| The Big Sandy & Cumberland Railroad, Part 5: / Today’s Buchanan Branch - Chase Freeman |
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Two big GE’s, C40-9W 9612 and C40-8W 8388, are parked in the service
facility at Weller Yard in Big Rock, Virginia. It’s early in the afternoon on Friday, October 26, 2012, and the fall colors are still showing on the mountainsides. (Ed Painter photo) |
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General Electric C40-9W 9321 blasts out of 3,766-foot-long Raitt Tunnel
on October 26, 2012. The grades here are steep — 1.86 percent from Hurley up to Raitt Tunnel, then 1.76 percent from Raitt Tunnel down to Thomas, so the big GE has proven itself on this run. (Ed Painter photo) |
| Roanoke / A Day at the Park Street Yard Office - Mason Y. Cooper |
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The sun cooperates as we catch the “B” crew working a cut of tank cars in the Empty Side yard at Roanoke. The “B” crew was based at the Park Street yard office. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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GP40 1347 prepares to lead Train 40 up the Shenandoah Division in the
pre-dawn light. Ahead is a full day working industries at Buchanan,
Glasgow, and Buena Vista, Virginia. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Train 78 pulls out of the yard at Roanoke, right behind Train 40, headed for Lynchburg, Crewe, and eventually Portlock Yard in Norfolk. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Searching a dead line of locomotives can be an emotional experience not unlike attending the funeral of a friend. By this date the only Alcos working in Roanoke were the C-630s found still extant, a few tracks over
from where C-425 1013 is parked. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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The sky brightens in time to catch a set of motive power inbound for service from Roanoke South yard. These locomotives earlier that morning had brought a coal train in from Bluefield. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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We step back away from the tracks so as to not scare the engineer on Train 77 which began its journey out of Portlock Yard in Norfolk in the
early morning hours. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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The 8506 sports what would become the last Norfolk & Western lettering scheme as it passes the former Amtrak station and the Park Street yard
office in Roanoke. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Alco C-630 1132 sports black number boards and white letters from
an earlier era. When the locomotive pulled out past me I could see white
number boards with black letters on the long hood end. I have always wondered if the thrifty shop forces were just ridding themselves of old inventory. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A strong morning sun peaks out from behind the clouds and illuminates the side of Train 51 arriving from Hagerstown, Maryland, and Shenandoah, Virginia. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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An inbound over-the-road local returns to Roanoke from the east. The lead unit is approaching the site of some unfinished track work as it
makes its way into the empty side yard. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Veteran GP9 865 leads the Glasgow Turn out of the eastwest running track from the roundhouse. Now that the units have been serviced they will back to their consist waiting in the pull-down yard before departing. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A telephoto shot reveals that the Glasgow Turn is ready to depart. The train is leaving with almost as many units as cars, but will need them all on the returning run. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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The first of many coming interlopers, former Southern Railway Train 126 pulls past the Amtrak Station on the last few miles of its journey to Roanoke. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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For many years the 1589 was regularly seen on my “hometown” Hagerstown District but on this date I find it tied to a slug and working Roanoke Yard. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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The “840” crew has finished building a train for departure and has pulled
out waiting for a signal. It will then back in another track in the pull-down yard and begin the process all over again. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A westbound empty grain train rolls past the Park Street yard office as
it heads west for a crew change. The train will them continue to Bluefield on its journey back to the Midwest. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Filled out to maximum tonnage with coal on the head end, Train 53 departs Roanoke heading for Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A westbound power set out of Roanoke South Yard heads west on the main at the Park Street yard office. The presence of a caboose indicates these units have been in helper or local service. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A fully-serviced set of power rolls down the east-west running track from the roundhouse and heads to Roanoke South yard. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Like many coal trains before it, the Belews Creek coal train eases out of Roanoke yard and begins the final leg of the journey to its namesake Duke Power plant. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A helper set on a coal train passes the Park Street yard office in Roanoke. Unlike many in past generations which toiled on the Blue Ridge grade, this pusher will see action today on the Winston-Salem
District. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A newly-arrived pair of SD50s brings a westbound empty hopper train past the Park Street yard office. The SD50 model was reconfigured with the dynamic brake located directly behind the crew cab. The accompanying increase in the noise level unnerved some of the crews which initially operated these locomotives. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A power set freshly arrived on a coal train in Roanoke South yard makes its way on the east-west running track to the roundhouse for service. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Having picked up 100 loads of coal from the interchange with Chessie System component C&O at Glasgow, Virginia, the Glasgow Turn makes its way past the Park Street yard office and into the classification yard. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Having finished building a train the “1040” crew pulls out past the Park treet yard office and waits for a signal. The black-on-white number boards on the C-630 1132 are opposite the ones on the short hood, which are
white on black. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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After cutting off its consist at East End Shops, SD50S 6501 and C36-7 8503 roll west. Finding new units running light at this stage in their lives indicates the power may be breaking in after some last-minute shop work. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Westbound Train 91 works into the classification yard as it passes the Park Street yard office. Buried in the consist is a former Virginian caboose, perhaps an early candidate for retirement. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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The sun goes behind a cloud at precisely the wrong moment as brand new C36-7 8505 and SD50S 6505 bring 180 cars westbound on the main line, headed for a quick crew change, and a continued journey to Bluefield. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Extra 1630 West rolls off the Roanoke District of the Shenandoah
Division and into the classification yard at Roanoke. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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Train 92 has a heap of trouble on its hands. After spotting a bad order car the situation deteriorated quickly as the crew attempted to make a set-off. (Mason Cooper photo) |
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A westbound empty hopper train heads west into the classification yard at Roanoke. Mixed in with the N&W and leased D&H hoppers are also a smattering of Reading cars. (Mason Cooper photo) |
| Rails Remembered, Chapter 82 / An Abrupt Change of Plans, Diesels in the Pocahontas Coal Fields? - Louis M. Newton |
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This photograph of No. 3’s final run was taken as No. 3 prepared to back out of the east end of Dundas passing siding after the passage of an eastbound coal train. Note the marker light hung on the rear of an N&W Class Pj coach used by the Virginian during its final months of passenger
service. (Harry W. Bundy, Jr., photo) |
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This view shows the Jefferson Street grade crossing from the pedestrian bridge on the afternoon of October 4, 1952. On the No. 2 passenger station track a Class J locomotive handling No. 45, the westbound Tennessean, takes water while an S-1 switcher stands by on the No. 4 station track. On the westward main line a pair of Class M locomotives, the 396 and 433, back toward Shaffers Crossing after their arrival from
Blacksburg with a special train carrying the VPI Cadet Corps to a football game at Victory Stadium. (Louis M. Newton photo) |
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No. 3’s arrival in Roanoke on its final trip, powered by Class PA
Pacific 212 and greeted by a crowd of around 250 persons, received
extensive press coverage. As shown in the picture, the overflow passenger load required the addition of a Virginian coach ahead of the
N&W Class Pj. (Louis M. Newton collection) |
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William Garrett Woodford, the father of the author’s wife, traveled almost a million miles working as a Railway Postal Clerk on the Virginian from
1921 until his death in 1948. Shown here is his authority for free transportation between Norfolk and Roanoke for the year 1937. (Sibyl Woodford Newton collection) |
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A view of N&W’s 250-ton derrick removing the north span of the pedestrian bridge adjacent to the Jefferson Street grade crossing in Roanoke, with the company’s General Office buildings at the right, on January 30, 1956. (N&W Magazine, February 1956) |
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A view looking east from the Henry Street Bridge on a dark, snowy morning early in 1941, with a westbound extra approaching. The Jefferson Street crossing is on the near side of the passenger station platform sheds. The rails showing through the snow help to form a map of
the track layout, from right to left: eastward main, westward main, and Nos. 4 through 1 station tracks. The tracks on the extreme left lead to Railway Express building. The photographer was a messenger in the
N&W Transportation Department at the time. (C. P. Stiff, Jr., photo) |
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N&W Alco RS-3 unit 307, originally numbered 92, placed in service on the Durham District in February 1956. It was part of the second group of four RS-3s (numbered 92 through 95) acquired by the company. (N&W photograph, N&WHS Archives collection) |
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N&W EMD GP9 unit 713, originally numbered 13, was placed in service on the Durham District in October 1955. It went into service there along with the first four Alco RS-3s, originally numbered 96 through 99. (N&W photograph, N&WHS Archives collection) |
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This is the track profile of the route from Lynchburg Union Station (on Old
Main Line — Island Yard is off the chart to the right) to 12th Street Station (at MP L-0), Durmid (connection to Kinney Yard), and south on the Durham District past MP L-4. Relocation of base of operations from
Island to Kinney eliminated the operation of road trains over the 2.62 percent grade between Durham Junction and 12th Street. (Louis M. Newton collection) |
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Timetable |
The last Durham District time table schedules of the steam era, effective July 21, 1955, showing operation of trains between Island Yard and Durham. (Louis M. Newton collection) |
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The first Durham District time table schedules of the diesel era were
effective October 10, 1955, and show operation of trains between Kinney and Duke Yards. (Louis M. Newton collection) |
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This shows the Durham District steam locomotive tonnage ratings from the Norfolk Division Time Table No. 9, effective July 21, 1955. Note severe restrictions for southward trains from Island to 12th Street in Lynchburg. (Louis M. Newton collection) |
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These Durham District 1,600-horsepower dieselelectric or equivalent unit tonnage ratings are from the Norfolk Division Time Table No. 10, effective April 29, 1956. From Kinney to Naruna, three diesel units could handle 16.1 percent more tonnage than an improved Y-5 or Y-6; from Naruna to
Duke, 13.5 percent more. (Louis M. Newton collection) |
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RS-3 305 (ex-94) and two other units are on a northbound Durham District
extra approaching Lynchburg in 1959, about 3-½ years after the line had been dieselized. Lynchburg Cigarette Machine Company’s building is in background. (Aubrey Wiley photo) |
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Although Class K-1 Mountain-type locomotives were standard power in the final years of Durham District passenger service, in earlier times Pacifics were used. In this scene from December 15, 1946, Class E-3 503 (ex-PRR Class K3 7308), only a few months before its retirement,
prepares to leave Durham Union Station with No. 36, bound for Lynchburg. (R. B. Carneal photo, N&WHS Archives collection) |
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The N&W apparently had great plans for Durham, as shown in this drawing dated June 30, 1925, for the location of an eight-stall roundhouse, a 115-foot turntable and related mechanical facilities, none of
which was ever built. (N&WHS Archives collection) |
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N&W Class E-2a 553 climbs the 2.62 percent grade approaching 12th
Street Station in Lynchburg with a three car consist of No. 35 on December 17, 1950. (Louis M. Newton photo) |
| Modeling the Station at Stanley / An N&W Standard Combination Station, Part 2 - James F. Brewer |
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Clapboard with 0.050-inch spacing looked “right” when compared with
prototype photographs. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The station is finished, complete with lighting. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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After cutting the clapboard siding to height, I placed it in my Northwest Shortline Dupli-Cutter to insure all wall pieces would be the same height. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Plain styrene sheet is scribed and snapped to form wall sections. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The door and window openings have been laid out and marked with an “x”
— these pieces will be discarded. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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After laying out door and window openings on the front wall, I transferred
these locations to the back wall. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The walls have been scored and snapped, and the door and window openings removed from the solid pieces. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The scored and snapped pieces are rejoined using a styrene solvent
cement. Be sure to work slowly and that all pieces are properly aligned. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The 0.040-inch plain styrene sheets, with window and door openings, is
glued to the 0.020-inch plain sheet. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I used the openings made by the scribe and snap method as a guide to
cut out the openings on the interior walls. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I cut all pieces for the three sides of the bay window using the Dupli-
Cutter for uniformity. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I used squares and rulers to insure everything stayed plumb when gluing
the bay window together. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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All three walls of the bay window will be glued to the styrene shapes.
By using a template to create the shapes they will be identical. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The bay window assembly is complete. I used Evergreen 0.020 by 0.156-inch strip styrene to create the panels on the lower walls. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I used a magnetic gluing jig that I purchased from Micro-Mark to assemble the wall sections to each other. The magnets are easily moved and used to keep everything lined up properly. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I test fit everything together and made any necessary adjustments, then
glued everything together and allowed the assembly to dry. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I used the cardboard templates I made to trace and then cut out the tile
floor and plain styrene for the interior ceiling. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Using styrene strip a small foundation is created that will allow the building to be “planted” into the scenery and support the floor that will be
installed. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I used the depth gauge of my dial caliper to mark the amount of material that needed to be removed from the wall material I had cut earlier to my standard height. The difference can be seen and will allow room for the floor and ceiling later. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The tile floor has been painted and a pattern of darker tiles added. The
portion without any darker tiles will be in an area of the model that will not be seen. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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All door and window openings have been closed off using blue painter’s
masking tape. A paper tent will keep any over-spray from entering the nterior from above. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I applied a coat of gray primer over all exterior walls. This will allow the
final exterior color to be applied evenly. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The exterior has been painted a light cream color. The interior and floor
have been painted prior to painting the exterior. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I used sprue nippers to remove the muntins (sash-bars) in the lower sash
of the window castings. I then used a fine file to clean up the castings. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I began by creating the top and one side of the door frame using a small
modeler’s square. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Next, I used spacers to accurately place the lower portion of the transom frame. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I then added the other side of the door frame, doing my best to keep everything as square as possible. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I then added a frame inside of the transom opening to support the styrene
rod that would be used to make the eight light panels. I also glued the door panel, created out of Evergreen Freight Car Siding. This will give support to the flimsy door frame assembly. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I then used strip styrene to replicate the trim on the prototype door. I filled
any gaps with modelers putty and would later sand it. I reapplied the putty if necessary. I used styrene rod for the horizontal muntin of the transom. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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I completed the transom by adding vertical muntins that were slipped
under the horizontal piece. This completed the basic construction of the express room doors. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The basic frame for the door assembly is built using 0.010 by 0.040-inch
styrene strips for the vertical frame, and 0.040-inch for the top. The inside frame for the transom will use 0.020-inch square styrene strip. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Evergreen 0.040-inch square styrene is used to create the verticals for
the transom. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The bottom of the transom is added, using 0.040-inch square strip. The
construction of the inner frame for the side panel follows the same approach as the transom window. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Evergreen 0.020-inch square strips have been added to the transom
completing the inner frame. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Evergreen 0.040-inch vertical strips have been added to define the separation of the side light panels from the entrance door. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Repeating the earlier approach used with the transom, 0.020-inch square
vertical strips for the inner frame of the side lights. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Sills have been added, defining the height of the panels and the side
window opening. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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This view shows the window sills are “proud” of the frame construction.
The basic assembly is complete and is ready for the addition of the door, panels, side and transom windows. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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A length of styrene strip was used to measure and mark the location for
the bottom of the door window frame. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The bottom of the door frame has been added. It is important to keep this
piece straight and square. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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A piece of 0.010-inch plain sheet styrene was used to create the face
of the panel for the bottom of the entrance door. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Styrene strip is applied over the existing material to create the finished
door. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The 0.020-inch strip has been added around the door, including the top
and bottom of the bottom panel. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Additional smaller strip is added inside the 0.020-inch strip to create the
recessed panel in the door. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The side panels are constructed using the same approach as the door
panel. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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Plastruct 0.010-inch rod was used to create the window muntins for the
side and transom windows. Placement of each was by eye. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The exterior doors were painted the same cream color as the exterior
siding. The brown was brush painted and will be touched up later. (James F. Brewer photo) |
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The rear entrance door has been installed and styrene strip added
around it to represent trim. The trim will be painted brown. (James F. Brewer photo) |
| The Depot at Dunlow - Kevin EuDaly |
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I live near the old Dunlow, West Virginia, N&W depot on what was at one
time the Twelve Pole line of the N&W between Williamson and Kenova. I am a writer of local history, and have always been very interested in the building. The station and line were abandoned in 1933, but the station remains standing to this day. I have been told that it is in its original brown and cream paint colors. (Robert Thompson photo) |
