Virginia Creeper Route?

Is this the prototype railroad: Virginia–Carolina Railway: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia–Carolina_Railway

How long does it take to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail?
The average time is about 5.5 hours, including a few stops along the way to enjoy the scenery and a bite to eat. From Whitetop to Damascus – 17 miles or so, you can count on approximately 2.5-3 hours and the ride from Damascus to Abingdon is another 17 miles and will take about 2.5 hours.

The Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail is a 34.3-mile rail-to-recreation trail, traversing through two counties from Abingdon, Virginia, through Damascus, and ending just past Whitetop Station in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, at the Virginia-North Carolina border.

The 34.3-mile Virginia Creeper Trail was named after the steam engine that crept up the rails into the Iron Mountains. Also, a plant called the "Virginia Creeper" grew along its tracks.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Why...34rlAhWk1lkKHYX_AgUQ_AUIEygD&biw=1478&bih=712

https://www.google.com/search?clien...AhXuc98KHexUCWYQ4dUDCAY#imgrc=vVeBN_UFqiZiQM:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Dam...1ed5abc43e!2m2!1d-81.9773482!2d36.7098335!3e0
 
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Thanks for the information. What's that moving at 2-3 mph over the whole length? Jeez! Yeah we have Virginia Creeper growing in my backyard right next to the poison ivy.

I don't think anyone has done the route. Then again there are thousands of routes on the Download Station (aka DLS) and I've never paid much attention to all but a few posted up there.

If you are interested in building the route as a prototype there is a great program for that called TransDEM. While there is an extensive learning curve, the results are well worth the effort.

http://www.rolandziegler.de/StreckeUndLandschaft/startseiteTransDEMEngl.htm

With TransDEM, you can import digital elevation data and topographic maps, or orthographic maps and combine the two to make an importable route that is ready for building.
 
The biggest challenge with a historical route such as this, would be finding detailed track diagrams for the various locations. The old topographic maps from USGS would help to some extent but there would still be a fair amount of "Imagineering" involved.
 
The biggest challenge with a historical route such as this, would be finding detailed track diagrams for the various locations. The old topographic maps from USGS would help to some extent but there would still be a fair amount of "Imagineering" involved.

That's the issue I'm running into with the Hoot Toot and Whistle, aka the Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington, and aka the Hold Tight & Worry. The line was obliterated by a dam built on the Deerfield River in the 1970s, rerouted in another location, and there are only a few traces left elsewhere. I've basically imagineered the line up the Deerfield River going as far as to lower the dam water levels in a few places as I attempt to retrace the old ROW. While it's an interesting project, it's also quite frustrating and tiresome as well.
 
The issue is, I am terrible at recreating routes, so I'll have to find someone to make it, or find a copy somewhere, I haven't been able to find the route on the DLS, internet, anything. So chime in please if anyone knows of a copy of the route.
 
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