NS/Southern and CSX/(L&N+ACL)/Clinchfield Bridges over Copper River

(NS Bridge Hunter, CSX Bridge Hunter, Satellite)

Clinchfield was originally called Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio.

Jack Stoner posted
CSX's Copper Creek viaduct dominates the scene as C44-9WAC 50 leads a unit coal train near the railroad location of Copper, VA in February of 1995.The train is exercising trackage rights over Norfolk Southern between Big Stone Gap, VA and Frisco, TN. This train of "company hoppers" has traversed the former L&N Cumberland Valley Sub. via Hagans Switchback to the 1986 built connection with NS at Big Stone Gap, VA

Satellite

It took me a while to find these bridges because I spent too much time looking with Google Maps. Once again, Bing Map has more detail than Google Map because it has  Copper Creek, which Google does not have. I have to find what county the bridges are in before I can find the Bridge Hunter links.

The viaduct has a length of 1,160 feet and a height of 185 feet. [CatskillArchive] It was built by the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio.

NS and CSX have trackage rights on each other's route. [InterpretiveSign]

Update:

Ron Flanary posted

On May 4, 2008, I was in place to photograph an NS unit coal train crossing the bottom bridge at Copper Creek. As I waited for the train to appear, I heard another rumble. It was a CSX southbound! I was hoping and praying they would appear before my lens simultaneously---but they didn't. The NS head end passed just 30 seconds before the CSX appeared on top.

This isn't considered "ethical" in the world of photography, but this "photo illustration" made from a combination of the two images shows what might have happened if the CSX train was 30 seconds faster. Even if it had to be created through digital combination, it's a nice image. I could always lie and say that's how it actually was, but I'm basically an honest guy.

Ron Flanary posted
March 27, 1988: Late in the day, a westbound CSX empty unit train (running on NS trackage rights) drops downgrade from the "Goose Neck" and crosses Copper Creek. The sharp vertical curve from nearly level to 1.7 percent is pretty obvious in this view. The former Clinchfield bridge has minimal grade against loaded coal trains.

Francis Otterbein posted
Pacific 153 leads the Clinchfield Railroad’s daily passenger train from Spartanburg, S.C., to Elkhorn City, Ky., across the landmark Copper Creek Viaduct near Speers Ferry, Va., on May 28, 1952. The lower trestle carries Southern Railway’s Bristol–Appalachia, Va., line over the creek.(Ed Theisinger photo)
Troy Nolen OMG where are all the trees?
Leonard Gardner Troy Nolen I would say that is pasture land.
Troy Nolen Leonard Gardner You go there now, this location is almost completely blocked by trees.

Francis Otterbein posted
Union Pacific 4-6-6-4 #3985, dressed as Clinchfield #676 steams across Copper Creek Viaduct at Speers Ferry, Va.
Boyd Walker Another RR track down to the left. Is it for another railroad or the same railroad?Francis Otterbein The lower trestle carries Southern Railway’s Bristol–Appalachia, Va., line over the creek.

Debbie Newsom Hampton posted
The SOU X549 crossing the Copper Creek is dwarfed by the ex-Clinchfield's much more famous Copper Creek Viaduct. Photo by Ed Wolfe in 1993.