Heartland Corridor Project

Welch lies in rugged terrain of steep hills, V-shaped valleys, and sharp ridges, with the town built on the narrow valley floor of Tug Fork and its tributaries, less than 1,000 feet wide in places. Through this landscape, the Norfolk and Western Railway, now Norfolk Southern Corporation, built railroad lines in the late 19th century to reach Southern West Virginia’s high quality coal and carry it to the rest of the country, a task that required many bridges and tunnels. The Heartland Corridor rail clearance project later undertook engineering work to allow trains to carry double-stacked cargo containers through tunnels and across bridges on the Norfolk Southern line between the Port of Virginia and Columbus, Ohio, and other Midwestern destinations. Improvements were made to tunnels and bridges along the route, and terminals in Portsmouth and Columbus were upgraded to handle increased freight. Funded by the federal government, state agencies in Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio, and Norfolk Southern Corporation, the project increased clearance in 28 tunnels, including 10 within five miles of Welch, and removed 24 other overhead obstructions. Of the 28 tunnels modified, 15 had roofs excavated and liners replaced, seven were notched, and six had tracks lowered or realigned, with many also receiving drainage improvements. In all, 5.7 miles of tunnel were modified. Construction began in October 2007 and was completed in September 2010. As part of the work, Norfolk Southern Corporation sponsored documentation of 116 bridges and tunnels along the old Norfolk and Western line between Belspring, Virginia, and Bull, West Virginia. The project has been called the most ambitious railroad engineering project of the past century and reflects the continued importance of rail transportation to the nation’s economy.

Welch, West Virginia · United States