The two lines did not originally connect here. After the 1959 merger, a connection was built to allow eastbound coal train from Bluefield to use the lesser grade of the VGN. The Virginian line from here to Narrows was abandoned in 1971 to allow the expansion of US 460 to four lanes using the right-of-way. At that time, a new connection was built at Kellysville that lets eastbound trains off the P-D District move directly onto the N&W tracks. The bridge over the East River built in 1960 for the original connection still stands.