/1989]
Wow, Mother Nature isn't happy lately!! It's amazing how high the water got, especially when you look at the first photo, how low the water is!
It appears that Helene has inflicted the same type damages to the Southern Blue Ridge areas that 52 years ago Hurricane Agnes inflicted on the Susquehanna watershed and Chesapeake Bay areas in June 1972. Recovery after Agnes did not happen overnight and from a railroad perspective hastened the end of a number of the damaged lines. B&O took until 1975 to get the Old Main Line back in operation (they wanted to abandon it but the ICC would not let them). It will be interesting to see what lines get rebuilt or abandoned after Helene.
Well put. There's a lot of speculation over what'll be rebuilt. Looking at the region, I don't see many opportunities for CSX and NS to help each other and consolidate traffic on fewer lines.
When Katrina destroyed CSX's NO&M Sub between Mobile and New Orleans in 2005, CSX and NS got a detour agreement for CSX trains to be operated from Birmingham to New Orleans over NS, with CSX crews and NS pilots until such time as the CSX crews became qualified over the route. CSX signed up all the contractors they could find to restore the NO&M which was accomplished in approximately six months.
Another before and after in Asheville. Top photo is Blue Ridge Southern departing Asheville for Canton, 01/28/2017. After Helene.
A reddit link with some Clinchfield damage images. Skip reading most of the comments. Many are ignorant and unkind, while others make light of the damage and loss of life. Scuttlebutt is that it'll take eight to nine months to reopen the line, assuming CSX chooses to do so. https://www.reddit.com/r/railroadin...p&utm_name=ioscss&utm_source=share&utm_term=1
