Thursday, June 12 through Sunday June 15, 2025
Location: Highlander Hotel, Radford Va.
The N&WHS and your convention chairman/ society president
would like to invite you to the 2025 N&WHS convention in Radford, Va.
The convention will be at the Highlander Hotel, affiliated with Radford
University and is located at 600 Tyler Avenue, Radford, VA 24141
As with all conventions, please book early, long before June, to ensure the best rate and availability of rooms. The N&WHS room rate is $132 plus tax with free parking. Please contact the hotel directly at 540-744-1500. For online booking use this link.
Radford has a long history with the N&W, dating back to the Virginia & Tennesse days. Beginning as "Central (perhaps the first midway division point on predecessor systems)," it has served the railroad with a roundhouse, car shop and system Tie Treatment plant; it has also been a hub for the fabled Blacksburg and Potts Valley branches and the sprawling Radford Arsenal that evolved early in the World War II years. Nearby Walton Tower, where the Bristol Line diverted from the Norfolk/Columbus-Cincinnati main also contributed to the local flavor, as did the Vicker coal & water facility. The North Carolina Branch juncture was in nearby Pulaski. Today, the Radford Yard continues as a marshaling point for Norfolk Southern-served industries.
As we have the last couple of years, the focus will be on fellowship and getting together. We are in the process of organizing some interesting outings, which may charge as we get closer to the date. Buses continue to be too expensive for our group and car-pooling will continue to be the usual procedure.
Modeling Committee Chairman Jim Cochran asks everyone to bring their latest entries.
Presenters we hope to include: Hunter Atkinson, Frank Bongiovanni, Grant Carpenter, Bruce Harper, Andre Jackson, Tim Hensley, Ken Miller, Rick Musser, Jim Nichols, Sam Phillips, Gary Price, Mike Rector, Frank Scheer, and Alex Schust.
A tentative schedule, dated April 17, 2025 - again, some events very much subject to change
Thursday, June 12
Morning: Registration begins outside the conference rooms at 9:00 a.m. and should be staffed through the afternoon and early evening; however, there may be a break or two for meals, so if no one is there, check back later.
Afternoon: The afternoon is open for you to railfan around Radford if arriving early. Please be cognizant of NS safety and trespassing concerns.
Eventing Presentations at the Hotel:
- 7:00 PM Estate Planning by Frank Bongiovanni
- 8:00 PM Pulaski Yard and Industries by Andre Jackson
- 9:00 PM Postal Interests by Frank Scheer
- 10:00 PM Contemporary Appalachian Rail Photography by Sam Phillips
Friday, June 13
9:00 AM Lecture About Radford Arsenal by Nicole Bruch, Senior Communications Specialist, designee
10:15 AM Special Radford Construction Trains by Hunter Atkinson
11:00 AM Overview of Local NS Radford Operations by Assistant Trainmaster Travis Stauder
Noon Lunch on your own
1:00 PM Depart the hotel for a carpool tour of the original N&W main line, from New River to Belspring, the former Walton Tower location, remnants of the Blacksburg Branch, and the old Cambria depot (which has good antique stores adjacent). We will also stop at the new, extended-service Amtrak stop at the 1907 Christiansburg station (currently undergoing renovation). This tour will be led by Roger Link, John Garner, and Joe Shaw. Bicycle rentals for a Huckleberry Trail ride may be available
Eventing Presentations at the Hotel:
7:00 PM - 10:00PM (or later) Modeling Night at the Hotel
Three Modeling Seminars, introduced by Modeling Committee Chairman Jim Cochran.
- 7:00 PM N&W Cabooses by Rev. Jim Nichols
- 8:00 PM Modeling the Blue Ridge Grade by Mike Rector
- 9:00 PM Virginian Layout Between Norfolk And Roanoke, Circa 1959 by Bill Mosteller
- 10:00 PM Modeling Committee formally meets and Virginian Crazies in late session.
Saturday, June 14
9:00 AM - 12 Noon NWHS Archives open in Roanoke
9:00 AM Safe-ending Of Flues and Electrically Welded Fireboxes by Rick Musser
10:00 AM Blacksburg Branch by Bruce Harper
11:00 AM The Last Train to Galax by Grant Carpenter
1:00 PM Depart for Pulaski
1:40 PM Tour of Radcliffe Memorial Transportation Museum and Former N&W Station. Short Welcoming Address by Director on Virginia & Tennessee History April Martin on Virginia & Tennessee History
3:30 PM A Late Lunch At Draper Merchantile One of our network vendors has its culinary experts cooking up an excellent meal for us, possibly prepared from N&W recipes!
If able, we hope to have an address from a venerable N&W sage to aid our digestion. If he cannot attend (account of family issues), Ken Miller will talk about N&W Dining Service.
7:00 PM Seminars Begin in the Conference Rooms.
- 7:00 PM Salt Branch by Gary Price
- 8:00 PM Logging/Lumber Industry Along The N&W by Alex Schust
- 9:00 PM Executive Producer Lisa Fenderson from Blue Ridge Public Television worked extensivley with Ken Miller to produce
their one-hour PBS N&W documentary: “Norfolk and Western Railway Steam, Steel and Storylines.” Lisa and Ken will present
the documentary and answer questions afterward. Refreshments provided.
Sunday, June 15
9:00 a.m. Annual Membership Meeting
There are no other formal activities on this day - railfan the area on your way home!
In closing, we have attempted to schedule significant tours; as of this writing several are still pending. If you are heading home east, consider stopping at Hale's restaurant at Shawsville on Route 460. Hale's is one of our Commissary vendors and we've provided some display photos for their back room.
