Sunken railcars of whiskey in New River

[corklabus]

I have heard this tail repeatedly throughout my childhood.
A reference to this tail was quoted from a printed source by the member using the name "excavator". It's the only printed reference I have ever encountered about this tale.
First I wondered if his reference made any elaboration on this information, or what the name of the book might be and if I could get one.
Secondly, I'm not really interested in the "treasure" aspect of the tail. I'm only interested in the location itself. The tail supposedly goes that divers were originally sent down to attempt some sort of recovery of the whiskey. The divers supposedly returned to the surface and refused to go back down because they encountered super large catfish big enough to easily eat them.
Now stupid fisherman that I am, I would like to know where this occurred so I'd simply be increasing my chances of catching bigger fish. Of course I realize that maybe the size of such fish would actually decrease my chances by eating everything else in the area, but what the heck.
Having lived most of my life here, it's obvious that the county is Fayette county and the "River Gorge" aspect is obviously New River Gorge.
Childhood stories place the location on the far side of the river at the mouth of the Gauley river. However, I noticed in the post "Excavator" was quoting that the location was beneath a bridge. Since this is an old tail, there have been several different types of bridges that have spanned New River due to mining operations over the years, but no longer exist. I happen to have an idea to the locations of these old structures and wonder if they may have any influence on the true location.
I know it's a pipe dream, but since this forum is the only place I've ever noticed any reference to the tail, I just couldn't resist inquiring if there was even any truth to the tail.

 

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[cavers5]

Don't know anything about that one, but I'll take some of that good catfish when you catch them!

Good luck!

Cavers5

 

[Gypsy Heart]

That story has repeatedly been told ,but I havent been able to find any reference to it ....The little blurb on it that you have seen is the only thing I can find on it.
I would check with the county historical society or old newspapers and see if there was a train accident ever reported there....they might have something that is not online .

 

[corklabus]

I've done some hap-hazard research with the historical societies and old newspapers on the subject, but never could spend any serious time on it.
Things in my area also leave alot to be desired when it comes to wasting time and money on something that really seems so frivolous. Only being interested in catching a few fish just makes the old tail seem a bit more intriguing I guess.
If it really happened, I sure wouldn't consider going down there fooling around.
It was reported a few years back that some teenagers found a couple bottles of old whiskey washed up on the bank down around Falls view. Believe it or not, they actually turned it over to the County Sherrifs Deputies. It just makes ya' wonder sometimes.

 

[nicademusx]

I spent time camping with family in new river gorge when i was a kid. My grandpa was an old indian, but i've never heard any tales about lost whiskey. Knowing the indians, they probably got it all. anyway, when living down near New Orleans I heard tales of divers going down in two man teams and only one man coming up blubbering about catfish, swallowing the other diver whole, and being the size of a small school bus. Never seen with my own eyes but heard lots of stories.

 

[Gaijun1]

If Its In White Water You Aint Gonna Find Them At All With Out Killing Yourself For Trying
Those Waters Are Rough

 

[corklabus]

Whitewater won't be the problem. I'm only after a unique spot to catch BIG catfish. My problem is locating the spot of the wreck. Then I'll fish from the bank if it's not accessable with my boat. I got no intention of gettin my feet wet, let alone anything else. From what I can figure out, a bridge was built later somewhere near this site.
problem now is that the park service keeps gating everything off, making access more difficult.

 

[Gaijun1]

Chances Are Its In Rough Waters Because If It Took a Dive Thats Most Likely Where its Went Wrong
However Ive Search The Water With a Fish Finder But Not In The Rapids Ive Found Boats With It But A Train
Good Luck

 

[corklabus]

I don't doubt that rough water was part of the reason the bank was undercut and caused the accident. There was also mention of it occuring during a large flood at the time.
Sunken rail cars ARE actually visable near the bridge at Thurmond, but these are coal cars and the old steam engine is also sometimes visable. Then on one of the coal feeder creeks there is also more coal cars visable in the water.
I know it's a long shot, but I'm having a lot of fun researching it. So Far I've found evidence of many more bridges crossing New River than most folks even imagine these days.

 

[Gaijun1]

I don't doubt that rough water was part of the reason the bank was undercut and caused the accident. There was also mention of it occuring during a large flood at the time.
Sunken rail cars ARE actually visable near the bridge at Thurmond, but these are coal cars and the old steam engine is also sometimes visable. Then on one of the coal feeder creeks there is also more coal cars visable in the water.
I know it's a long shot, but I'm having a lot of fun researching it. So Far I've found evidence of many more bridges crossing New River than most folks even imagine these days.

Good Hunting

 

[JimmyCSXconductor]

I am a conductor for CSX and work on the New River sud district and have heard of this story quite a few times from the old heads I work with.The story is they are at Blue Hole. There is a really deep hole of water there between Gauley Brdge and Cotton Hill , and in that hole of water is where they are suppose to be. There was an old siding there and for some reason the cars where placed in the siding and some how ended up going over the bank and in to the hole of water. whether its true or not I have no clue but there is an old siding there and a really deep hole of water beside of it so its possible.

 

[corklabus]

Thanks for the interest in the topic and a greatly informative reply. Like you, I have no idea if the tale is true or not, but I've grown up with the story. Your information gives me a pretty accurate idea of where this place is located. I've heard mention of this deep hole during my Civil War research. My problem now would be what type of boat to use to get there as mine is a bit large for the area with very little access for launching it. I'm told that most of the rest of the area has become very shallow due to silt and debis building up behind Kanawah Falls. Once the weather breaks, I'll join the rest of the fishin' fools down there. Thanks again.

 

[JimmyCSXconductor]

Your best bet to get there would be to walk the railroad tracks . There are to many shallow spots and rocks to take a boat.

 

[poorhunter78]

Your best bet to get there would be to walk the railroad tracks . There are to many shallow spots and rocks to take a boat.

Anyone come up with any thing on this yet? If you wish to not post you could PM me.. Some things just remain in the back of your head for so long..

You work for the RR, I have it on good authority that walking on or near the RR tracks could land a man in jail...

 

[corklabus]

I wouldn't worry too awfully much about landing in jail over walking the railroad right of ways to access a fishing spot. Those laws are rarely enforcible in remote areas even considering 911 awareness. They can't possibly police EVERY single stretch of track. Then too it depends a lot on what you are actually DOING while there. I seriously doubt they would give you any lip just for going fishing. Like how often do you get caught for speeding ? We all do it. It's just a chance you take in life.
On a different note..... a SMALL flat bottom boat will work here, but I'd make sure I had a good STRONG trolling motor and a good set of paddles.

 

[poorhunter78]

I wouldn't worry too awfully much about landing in jail over walking the railroad right of ways to access a fishing spot. Those laws are rarely enforcible in remote areas even considering 911 awareness. They can't possibly police EVERY single stretch of track. Then too it depends a lot on what you are actually DOING while there. I seriously doubt they would give you any lip just for going fishing. Like how often do you get caught for speeding ? We all do it. It's just a chance you take in life.
On a different note..... a SMALL flat bottom boat will work here, but I'd make sure I had a good STRONG trolling motor and a good set of paddles.

I have been under the new river bridge, Thats as far as I have ever been... Just Wondered if anyone might have taken a boots on closer look into where this is... I do own a 12' flat bottom with 40lb thrust motor... Access to more power...

 

[corklabus]

Basically, we were discussing an area above the falls at Kanahwa Falls. You may be okay with 40lbs thrust on a 12 footer, but you can get into serious turbulence and plenty of trouble if you get too close to that rock fall dam. You can work your way UP river from that area to find plenty of good spots. Anywhere between the down side of the dam at Hawks nest to the dam at Kanahwa Falls is prime area. As far as I know there is NO place to launch a boat below Hawks nest, so you'd have to launch in front of the State Patrol Station at Gauley bridge,or pay to launch at the campgroud up the road from it and work your way up river. The actual location of the old wreck is up to you to locate, since I'm not given to revealing my exact favorite fishing spots.
Then too there is plenty of stories about 100 pound catfish being pulled out of New River in the Nuttalburg area back in the days when the mines were running. That hasn't been fished for nearly 100 years for anything but Bass and pan fish. Imagine the Cats that might be living there now...... Access to that area is from the Winona dip on route 60. It DOES have a gate now since the park service is restoring the mine area, but only a short walk to the river from the gate. It's about a 3 mile drive down that old road to the gate, but most of it is paved and the rest good gravel.

 

[poorhunter78]

I wasn't Meaning that I would Go Jump on the River and step on someone's toes.. I was just looking to see if anyone had located anything, It would be Cool to see something come out of a mystery.. As for Big Cats, A buddy of mine tells everyone. When I go to the River, All the fish Run away.. LOL
I was just saying that I do have a boat.. I am too tied down with Family and Life right now to be able to go rootin somewhere I Have no idea about..

 

[corklabus]

Ahh...well..... The train wreck was a tail that had been around long before I was big enough to ride anywhere better than the back seat of the car. The actual location in my imagination is probably long buried in mud and silt considering where it was supposed to have happened. After all, how much weight can a person put in tails that have been handed down through 4 generations ? Unless some really severe flooding turns something up, I doubt that anything will turn up. I tried doing serious research on the actual location of the wreck and all I turned up was stories about the flood that supposedly caused it, but nothing on the wreck or recovery efforts itself.
As for the fishing.....That was my sole interest in the wreck. Basically hoping for a bigger fish or two, My boat is way too big for the area of the wreck site, so I'm stuck with the walk in. So far, nothing better than average. As for Nuttalburg....So far I haven't been able to try it out. Spent this summer remodeling my entire house and have been trying to get that back to normal and again, there ain't no way my boat could get in there, so it's another walk in for me. I've talked to a few of the rafter guides that do the float fishing things and they tell me that section is some of their best areas for smallmouth and largemouth bass and other species that get caught in that style of fishing.
On another note, I ran across a couple other wreck sites where an old steam engine is still visable in the water around Thurmond and there are some old coal cars in one of the creeks that fed New River in the Nutalburg area. Might be an interesting excursion to see those sometime.

 

[WVgirl]

On rafting trips they always tell the story of the railcar , the guides always start telling right before the small bridge so my guess would be between the two bridges meaning New River Gorge Bridge so you might try looking there !