BGuthrie Photos: VA -- Roanoke -- Railwalk

VA -- Roanoke -- Railwalk:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. RAILWK_081228_016.JPG: Roanoke -- A Railroad Town: In recent years, Roanoke has shed its image as a "railroad town" as others have surpassed the railroad as the major employer. However, without the N&W, Roanoke might not have existed. For those who wish to deny the impact of the railroad on Roanoke, one only needs to look about from where you stand. A turn to your right and you see part of the large Roanoke Shops complex, almost directly ahead, the N&W passenger station, now home to The Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, and O Winston Link Museum, new N&W-built Hotel Roanoke and to your left, the former General Office buildings, the N&W's headquarters for over 100 years. A single industry can rarely provide as much influence and community contribution as the N&W did in its day. The N&W was a "family" and even in its darkest days of the Great Depression, the N&W did not layoff a single worker. Rail traffic was down by vast numbers in 1930-1936 and the last thing a company wanted to do is spend money. But the N&W did, building and rebuilding new locomotives the entire time, with reduced hours in the Shops. Roanoke's "Other" Railroad: Often overshadowed and forgotten is Roanoke's "other" railroad, the Virginian Railway. Located about a mile south of this location, the Virginia was never as flashy or influential to Roanoke, but remains a vital part of today's Norfolk Southern. The Virginian was a latecomer to the scene; one of only a handful of major railroads entirely constructed after 1900. The Virginian was financed by a single person, Henry Huttleston Rogers, who had made his fortune with the Standard Oil Company. Rogers was rebuffed by the B&W and C&O on reasonable rates to move coal from West Virginia to the coast. So he built his own railroad! The Virginian ever did anything small, buying the biggest locomotives, cars and became a "coal conveyor" to Tidewater. The Virginian also had the benefit of easier grades eat of Roanoke, and was coveted y the Norfolk and Western, on December 1, 1959, Virginian became part of B&W.
2. RAILWK_081228_017.JPG: Operation Fast Freight: High Speed Freight Locomotive: Class A: While the title of one of Norfolk and Western's company films is appropriate for the mighty Class A 2-6-6-4, they also served in other capacities for the railroad. Designed as the first of the modern, powerful "Big Three" (Class A, J, and Y6) beginning in 1936, the Class A was planned as a powerful freight hauler, with enough speed to handle heavy passenger trains as well. Prior to the arrival of the Class J passenger locomotives, two Class A locomotives were assigned to the very hilly Bristol line between Bristol and Radford, Virginia to expedite passenger trains running north and south. The Class A was a huge success with a total of 43 built; all designed and constructed at Roanoke Shops. During World War II, they would haul heavy troop trains without assistance, freeing up the Class J for regular passenger service. The Class A would generally handle fast freights across the N&W. Modern design and planning allowed fast servicing and turnaround times at terminals, increasing utilization at all N&W's modern power. The Class A would continue to be built through and after World War II, the last versions built in 1950, as the "Super A" with roller bearing rods, further increasing utilization. But, the Class A was not enough to prevent the onslaught of the diesel locomotives, running out their last mileage on the Norfolk Division between Roanoke and Norfolk. By the summer of 1959, they too would be sent to scrap. Only one A would survive. The 1218, built June 1943 was sold as an auxiliary boiler at the end of steam. She managed to evade the torch, saved by interested fans and was returned to Roanoke in 1969. The 1218 would run again in excursion service 1987-1991 but joined the 611 in retirement at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in 2004.
3. RAILWK_081228_018.JPG: The Finest Steam Passenger Locomotive: Passenger Locomotive: Class J: The world-renowned Class J 4-8-4 passenger locomotives was completely designed and built in Roanoke. By the mid 1930s, Norfolk and western was facing heavier passenger traffic due to increased military operations, heavier trains needed to cross the system at increasingly faster scheduled. The Motive Power department designed a powerful locomotive specifically for their needs. For many roads, streamlining was the order of the day. The N&W opted for a refined design and rolled the first bullet nosed Class J out of the shops just 40 days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The sleek Class J was an immediate hit with the public and the operating men. Fast, easily to run and powerful. The N&W did not need passenger power to run at 100 mph, most of its territory was mountains and curves. The J needed to start a heavy train on grade, and accelerate rapidly and maintain schedule, to this, they were superlative. Again in 1950, war loomed and passenger traffic seemed on the rise. Roanoke Shops produced three more Class J locomotives, bringing the total to fourteen. Minor changes were made in the design, but the locomotives were virtually perfect as is. These would be the last steam passenger locomotives built in the US. The Class J fate was sealed, and on October 24, 1959, Class J, No 611 closed N&W's steam passenger train service with a last excursion to Williamson, West Virginia. Luckily, due to the interest of the Roanoke-born brothers Graham and Robert Claytor, both who would rise to become presidents of the Southern and the N&W. The last Class J, No 611, survived the scrap heap and preserved to run again from 1982 through 1994, it was retired for the second time as the sole survivor of the fourteen locomotives at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.
4. RAILWK_081228_019.JPG: Power Behind The Nation: Workhorse of the Norfolk and Western: Class Y6: While the sleek class J streamlined passenger locomotives and high stepping Class A locomotives garnered publicity for the N&W; the true workhorse of the Norfolk and Western was the Class Y 2-8-8-2s. Designed and built for one purpose, moving tonnage at reasonable speeds at a reasonable cost. Beginning in 1930, Roanoke Shops turned out the first home-built Class Y5. The design itself, was solid, with improvements leading to the Class Y6. The Y6, the two sub-classes; Y6a and Y6b, the Y6b was considered the zenith of the heavy locomotives. The Class Y locomotives handled anything tossed its way: fast freight, coal, empty trains, and upon occasion, a passenger train. By the end of World War II, the die was cast in America; steam was being replaced by diesels. Commercial builders ended production in 1949. The N&W felt Roanoke-built power was superior to the diesels, however, and continued to built steam, but that too, was short-lived. In 1952, the last Y6b, No. 2200, rolled out of Roanoke Shops. Even the best power couldn't stop the tide. The diesels first arrived on the N&W in October 1955. On May 7, 1960, the last Y6n No. 2190 had its fire dropped at Williamson, West Virginia ending the mainline steam era in America after being in server less than eight years. Only one Class Y6 locomotive would survive the end of the steam era, No. 2156 is on display at the St. Louis Museum of Transport today.
5. RAILWK_081228_020.JPG: Norfolk and Western Railway: Today's Norfolk Southern has a colorful predecessor in both of Roanoke's railroads. To keep this as simple as possible, we are discussing only the N&W history to its merger with the Southern Railway in 1982. Space prevents mentioning every merger or absorbed railroad here, but, the major lines that formed the main line of the N&W are covered here. N&W began with the 9-mile City Point Railroad built 1837-38 from Petersburg to City Point, Virginia on the James River. In 1854, City Point merged with South Side Railroad (1854) connecting with the Virginia and Tennessee at Lynchburg. The B&T was being built to Bristol arriving in what would become Roanoke on November 1, 1852. After the war of 1861-1865, Confederate General William Mahone, builder of Norfolk and Petersburg (1850s), gained control of SS and V&T merging them in 1870, as the Atlantic Mississippi and Ohio, running from Norfolk to Bristol. The AM&O was sold at foreclosure in 1881 becoming the Norfolk and Western Railroad. The road expanded to the West Virginia coalfields in 1882 creating a vast flow of traffic that continues today. The Shenandoah Valley was merged into the N&W in 1890 and the road expanded to the Ohio River a year later. In 1892; Roanoke and Southern was added expanding the road to Winston-Salem, NC. The Lynchburg and Durham was added in 1893, Shenandoah Valley, and Cincinnati Portsmouth and Virginia in Ohio to form the basis of the road headquartered in Roanoke. In the first modern era merger, N&W absorbed the Virginian in 1959, Nickel Plate and Wabash in 1964. The N&W itself vanished merging with Southern in 1982 forming today's Norfolk Southern, one of America's finest Corporations.
6. RAILWK_081228_022.JPG: Roanoke Shops: The three locomotive types referred to on the nearby panels are part of the larger picture; of course. The Classes J, A, and Y locomotives were special. What made these locomotives so special compared to products of the commercial builders of steam, such as Lima Locomotive Works, Baldwin, American Locomotive Company and other smaller builders? Aside from their superior operating characteristics, they were designed and built by local residents, in Roanoke. Then, as today, "Roanoke-built" is an impressive statement. Just to the east of where you are standing, is the west end of the 50+ acre complex named Roanoke Shop, also called East End Shops. From 1927 through the end of the steam era in 1960, every new N&W steam locomotive was built within the Roanoke Shops. Designed by engineers and draftsmen in the Motive Power building then constructed in the shops. The Shops, aside from new construction, rebuilt, repaired and overhauled locomotives, not only for the N&W, but during the second World War, for a number of other railroads. In addition the Shops did machine work for various war-related industries including the US Navy. Roanoke Shops were not just a locomotive facility. Workers built freight cars, rebuilt and repaired passenger and freight cars for over 100 years. All freight car construction work was done outside, until the freight car shop was put under roof in the early 1950s. In that era, long before computers, the Shops could turn out 15-18 brand new coal carrying cars per eight-hour day. Norfolk-Southern closed the car construction shop in 2000. Today, Freight Car America builds cars in Roanoke.
7. RAILWK_081228_028.JPG: Norfolk Southern logo
8. RAILWK_081228_029.JPG: Cute benches made from old railroad wheels
9. RAILWK_081228_035.JPG: Norfolk and Western Passenger Station: Across the tracks and east is N&W's last passenger station, now home to the Roanoke Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau and O Winston Link Museum. The little town of Big Lick changed its name to Roanoke in 1881. In the summer of 1882, the N&W completed a Union Station located between the tracks of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad (to the north) and the N&W (to the south) located approximately in front of Hotel Roanoke. The pressed brick station, two buildings under one roof, was styled to coordinate with the other railroad-owned buildings here. A replacement station, located on the site of the present depot opened June 29, 1905. In early 1941, remodeling was planned, but war stopped progress. With war ending in 1945, remodeling came back to the surface. Architect Allmon Fordyce of Raymond Lowey and Associations of New York provided plans for a modernistic remodeling. However, with steel and other materials in short supply after World War II, construction did not begin until February 1948. The restyled building opened April 1, 1949. The building became office space with the end of passenger service in 1971. In 1991, the concourse was removed to allow clearance of double stacked container trains. Today the building has been remodeled beautifully, mimicking some of the original features. The original schedule board has been restored to represent the schedules of June 3, 1956, the date O Winston Link took his self portrait as a traveler next to the board. At track level, the galleries house several hundred of Link's steam era photos taken on the N&W. Link's work, mostly at night, is a masterpiece of synchronized flash photos of trains and people, all carefully posed, depicting a vanished American era. The photos Link made on the N&W between 1955 and 1960 are highly acclaimed and known world wide. The Museum is a world class experience and opens daily, excepting some holidays.
10. RAILWK_081228_041.JPG: The Market Square Walkway: Above you is the Market Square Walkway, built to connect the Hotel Roanoke with downtown Roanoke, crossing the railroad in safety and comfort. There are two observation platforms to watch rail traffic here. In addition, a number of informative signs share some of the area's rail history with the viewer. Years ago, pedestrians walking between the Hotel area to downtown Roanoke crossed at Jefferson street, dodging weather and both rail and automotive traffic or through a pedestrian tunnel beneath the tracks. Today, the Market Square Walkway provideds [sic] the same convenience, connecting the Hotel with the most vibrant historic area of the Roanoke Valley, the Roanoke City Market. The bridge, completed in 1995, offers a panoramic view of one of America's most active rail corridors and downtown Roanoke. The Roanoke City Market is listed as one of America's top public spaces.
11. RAILWK_081228_045.JPG: Hunter Viaduct. In recognition of Williams Pearce Hunter (1884-1956) Roanoke City Manager, (1918-1947) Roanoke City Mayor, (1948-1949) "His life was dedicated to good government and the welfare of Roanoke, as a pioneer in the field of city management he adapted a new system and made it work. His faithful service has left an imperishable mark on the city's well being and is engraved in the hearts of its people."
12. RAILWK_081228_051.JPG: Mileposts: These are exactly what the name implies, a marker for every mile along the railroad. These markers represent an even mile since the previous marker. The letter and number generally represent the measurement from specific stations. Markers labeled with the "N" is mileage from Norfolk, Virginia and run east and west, markers with an "H" are measured from Hagerstown, Maryland, those with an "R" are from Roanoke. The "H" markers are seen along the tracks north of Roanoke, "R" is generally south towards Winston-Salem. The markers are made of cast concrete and have the letter and number painted on them. Some were cast into the concrete. This marker is from the original mainline, now abandoned, across High Bridge east of Farmville, Virginia.
13. RAILWK_081228_058.JPG: Mileposts: These are exactly what the name implies, a marker for every mile along the railroad. These markers represent an even mile since the previous marker. The letter and number generally represent the measurement from specific stations. Markers labeled with the "N" is mileage from Norfolk, Virginia and run east and west, markers with an "H" are measured from Hagerstown, Maryland, those with an "R" are from Roanoke. The "H" markers are seen along the tracks north of Roanoke, "R" is generally south towards Winston-Salem. The markers are made of cast concrete and have the letter and number painted on them. Some were cast into the concrete. This marker is from the original mainline, now abandoned, across High Bridge east of Farmville, Virginia.
14. RAILWK_081228_065.JPG: Motor Car: Railroading is not always about locomotives and cars. Other men had to maintain track and signals and it was seldom practical to have a locomotive and crew to move small groups of men to a worksite. The most direct way to the track was to follow the track, not travel over highways going miles out of the way. To move these men economically to the section of track or signals that needed work, small gasoline powered track or motor cars were developed. Motor cars ranged in size from single person cars, usually used by a signal maintainer, to small four seat cars, the advantage of the smaller cars was they could rather easily be removed from the track to clear the way for an oncoming train. Some cars, like this one, are for handling a large group of workers of "gang" cars enclosed from the elements. Motor cars also occasionally moved crews to and from their train in the yards, but were most frequently used for track gangs or maintenance of way. Today, high-rail trucks and virtually taken the place of motorcars, although a few remain in service.
15. RAILWK_081228_071.JPG: Motor Car: Railroading is not always about locomotives and cars. Other men had to maintain track and signals and it was seldom practical to have a locomotive and crew to move small groups of men to a worksite. The most direct way to the track was to follow the track, not travel over highways going miles out of the way. To move these men economically to the section of track or signals that needed work, small gasoline powered track or motor cars were developed. Motor cars ranged in size from single person cars, usually used by a signal maintainer, to small four seat cars, the advantage of the smaller cars was they could rather easily be removed from the track to clear the way for an oncoming train. Some cars, like this one, are for handling a large group of workers of "gang" cars enclosed from the elements. Motor cars also occasionally moved crews to and from their train in the yards, but were most frequently used for track gangs or maintenance of way. Today, high-rail trucks and virtually taken the place of motorcars, although a few remain in service.
16. RAILWK_081228_083.JPG: Virginian Railway logo
17. RAILWK_081228_093.JPG: Hotel Roanoke: Roanoke's "Grand Old Lady" stands on the hill overlooking downtown Roanoke. Styled to appear like an old English inn, it was the grand hotel for Roanoke since it opened in 1882. The Hotel was located near the new Union Station and a treat for passengers just off the smoky, sooty trains. The Hotel quickly became known for its fine dining and amenities. The Hotel Roanoke was THE place Roanokers would eat for occasions, banquets, and wedding receptions. It was simply "the Hotel," no explanation needed. The railroad also constantly held events, meetings and dinners at the Hotel for employees, visitors and dignitaries. Not blessed with the scenic setting of the Greenbrier on the Chesapeake & Ohio, but renown for its services as well, the Hotel went through its trials and tribulations through the years, but not once, until 1989 were the doors closed. Over the years, the original structure changed its looks and accommodation, but would not stray far from its original styling. The Hotel, originally General office Building and Union Station were all styled to make a family of railroad-owned buildings. In 1982, Norfolk and Western merged with the Southern Railway to form the Norfolk Southern Corporation. NS concentrated on their primary business, operating their railroads, and were less interested in being in the hotel business. When the headquarters was moved from Roanoke to Norfolk in the 1980s, it marked the end of an era in many ways. The Hotel was given to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia tech). Virginia Tech and the City collaborated on a new partnership. Tech remodeled the hotel, the City built a conference center. It continues to be "the Hotel" for Roanokers and now serves more patrons than ever since it reopened in 1995. Connecting the Hotel with downtown Roanoke is the Market Square Walkway with a viewing area over the NS mainlines. There are a number of informative panels with historical information available in the walkway.
18. RAILWK_081228_095.JPG: Track Bumping Post: The track bumping post is one of the most basic track items. It literally is a stopping device to be placed at the end of a siding or spur track to prevent a car from rolling off the end of the track. These are seen most often at industrial sidings where a number of cars are shoved in for loading or unloading. It may be difficult for the engineer to see all the way to the end of a cut of cars while shoving them into place. The bumping post generally prevents a small accident, which can be rather time consuming and possibly expensive to rerail cars rolled off the end of a siding. These devices, or variations of them, are well worth the money where installed.
19. RAILWK_081228_102.JPG: Track Bumping Post: The track bumping post is one of the most basic track items. It literally is a stopping device to be placed at the end of a siding or spur track to prevent a car from rolling off the end of the track. These are seen most often at industrial sidings where a number of cars are shoved in for loading or unloading. It may be difficult for the engineer to see all the way to the end of a cut of cars while shoving them into place. The bumping post generally prevents a small accident, which can be rather time consuming and possibly expensive to rerail cars rolled off the end of a siding. These devices, or variations of them, are well worth the money where installed.
20. RAILWK_081228_114.JPG: Train Order Signal
21. RAILWK_081228_120.JPG: Train Order Signal: This signal is easily confused with a regular line side semaphore signal, but is actually a manually controlled signal used by a station agent to indicate to the train crew of an approaching train whether to pick up train orders (operating instructions) or pass by without orders. Today, telephones and electronic transmissions are the norm, but in earlier days, the telegraphic line was a primary way of communication along the railroad. The clicking of the telegraph sounder was a common sound in depots across the system. Train crews were issued orders (instructions) before departing their runs. Train orders can be as simple as "Side track at Mile Post 263.3 occupied by cars. Do not couple to." They can be as complicated as specific orders to meet another train at a certain Mile Post. When one train reads the order correctly and the other train does not; an accident may occur. At each train order station, perhaps located every 10 miles or so, train orders may be transmitted via telegraph to the operator there, who writes or types the order out on the proper form. The operator then changes his signal to the approaching train to pick up orders, which may change or update one of the existing orders, or be completely new instructions. To save time, train orders were "hooped" or handed up to the train crew without stopping the train. The "hoop" came from the loop of bent wood that the crewman caught over their arm, pulled the orders off, and tossed the hoop back off to the waiting agent. Today, modern signals and communication have generally taken the place of the train order.
22. RAILWK_081228_128.JPG: C&W
23. RAILWK_081228_136.JPG: North Jefferson Street: North Jefferson Street was the core of the Railroad's management center. There were more workers concentrated in this block at one time that the rest of the facilities in Roanoke. The face of North Jefferson is dominated by the N&W influence, with the General Office Buildings and Hotel Roanoke. Only one other facility was needed to complete the group. The last link in the chain of North Jefferson Street is not a Railroad building, but the Stone Printing Company building. Stone Printing was a long time Roanoke firm, established in 1891 by Edward Stone and JB Fishburn. Edward Stone was quite an enthusiastic amateur photographer and recorded many early images of Roanoke. Stone Printing was not owned by the N&W, but this close proximity to the Railroad's headquarters brought much contract with the Railroad and Hotel, and Stone was the printer of choice for both the Hotel and Railroad for many years. One can be certain that the Railroad holdings and business was quite important to the bottom line for a number of years. The Stone influence was widespread on many of the Railroad's advertising pieces. Edward Stone's wife is credited with originating the Hotel Roanoke's famed Dogwood china pattern. It is very likely that a now unknown Stone Printing artist produced the artwork for the pattern which was used at the Hotel until 1989. The dogwood art is still in use many places throughout the Hotel. Stone was quite successful as a printer, doing large quantities of important work for the Railroad over the years. As time changed, Stone was taken over by the Hickory Printing Group from North Carolina and moved to new quarters near the airport, but that was short lived and the Stone name passed from the Roanoke business scene some years ago.
24. RAILWK_081228_148.JPG: The Atlantic & Danville Railway Company
25. RAILWK_081228_156.JPG: Norfolk and Western General Office Buildings: The brick buildings across the tracks are the former headquarters of the Norfolk and Western. When the railroad was formed in 1881, the headquarters were located in Lynchburg, from the previous company. In 1883, a new office building was first completed on the site closest to the tracks. This building held the company offices until January 4, 1896 when a large fire damaged the building beyond repair. By July 1897, a new six-story building on the same site was complete enough to have some offices move in. In 1905, an identical building was resulting in the two buildings you see today. This was the corporate address for the N&W for almost a century. Within the railroad, this was known as GOB-South, or "the old building." The N&W decided to build an additional new office building to the north of the existing offices on Jefferson Street. The old and new buildings were connected through the basement and with an overhead enclosed walkway. The building, known as GOB-North or "the new building" is a tasteful design that holds up well today, designed by local architect Paul Hayes and completed in May 1931. After the headquarters of Norfolk Southern were relocated to Norfolk, the company looked towards a smaller, more modern office building on the corner of Franklin and Williamson roads, just south of the City Market area. On completion, Norfolk Southern donated the two original buildings to the Roanoke Foundation for Downtown, Inc. GOB North "the new building" was donated to the Roanoke Higher Education Center. It is home to a number of colleges of universities from across the state. GOB South, "the old building," was turned over to the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority which creatively adapted the property to unique apartments using the famed N&W address; 8 North Jefferson, as its name.
26. RAILWK_081228_158.JPG: Signals: Traffic lights of the railroad, the signals along the right of way give many instructions to train crews without a word. Signals, like traffic lights, control a section of track or a block. However, only one train may pass a green signal before it turns red. The signals gave the engineer permission to enter the block, whether they will be switching tracks, or prepare to stop at the next signal. Unlike the three basic indicators from traffic lights, railroad signals offer more options. The combinations of lights on several signal heads can give a variety of indications to the engineer, such as, stop, proceed and more. There are several types of signals visible from this location. Signals and track switchers are generally controlled by a dispatcher from an office located just under a mile from the Railwalk. Dispatching is still a human job, assisted with computers and growing continually more sophisticated. At each end of the platform are position light signals. Signals are the traffic lights along the way for trains. Each signal protects what is called a block, through o the next signal. Signals generally work in conjunction. The signal to the west represents older position light signals with three yellow lamps burning. This type of signal came into use on Norfolk and Western in the 1920s. In the late 1950s, the signals were converted to a color position light with color lens and eliminating the center light. These displayed are drastically reduced in height to make them easily visible. These signals are now a vanishing part of the old N&W as they are being replaced by more modern signals of a standard design. There are two types of these signals: one, a home signal (what you see nearby) is controlled remotely by a dispatcher, the second, a distant signal (out on the road) is controlled by a circuit between the rails. When a train is breaking the circuit, the signal is in stop position, when the block is clear; a green signal is displayed. You can push a button on the control box on the post to change the indications. Indications are just like traffic lights: green to go, yellow means caution, the next signal is red, and red means stop.
27. RAILWK_081228_166.JPG: Railroad Communications: Safety is one of the primary concerns along the railroad. When you are moving cars that can weigh up to 110 tons each, a missed step, or not watching what you are doing, can have fatal consequences. Crew members must know what is going on, a big part of that is communication. So how do train crews talk with one another? In years past, it was done with whistle signals and hand signals. That system is fine if the weather is good, visibility is excellent, and crew members are in sight. Today, with longer trains and cars, communications are improved with 2-way radios on the locomotives and in crew members hands. Hand signals are still used when visual contact is available, but the radio is still much used. Railroads use a variety of frequencies, or channels, as assigned by the Association of American Railroads (AAR). A list of frequencies assign to Norfolk Southern is shown in the table below, please note that not all channels are used locally. When you are listening to the scanner, it may be difficult to understand some of what they are talking about, due to local names and locations, many of which are not on any map. At a number of places along NS tracks, you will see a green sign with white letters. Those signs denote the location in the timetable; nearby you can see "Henry Street" (about under the bridge) and "North Jefferson" near where Jefferson Street would cross the railroad.
28. RAILWK_081228_179.JPG: The Virginian Railway Company: Roanoke's rail heritage is not strictly the Norfolk and Western, although it is easy to see why the N&W is so dominant. Roanoke's "Other Railway" was the Virginian. The Virginian was one of two Class One railroads built in the 20th century. Virtually all other railroads had their corporate roots in the 19th Century. The Virginian was financed by a single person; Henry Huttleston Rogers. Rogers had made his fortune with Standard Oil, and had vast holdings of coal lands in West Virginia. This type of financing is almost unheard of today, particularly in the rail industry. Rogers looked to the N&W and Chesapeake and Ohio to provide good rates to haul his coal to Tidewater but was rebuffed> Rogers decided to build his own railroad, starting with two roads, the Tidewater Railroad from Sewalls Point (Norfolk) to the West Virginia state line, and the Deepwater Railroad from Deepwater, West Virginia meeting the Tidewater at the state line. Sadly, Rogers did not live to see his dream completed. He died just months before the line was completed in 1909. He did make one trip over the railroad before his death, visiting Roanoke and spending [sic] the night at the Hotel Roanoke which held a banquet to honor him. The Virginian did things in a big way, using huge, powerful locomotives, high capacity freight cars and heavy duty mainline trackage. By benefit of its later construction, the Virginian built easier grades east of Roanoke than the N&W. The Virginian operated mainly as a "coal conveyor" moving coal east and empty trains back to the mines on mainline that ran through mostly open countryside. Virginians' Roanoke terminal was located next to Reserve Avenue and South Jefferson Street. With its better grades, the N&W wanted to acquire the Virginian and began efforts towards a merger in the 1920s, but the State Corporation Commission felt competition was important, and denied the merger. As the 1950s wound down, the N&W came calling again, this time they were successful. On December 1, 1959 the Virginian vanished into the N&W in the first merger of modern times of non-related companies. The yard is still busy with coal and grain trains. The engine terminal vanished over 40 years ago. The only other sign of the Virginian is the former passenger station at the corner of Williamson Road and Jefferson Street.
29. RAILWK_081228_184.JPG: Catenary Poles: Overhead and hanging across the street is an unusual relic of the Virginian Railway. It may not look like much other than a steel I-beam and some cable, but these catenary (pronounced as "kat-uh-nar-e") poles were part of the supporting structure to carry the overhead 22,000 volt electrical wire to power the Virginian's electric powered locomotives. The Virginian installed the electrified district between Roanoke and Mullens, West Virginia, a distance of 122 miles beginning in 1925, replacing huge steam locomotives with more efficient electric locomotives. The electricity was generated by Virginian's own power plant at Narrows, Virginia and was transmitted via a long, overhead transmission line which in turn was transmitted via a long, overhead wire where it was drawn into the locomotives via a pantograph on the top of the locomotive. The electrification was very successful for the railroad. New locomotives were added in 1948 and 1956, but merger into the Norfolk and Western doomed the electrification. The new operation after the merger sent all the heavy coal trains eastward over the former Virginian, and empty trains back west over the N&W. Unfortunately, the electric locomotives had to operate westward against the normal flow of traffic to get back to Mullens. The efficiency of this operation was hampered and just two and a half years after the merger, on June 20, 1962, the power was shut down for the last time. In the next few months, virtually all traces of the electrification were removed. A few catenary poles remained to carry other cables over the tracks, and this set of poles is one of the very few remaining.
30. RAILWK_081228_191.JPG: N&W
31. RAILWK_081228_196.JPG: Locomotive Pilot or Cowcatcher: This item is a rarity, too big to easily carry off, and few were saved short of being still attached to the locomotive. This would be popularly known as a cowcatcher from the early days of railroading when cattle freely roamed the countryside, frequently the cattle strayed onto the tracks, and seldom gave way to the oncoming train. The cowcatcher was originally designed to somewhat gently push the cow away from the train, and prevent it from going under the locomotive to almost certain death (not to mention delaying the train). As times progressed, cattle were less of a problem, but rocks, automobiles and other large items began to take their place. The need of a long extended cowcatcher disappeared, and a more practical design took its place and became known as the pilot. The main purpose was to keep a large item from going under the moving locomotive and causing damage, or worse, a derailment. This pilot is most likely from a modern Class Y locomotive. The pipes are a perfect example of recycling. Those are actually old boiler flue tubes that have been used inside other locomotives, now used to make up the pilot. The railroad never had a shortage of those tubes, and they served many useful purposes.
32. RAILWK_081228_202.JPG: Locomotive Pilot or Cowcatcher
33. RAILWK_081228_208.JPG: Catenary Pole
34. RAILWK_081228_217.JPG: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge: Facing the railroad tracks, west is to your left where you see the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Bridge. Originally called the Henry Street Bridge, it spans the tracks to connect historic Henry Street with First Street to the south. The bridge was built in 1891 and was raised several feet in the 1990s to allow double-stack container trains to pass beneath it. The bridge, now a pedestrian walk, was renamed to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Part of the Henry Street Historic District, Henry Street was commercial and entertainment center of the African-American neighborhoods of Gainsboro and Northwest Roanoke from 1917 until 1954. On the west side of the street across the bridge is the former Hotel Dumas. Many well-known black performers who came to town playing jazz or blues in one of the clubs along Henry Street stayed (and played) at the Dumas. Today, it has been restored as the Dumas Center for Artistic & Cultural Development. In the 1880s, Henry Street was centrally located between what was the original town of Big Lick (built up around 2nd or Commerce Street) to the west, and the rapidly growing area to the east at the new depot (near the Market district). Towns spray up around stations. The station was a community center and the center of communications. News as well as the comings and goings were carefully watched by local residents. When the railroad built a new passenger station to the east, the town gravitated toward it. Businesses looked for building sites near the new depot.
35. RAILWK_081228_223.JPG: Locomotive Bells: Pressing the button will ring the diesel bell, located on the post above. Bells, whistles are air horns are primary safety items and are used to alert people a train is approaching. In the 1930s, the bell was one of the first warning devices added to locomotives. Steam locomotive bells were generally larger, cast machined bronze. Diesel bells began as bronze castings but with cost savings in mind, many bells are now being made of steel. Today's diesels, in many cases, are carrying an electronic bell. Bells were initially rung by pulling a cord running back to the locomotive cab, and much later switched to an air driven piston to ring the bell. This is the system used to ring many of today's bells. Parts of the bell's ringer system have been produced by Graham-White Manufacturing Company in nearby Salem for over 75 years. Steam locomotive bells are considered quite collectible, but if you would like one, they weigh, with cradle, over 200 pounds! It is far easier to enjoy the sound of this one here.
36. RAILWK_081228_227.JPG: Mine Car: Mining is hard, dirty work, and the miners who loaded little cars like this one earned their money! Today, the mining industry is heavily mechanized, but mine locomotives and cars are still utilized to some extent. The underground mine was once the domain of gritty men with picks, shovels, augers, explosive charges and not just a little bit of danger. Coal (or other minerals) was originally dug out by hand. Miners drilled a long hole, placed an explosive charge with a long fuse, tamped the charge into place. The clearing out the other miners, lit the charge, calling out "fire in the hole" and quickly moved to cover. The charge "shot down" the coal, where the miners then went about the process of breaking it up with picks or loading it by hand or shovel into mine cars like this one. Miners were generally paid by production, hence the song lyrics, "you load 15 tons, what do you get? Another day older and the deeper in debt." This particular mine car did not work in the coal industry, instead if came from the New Jersey Zink operation that operated lead mines at Austinville, Virginia.
37. RAILWK_081228_233.JPG: Locomotive bell
38. RAILWK_081228_251.JPG: I haven't a clue what this one is!
39. RAILWK_081228_253.JPG: Railroad Safety and Signals: Pressing the button at the top will blow a full sized diesel air horn, located high on the post nearby. On the nearby post to your right is another button which rings a diesel bell. The lower button on this post changes the indication on the dwarf signal to your left. Very few people, other than railroad employees, have a chance to ring the bell or blow the horn on a regular train! Safety is of prime importance on and around the railroad. Air horns and bells are warning devices used to alert people a train is approaching. Trains can't stop as easily as an automobile. A loaded coal train moving 35 miles per hour may take as much as a mile to stop. Bells are often used to let workers along the track know that movement is occurring or is about to occur. In the steam era, a cast iron sign showing a "W" (such as the one mounted here) was placed to let the engineer know to sound the whistle or horn when approaching a grade crossing. The horn is also used as a communication device for train crews, but with radios and cell phones, that use is very limited in today's world. During the steam era, the different combination of long and short blasts served to provide many different messages to crew members. The small signal below and to the left is known as a "dwarf" signal. They are used in terminals as a switching signal for yard crews to make changes in track without benefit of a crewman flagging them through the maze of tracks.
40. RAILWK_081228_261.JPG: Crossing gates
41. RAILWK_081228_271.JPG: Today's Rail Traffic: It is difficult to describe the rail traffic one might see here, as virtually anything and everything can be moving. Operating patterns change, traffic that may be there one week is gone the next. So to keep this simple, very little information about specific trains is provided. Train traffic moving from east to west frequently includes empty hopper or gondola cars headed back to the mines of West Virginia. These cars carry coal to eastern ports, power companies in North Carolina and the northeast. Depending on its destination, you may see loaded coal trains moving north or south; these are generally headed to power plants. Overseas-bound coal trains rarely traverse this section, instead moving east over the former Virginia Railway tracks about a mile south of here due to a much easier grade. Large enclosed carriers are transporting new automobiles, usually bound for a large unloading area in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Those trains will head south along Williamson Road. You will also see the empty auto carriers returning, headed for the manufacturing plants. Merchandise or freight trains move all variety of cargo in all directions. You will see containers loaded on flat cars, sometimes stacked two high (double-stacks) that can be carrying virtually anything and everything. Container traffic moves both directions, bound for both coasts and points in between. Tank cars carry a wide variety of chemicals and liquid items. The Coca-Cola plant to the west gets tank car loads of corn syrup, usually marked "Staley." There are also tankcar loads *unmarked) of chilled Coors beer from Colorado, bound for the Coors packaging plant at Elkton, Virginia. Covering hopper cars carry loose material that must be kept dry, such as cement, grain fertilizer and soybeans. On most days, you will see a train head north or returning with a variety of covered hoppers. These are shipments to/from the former Lone Star Cement plant (now Roanoke Cement) near Cloverdale. Every weekday evening between 6 and 8pm, you will see what usually consists of a single locomotive and between 6 and 9 green painted cars all alike. This is the "trash train" carrying refuse from the trash transfer station just to the east and north of the Roanoke Shops to the Smith Gap landfill located in western Roanoke County. The train carries the loaded cars out of town and returns with empty cars between 9 and 11pm. A viewer may frequently see strings of brand-new hopper cars passing by. Generally these are the product of the Freight Car America plant, now operating in the former N&W freight car assembly area in Roanoke Shops. They produce anywhere between 8 to 12 cars per eight hour shift for a wide variety of customers. The cars are aluminum construction and can also be seen moving loaded with coal for specific power plants. Unfortunately, you will not see any regular passenger trains in Roanoke, as regular passenger service ended in 1971. Amtrak ran trains between 1975 and 1980 and many excursion trains ran between 1982 and 1994. Another rarity is a caboose on a train. Since July 1, 1988, cabooses are no longer required on freight trains. If you see one today, it is normally a local freight train working in the immediate area that has lots of local shifting or spotting of cars that require a crew getting on and off a lot. Remember, rail traffic changes over time, what you might see today, may not be there tomorrow, so these descriptions are general in nature, by virtue of them possibly changing in a week!
42. RAILWK_081228_282.JPG: Crossing Gates: Safety is the primary concern when you are working on or near the railroad. An accident of any kind can be very serious, or even deadly. Railroads spend a considerable amount of money on safety. One area of worry is where the highway meets the track at a grade crossing. Some interesting facts about highway-rail crashers: (1) Nearly half of all highway-rail crashes occur when the train is traveling under 30 mph. (2) 64% of all collisions occur in daylight hours. (3) Three or four collisions occur within 25 miles of the driver's home. (4) In the USA, approximately every 2 hours a collision occurs between a train and a vehicle or a train or a pedestrian. (5) At 55 mph, the average freight train may take one mile or more to stop. (6) Nearly 50% of all collisions occur at crossing equipped with automatic warning devices. (7) You are 20 times more likely to die in a collision with a train than in a collision involving another motor vehicle. Crossing gates are generally installed by the railroad companies on crossings where highway and rail traffic are heavy or visibility may be limited. In years past, a wide variety of devices were used as grade crossing protection, including flashing lights, wig-wag signals and watchmen with stop signs. None have been quite as successful as gates but as long as drivers are careless or do not respect the size of a train, no device can prevent crashes.
43. RAILWK_081228_328.JPG: Taken from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge
Description of Subject Matter: The railwalk closed in 2017 for construction of a new Amtrak terminal. Luckily, I saw it back in 2008 although I saw it at night and wanted to go back and see it in daytime for a change.
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