The Whitethorne District extends from milepost V245.0 at the west end of South Roanoke Yard to milepost V316.8 in Narrows.

The Bradshaw Spur starts at milepost V264.3 (Bradshaw) and extends up the Bradshaw Valley to Bradshaw Creek Yard at milepost BS4.5. This branch was built in the early '90s, and plays host daily to the "Trash Train" (V60), usually in the evenings.

At milepost V309.2 (Norcross) the Potts Valley Branch runs to a lime plant at milepost PV4.3 (Kerns).

Other than a couple of locals, light pushers and work trains, nearly all trains that run over the Whitethorne District are eastbounds. Normally all of the loaded coal and grain trains use this line to avoid the steeper grades of the Christiansburg district, while the empties return west on the Christiansburg district. Eastbound mixed freight and intermodal trains can and do run on either district - which route they take depends on other traffic, their power and tonnage, maintenance crews, etc. There is no easy way to predict which route a train will use on a given day.

If you use a scanner while railfanning, don't miss our list of Whitethorne District Signals and TSAs, printable for handy reference while trackside.