June 1994

Buchanon Fill Culvert

Here's the business end of the concrete culvert underneath Buchanon Fill on the ET&WNC Railroad (Linville River Ry.) between Cranberry and Minneapolis on the way to Boone. The opening goes straight back about 10 feet and then up about 50 feet at about a 45 degree angle to the top where it straightens out again. This opening is about 5 feet tall. The concrete used in this culvert looks the same as used in just about every concrete structure on this railroad.... it's full of black rock mine tailings from Cranberry Mine. This fill was used as a dam after the railroad was abandoned in 1940. The owner blocked the top portal and made a lake behind the fill, until it burst during a heavy rain and washed a barn down onto the highway. It was subsequently opened back up as a culvert again. This fill was situated on a very steep hill with a constant running creek and was originally put in as a trestle when it was a logging line that came from Pineola. The trestle had to have been about 60 feet high on the downslope side.