Jackson Heights Branch Line

The **Jackson Heights Branch Line** is the first branch line on the Valleyfields Central going from the north to the south. It climbs a gradient from Rattlesnake Point to Jackson Heights, and serves a slate quarry at the top. Stephenson runs the line for the most part while Preston assists.

## Operations

### Managed by

Valleyfields Central RailwayNorth Rhendowhen Railway (formerly)

## History

Before the Valleyfields Central was formed, the Jackson Heights Branch line comprised the last leg of the North Rhendowhen Railway. It originated as a tourist railway and ended at the chasm. Although it proved to be a popular route for tourists coming from the Mainland, other areas beyond Rattlesnake Point were beginning to develop and the demand for imported goods increased. Hence, the route was diverted from that point as far as Toban. As a result, the uphill section saw a significant decline in traffic, and was almost torn up. However, the line was given a new lease on life when explorer Phillip Cornwall Jackson discovered the slate beds up in Jackson Heights.

Extending the line to reach Jackson Heights proved to be a daunting and burdensome task. First came the construction of a viaduct that would cross the chasm to reach Occoneechee. The most frustrating part of the project, though, was cutting a section of the mountain beyond Occoneechee to reach the Quarry. The workmen were subjected to poor working conditions throughout the construction; they spent day and night on the cutting, trying to make sure the line climbed steadily instead of running flat. On top of that, several unfortunate incidents delayed the project, including rockslides brought about by the workers making noise with their digging equipment; these rockslides would not only damage the newly-laid track, but they also killed a handful of workers, and injured many more of them.

The railway was hit with a series of lawsuits from the workers’ families for negligence and Clint Voss’ refusal to provide workers compensation; it also didn’t help that the consequences of Voss’ negligence led to the surviving workers going on strike. As a result, the railway was driven to near bankruptcy, putting the engines’ future in doubt. Miraculously, the line was saved when it became amalgamated into the Valleyfields Central, and the project to connect it to the Quarry would finally be finished. New workers were brought in to finish the project, and were much better looked-after and paid by management; the railway’s controller did not want to repeat the mistakes that had ruined the North Rhendowhen. Following the new railway’s formation, Voss was removed from his position, and subsequently incarcerated; not for negligence related to the workers’ injuries and deaths, but for embezzling funds from the railway during his time as acting director.

The line serves primarily as a goods line, as it has since its inception, but it also provides a healthy flow of passenger traffic. Instead of having engines permanently assigned to run it, engines would take it in turns to head up the line to collect the slate from the Quarry. However, it was only after Enterprise’s arrival to the railway in 1963 that Stephenson was put in charge of the line, a position he still holds today. Preston would join him in 1996 after he retired from shunting duties at San Dowhen.

## Route

Starting from Rattlesnake Point Junction, the Jackson Heights branch runs uphill for almost the entire journey. The first half of the line runs a serpentine through lush grasslands and offers a magnificent view of the mountains on the other side of the stream. When it reaches a chasm, the line levels for a short way before crossing the chasm over a viaduct and calling at a halt in Occoneechee. From there, the line climbs once more through a cutting, but this part of the route is much more straight-forward, with some curves thrown in here and there. At the top of the gradient is where Jackson Heights itself is situated and the line terminates, aside from branching off to the Slate Quarry just yards outside the station.