Found this on Yahoo Groups. Where is/was Clopton Yard? Apparently an Atlantic Coast Line facility. I imagine that nice little roundhouse is long gone?


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Switchers/files/BG-02
ryarger@rypn.org

> Found this on Yahoo Groups. Where is/was
> Clopton Yard? Apparently an Atlantic Coast
> Line facility. I imagine that nice little
> roundhouse is long gone?

Clopton Yard is in Richmond, VA, however, this yard was refered to as "Shops Yard" on the radio by the SCL crews that used to work from there in the early 1980s. The SPV Atlas calls this spot Cowardin Ave Yard. This shot was taken from up on the hill, with US-301 just behind the photographer. The railroad passed under the highway here, and made it's way through the industrialized areas of South Richmond. In the background is the C&O on the other side of the James River, and at the back of this yard, a connection went down the hill to connect with the Southern yard in Richmond.

Clopton Yard is actually a couple of miles South of this location, along US-301, behind some warehouses. the yard throat is at Coffer Rd on the North end, and you can usually catch a unit or two here switching the various industries.

All of this gone now. I shot what was left in 1983, the fuel tanks and boarded up shop buildings. All rail and structures were gone by 1990.

The ACL-SAL Society posted a similar shot on their web page last year.

Russell Underwood

NFDRwy@Cox.net