This is one of three double trestles we saw in the area of Imboden. The line on the left is active, but the one which was on the right is long gone. It’s a vehicle bridge now, reinforced with steel, but with sorry-looking ties. Looking at this from above in Google Earth, I think I can tell that the line on the right probably went up to a loader in the valley. There are several coal mines in that area, mostly stripped out now.
Imboden was possibly named after Gen. John Imboden, the man who had a vision of making Damascus VA into a major iron smelting town. I don’t know. Heck, I’ve never figured out why Osaka is named that. Or Sun. My main book on Virginia place names ignores some of these.
Blogging the Railroad Tunnels 