White Top Railway

from possible condemnation for the V-C's own, expanding line. (Both roads were vying for right-of-way through the narrow confines of the Laurel Creek gorge.)

The length of the WT was a scant 8 miles, covering the distance from the mill in Konnarock to the mountain village of White Top. This mileage represented a small percentage of Hassinger's 75 miles of logging line. The WT was built as a standard gauge line, although a third rail was added for two miles near the mill to accommodate narrow gauge trains acquired with the purchase of the T.W. Thayer Lumber Co. in 1924. Operations on the WT ceased upon or soon after the closing of the mill on Christmas Eve 1928.

The WT locomotive roster included two Climax and three Shay geared steam locomotives. WT rolling stock included 20 flat cars; two [http://www.littleriverrailroad.org/log_loader.htm log loaders] ; a [http://www.railroad.net/articles/railfanning/worktrains/index.php steam ditcher] ; a steel flat car; and at least one caboose (seen behind the log loader and at the end of the train in the photo to the left.)

References

*Waskiewicz, Fred. "The Hassinger Lumber Company and Its Railroad Operations." [http://www.nrhs.com/bulletin.htm National Railway Bulletin] . Vol. 52, No. 5, 1987.

*Thompson, Dunn and Hauff. The Climax Locomotive. Oso Publishing Co. 2002.

*Hirsimaki, Eric. Lima, the History. Hundman Publishing Co. 1986.