"Mile post 1.82, elevation 1693, Agency station and telegraph office with call NH. The standard Depot still exists and measures 16.5x61.5 feet. Its original position was on the north side of the track just west of the existing road crossing. The agency was closed in 1967 and the building has been moved a short distance and is now used commercially. Other faculties here included a section foreman’s house, bunkhouse, section tool house, and stock pens. North Caldwell was originally listed on the original Greenbrier Station list as "Little Sulphur", but was only used for a short period of time. Once the depot was built on 1901 the name was changed to "Hunter", for the grantors of the right-of-way in the area. It was then changed again to North Caldwell in September 1902 due to confusion with a station called Hunter on the Norfolk and Western Railway.
A passing siding 3282 feet long was located here. It was reduced in length on the east end at two different times, leaving an existing siding of 1896 feet. The date of the first reduction of 391 feet is not known. The second reduction was done in November 1940.
North Caldwell was the sight briefly considered by the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company for its new paper mill. A map dated May 1899 shows the mill located in the large field North of present Rt. 60. To serve the mill, a yard complex of five tracks was proposed. One track was used to be north of the main track and the others to be south. Several spurs left the yard tracks to serve the mill. At a point in time the C & O encouraged the use of portable steam sawmills, which had begun to make their appearance at White Sulphur Springs, Caldwell, and Ronceverte."
1. In the summer of 1948 track crews put in side tracks at MP3 near North Caldwell to serve the asphalt plant of the Interstate Amiesite Company.
2. In December 1978 the track material between North Caldwell and MP 78 was sold to Midwest Steel, of Charleston.
3. In July 1979 ties and rail were picked up at North Caldwell, Renick and, Marlinton.
4. For a number of years the railroad operated a farm and a nursery at North Caldwell.
5. At the height of wartime traffic in 1943 North Caldwell was an agent station.
6. In 1953 North Caldwell was 1 of five maintenance stations.
7. On July 15, 1930 North Caldwell was a flag stop. I believe that continued for many years. (A flag stop is where the train would stop if you flag it down.)
8. In April 25, 1967 North Caldwell was closed after authority was received.
In 1902 was a tragic wreck with three deaths. A freight train wrecked on March 25 resulted in the death of Greenbrier Division Trainmaster B.T. Dixon and serious injuries to the fireman. Daniel Sherwood. The Train, traveling downriver, hit a rock on the track four miles above North Caldwell and the engine and tender left the track and went into the river. Mr. Dixon was caught by the tender was crushed. He died early the next morning from his injuries in the Clifton Forge Hospital. The engineer jumped clear and was not hurt.
A hobo named Phillips was killed in a freight train wreck near Wanless on May 8. A number of cars went into the river. This was not a good day for railroading in the Greenbrier River Valley, as the wrecking train, in route to this accident, put four cars in the ditch a mile above Whitcomb. Finally, a Western Maryland Railway engine, coming to transfer passengers around the freight wreck, derailed at Burner above Durbin.
An accident explosion on February 26, 1900, near Caldwell, fortunately did not cause any deaths. It was caused by used a crowbar to unchoke a hole that already had two kegs of powder poured in it. Several men were blown into the air and several others covered with dirt but the worst that happened was one man losing three of his fingers and another suffering a broken leg.
North Caldwell Station, 1.7 miles north of, on Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, 60 feet south of road crossing, 50 feet east of track, in old stump; copper nail, painted "1,704.4" 1,703.94
North Caldwell Station, 0.5 mile northwest of, on Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, at northeast end of siding, 10 feet west of track, in timber of switch; iron bolt, painted "1,693.9" 1,693.087 Feet
North Caldwell Station, at South end of platform, 10 feet west of track, 50 feet north of macadam road, in cement coping of platform; bronze tablet stamped "W. Va.- 1920-1,693" 1,693.08 Feet
“Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Co. employees and passenger are shown on the passenger station platform at Marlinton Wednesday as the passenger train which is operated daily over the Greenbrier Branch from Ronceverte to Durbin made its last run. Shown lift to right, are J. H. Sims of Ronceverte, express messenger, who has worked intermittently on the branch since 1924; C. M. Lynch of Ronceverte, engineer, who has been in railroad service for 50 years, mostly on the Greenbrier Branch. J.M. Humphreys of Hinton, baggage man, who has been working as an extra employee for the railroad for only a short time; I. F. Clinebell of Ronceverte, conductor, who has been in the service of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad for over 50 years on the Greenbrier Branch, expect for years on the main line; Gephart Geiger of stony Bottom, who was a passenger on the train’s last run and Frank G. Holland of Marlinton station agent who has been employed by the Chesapeake and Ohio since 1939 and has been located at Marlinton since 1950.
The railroad company was recently granted permission by the West Virginia Public Service Commission to discontinue passenger service on the Greenbrier Branch after it was shown that the company was losing large amount of money yearly keeping the train in operation.”
Color- North Caldwell depot looking north on Greenbrier Branch. June 1964, Gene Huddleston photo.
Source: C&O Historical Society Website.