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Encyclopedia > Norfolk and Western Railway
Norfolk and Western Railway
logo
Reporting marks NW
Locale Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia
Dates of operation 18381982
Track gauge ft 8½ in (1435 mm) (standard gauge)
Headquarters Roanoke, Virginia

The Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) (AAR reporting marks NW), a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. It had headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia for most of its 150 year existence. Image:S nw logo. ... Reporting marks on two CP Rail covered hoppers passing Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, June 20, 2004. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,417 sq mi (32,160 km²)  - Width 90 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37°53N to 39°43N  - Longitude 75°4W to 79°33... Official language(s) None (English, de-facto) Capital Lansing Largest city Detroit Area  Ranked 11th  - Total 97,990 sq mi (253,793 km²)  - Width 239 miles (385 km)  - Length 491 miles (790 km)  - % water 41. ... Official language(s) English Capital Jefferson City Largest city Kansas City Area  Ranked 21st  - Total 69,709 sq mi (180,693 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 300 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... NY redirects here. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  Ranked 28th  - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 km²)  - Width 150 miles (240 km)  - Length 560[1] miles (901 km)  - % water 9. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Official language(s) English, Pennsylvania Dutch Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rail gauge is the distance between two rails of a railroad. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Reporting marks on two CP Rail covered hoppers passing Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, June 20, 2004. ... A Class I railroad in the United States, or a Class I railway (also Class I rail carrier) in Canada, is one of the largest freight railroads, as classified based on operating revenue. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...


The company was famous for manufacturing steam locomotives in-house at the Roanoke Shops as well as their own hopper cars. Around 1960, N&W was the last major American railroad to convert from steam to diesel motive power. Union Pacific Big Boy #4012 at work on a cold November 29, 1941 A steam locomotive is a locomotive powered by steam. ... The Roanoke Shops of the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) in Roanoke, Virginia were founded in 1881, and acquired by the railroad in 1883. ... 2-bay hopper cars of the Reading Railroad. ...


In the mid 20th century, N&W merged with long-time rival Virginian Railway in the Pocahontas coal region and grew even more in size and profitability by mergers with other rail carriers including Nickel Plate Road and Wabash in adjacent areas to form a system serving 14 states and a province of Canada between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River and Great Lakes with more than 7,000 miles of trackage. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting mark VGN) was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ... Categories: Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads | Missouri railroads | New York railroads | Ohio railroads | Pennsylvania railroads ... Categories: Rail stubs | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads | Ohio railroads ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ...


Norfolk & Western Railway was combined with the Southern Railway, another profitable carrier, to form the Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) in 1982. The Southern Railway (AAR reporting mark SOU) was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894. ... Norfolk Southern Corporation (AAR reporting mark NS) NYSE: NSC is a US publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ...

Contents

City Point, bridging the Dismal Swamp, William Mahone, Civil War

The history of the Norfolk and Western Railway began with the City Point Railroad, a nine-mile short line railroad formed in 1838 to extend from City Point (now part of the independent City of Hopewell, Virginia) to Petersburg, Virginia. In 1854, it became part of the South Side Railroad. The City Point Railroad played a crucial role in the US Civil War during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864-1865. City Point Railroad was a nine-mile railroad in eastern Virginia established in 1838 which ran from City Point (now part of the independent City of Hopewell) on the navigable portion of the James River to Petersburg, Virginia. ... A short line is an independent railroad company that operates over a relatively short distance. ... Waterfront at City Point, Virginia (now Hopewell) in 1865 City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia in the state of Virginia. ... Waterfront at City Point, Virginia (now Hopewell) in 1865 Hopewell is an independent city in the state of Virginia. ... Location Location in the State of Virginia Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Virginia Independent city Founded December 17, 1748 Mayor Annie M. Mickens Geographical characteristics Area     City 60. ... South Side Railroad (sometimes also called the Southside Railroad) was formed in Virginia in 1846. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength 67,000 – 125,000 average of 52,000 Casualties 53,386 ~32,000 The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 15, 1864, to March 25...


William Mahone (1826-1895), a Virginia Military Institute engineering graduate, was hired by Dr. Francis Mallory build the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad beginning in 1853 and eventually became its president in the pre-Civil War era. Mahone's innovative corduroy roadbed through the Great Dismal Swamp near Norfolk, Virginia, employs a log foundation laid at right angles beneath the surface of the swamp. Still in use 150 years later, it withstands immense tonnages of coal traffic, a very effectively engineered 19th century track. William Thomas Mahone (December 1, 1826 – October 8, 1895), of Southampton County, Virginia was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. ... The oldest surviving photograph, Nicéphore Niépce, circa 1826 1826 (MDCCCXXVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Virginia Military Institute (VMI), located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state military college in the United States. ... Francis Mallory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad map, circa 1858-1870, issued by William Mahone, President The Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad was built between Norfolk and Petersburg, Virginia and was completed by 1858. ... The Great Dismal Swamp is located in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. ... Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ...


Mahone married Otelia Butler, from Smithfield in Isle of Wight County who was said to be a "cultured lady". Her father, the late Dr. Robert Butler (1784-1853) had been Treasurer of the State of Virginia. Otelia Voinard Butler Mahone (August 1, 1837-February 21, 1911) was a nurse and the wife of Confederate Major General William Mahone, who was a civil engineer, teacher, railroad builder, and Senator in the United States Congress. ... Smithfield is a town located in Isle of Wight County, in the South Hampton Roads region of Virginia in the United States. ... Location in the state of Virginia Formed 1634 Seat Isle of Wight Area  - Total  - Water 940 km² (363 mi²) 121 km² (47 mi²) 12. ... Dr. Robert Butler (1784-1853) was a Treasurer of the State of Virginia from the town of Smithfield in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. ...


Popular legend has it that Otelia and William Mahone traveled along the newly completed Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad naming stations along the 52-mile tangent between Suffolk and Petersburg from Ivanhoe a book she was reading written by Sir Walter Scott. From his historical Scottish novels, Otelia chose the place names of Windsor, Waverly and Wakefield. She tapped the Scottish Clan "McIvor" for the name of Ivor, a small Southampton County town. When they could not agree, it is said that the young couple invented a new word in honor of their "dispute", which is how the tiny community of Disputanta was named. The N&P railroad was completed in 1858. In mathematics, the word tangent has two distinct but etymologically-related meanings: one in geometry and one in trigonometry. ... Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia County Independent City Founded 1742 Mayor Linda T. Johnson Area    - City 1,111. ... Location Location in the State of Virginia Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Virginia Independent city Founded December 17, 1748 Mayor Annie M. Mickens Geographical characteristics Area     City 60. ... Portrait of Sir Walter Scott, by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832) was a prolific Scottish historical novelist and poet popular throughout Europe during his time. ... Windsor is a town located in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. ... Waverly is a town located in Sussex County, Virginia. ... Wakefield is a town located in Sussex County, Virginia. ... Ivor is a town located in Southampton County, Virginia. ... Southampton County is a county located in the state of Virginia. ... Disputanta, Virginia is an unincorporated town located in Prince George County, Virginia in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). ...


Of small stature, dynamic "Little Billy" Mahone became a Major General in the Confederate Army and was widely regarded as the hero of the Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864-1865. Otelia Mahone served as a nurse in the Confederate capital of Richmond. After the surrender at Appomattox in April 9 1865, General Robert E. Lee urged his leaders to return to their homes and set about rebuilding the South. General Mahone embraced this advice. This article is in need of attention. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ambrose E. Burnside Robert E. Lee Strength IX Corps elements of the Army of Northern Virginia Casualties 5,300 total 1,032 total {{{notes}}} The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength 67,000 – 125,000 average of 52,000 Casualties 53,386 ~32,000 The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 15, 1864, to March 25... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... This article focuses on the education and regulation of nurses. ... Nickname: The River City Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia County Independent City Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (D) Area    - City 62. ... // For the author of Inherit the Wind and other works, see Robert Edwin Lee. ...


Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad created and becomes Norfolk and Western

After the war, William Mahone was the driving force in the linkage of N&P, South Side Railroad and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad to form the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad (AM&O), a new line extending from Norfolk to Bristol, Virginia in 1870. William and Otelia Mahone moved to the headquarters city of Lynchburg. The letters A, M & O were said to stand for "All Mine and Otelia's." A fourth road of the AM&O family was planned to extend west through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky, but was never built. William Thomas Mahone (December 1, 1826 – October 8, 1895), of Southampton County, Virginia was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. ... South Side Railroad (sometimes also called the Southside Railroad) was formed in Virginia in 1846. ... Virginia and Tennessee Railroad - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio Railroad - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The Allied Arts Building in downtown Lynchburg, completed in 1931. ... Daniel Boone Escorting Settlers through the Cumberland Gap (George Caleb Bingham, oil on canvas, 1851–52) Cumberland Gap (el. ...


In the early 1870s, the AM&O operated profitably for several years but as did many other railroads, ran into financial problems as a result of the Financial Panic of 1873. Mahone retained control for several more years before his relationship with English and Scottish bondholders soured in 1876, and other receivers were appointed to oversee his work. After several more years of operating under receiverships, Mahone's role as a railroad builder ended in 1881 when northern financial interests took control. At the foreclosure auction, the AM&O was purchased by E.W. Clark and Co., a private banking firm in Philadelphia which controlled the Shenandoah Valley Railroad then under construction. The AM&O was renamed Norfolk and Western, perhaps taken from a 1850s charter application filed by citizens of Norfolk, Virginia. Mahone, also active in Virginia politics, was able to arrange for the state's proceeds of the AM&O sale to go for educational purposes, including the funds to begin what is now Virginia State University near Petersburg. He was later a Senator in the U.S. Congress. Run on the Fourth National Bank, No. ... Shenandoah Valley Railroad is a historic name used by 2 railroads in Virginia in the US. Shenandoah Valley Railroad (N&W) was a line completed in the 1880s extending down the Shenandoah Valley from Hagerstown, Maryland through the West Virginia panhandle into Virginia to reach Roanoke, Virginia and the Norfolk... Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... Virginia State University, located in Ettrick, Virginia (near Petersburg, in the Richmond area), was founded on March 6, 1882. ...


Frederick J. Kimball, Big Lick becomes Roanoke, reaching Ohio

Frederick J. Kimball was a civil engineer and partner in the Clark firm. He was named to head the new N&W and consolidated it with the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. Henry Fink, who Mahone had hired in 1855, became General Superintendent. For the junction for the Shenandoah Valley and the Norfolk & Western, Kimball and his board of directors selected a small Virginia village called Big Lick, on the Roanoke River. The small town was later renamed Roanoke, Virginia. Frederick J. Kimball Categories: People stubs | United States railroad executives | 1844 births | 1903 deaths ... Shenandoah Valley Railroad is a historic name used by 2 railroads in Virginia in the US. Shenandoah Valley Railroad (N&W) was a line completed in the 1880s extending down the Shenandoah Valley from Hagerstown, Maryland through the West Virginia panhandle into Virginia to reach Roanoke, Virginia and the Norfolk... The Roanoke River is a river in southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States, 410 mi (660 km) long. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...


Kimball, whose interest in geology was responsible for the opening of the Pocahontas coalfields in western Virginia and West Virginia, pushed N&W lines through the wilds of West Virginia, north to Columbus, Ohio and Cincinnati, Ohio, and south to Durham, North Carolina and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This gave the railroad the route structure it was to use for more than 60 years. This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... Nickname: The Arch City The Discovery City Location in the state of Ohio, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Ohio Counties Franklin, Delaware, and Fairfield  - Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) Area    - City  212. ... Nickname: The Queen City Location in Hamilton County, Ohio, USA Coordinates: Country United States State Ohio County Hamilton Founded 1788 Incorporated 1802 (village) - 1819 (city) Government type Strong mayor  - Mayor Mark L. Mallory (D) Area    - City  79. ... Nickname: Bull City, City of Medicine Location in North Carolina Country United States State North Carolina County Durham County  - Mayor Bill Bell Area    - City 245. ... Nickname: Twin City, Camel City Motto: Youre Something Special in Winston-Salem Location in North Carolina Coordinates: Country United States State North Carolina Counties Forsyth County Founded Incorporated 1766 (Salem) 1849 (Winston) 1913 Government  - Mayor Allen Joines (D) Area  - City  109. ...


Coal

Bituminous coal.
Bituminous coal.

In 1885, several small mining companies representing about 400,000 acres (1,600 km²) of bituminous coal reserves grouped together to form the coalfields' largest landowner, the Philadelphia-based Flat-Top Coal Land Association. Norfolk and Western Railway bought the Association and reorganized it as the Pocahontas Coal and Coke Co., which it later renamed Pocahontas Land Corp, now a subsidiary of Norfolk Southern. Bituminous coal This image is from: http://resourcescommittee. ... Bituminous coal This image is from: http://resourcescommittee. ... Bituminous coal Bituminous coal is a relatively hard coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen. ... Norfolk Southern Corporation (AAR reporting mark NS) NYSE: NSC is a US publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ...


As the availability and fame of high-quality Pocahontas bituminous coal increased, economic forces took over. Coal operators and their employees settled dozens of towns in southern West Virginia, and in the next few years, as coal demand swelled, some of them amassed fortunes. The countryside was soon sprinkled with tipples, coke ovens, houses for workers, company stores and churches. In the four decades before the Crash of 1929 and subsequent Depression, these coal towns flourished. One example was the small community of Bramwell, West Virginia, which in its heyday boasted the highest per capita concentration of millionaires in the country. Bituminous coal Bituminous coal is a relatively hard coal containing a tar-like substance called bitumen. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... The Great Depression was a global economic slump that began in 1929 and bottomed in 1933. ... The Great Depression was a time of economic down turn, which started after the Stock Market Crash on October 29, 1929, also known as Black Tuesday. ... Bramwell is a town located in Mercer County, West Virginia, along the Bluestone River. ...

An aerial view of the Norfolk and Western Railway coal piers and yards at Lambert's Point, on Elizabeth River at Norfolk, Virginia.

In 1886, the N&W tracks were extended directly to coal piers at Lambert's Point, which was located in Norfolk County just north of the City of Norfolk on the Elizabeth River, where one of the busiest coal export facilities in the world was built to reach Hampton Roads shipping. A residential section was also developed to house the families of the workers. Many early residents of Lambert's Point were involved in the coal industry. Image:Lamberts point. ... Image:Lamberts point. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... aerial view of Norfolk and Western Railway coal piers and yards at Lamberts Point, on Elizabeth River at Norfolk, Virginia Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South... The Elizabeth River is a short tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. ... Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... Aerial view looking east of Virginian Railway coal piers at Sewells Point on Hampton Roads near Norfolk, Virginia. ... aerial view of Norfolk and Western Railway coal piers and yards at Lamberts Point, on Elizabeth River at Norfolk, Virginia Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South... Norfolk County, Virginia (from 1895 map), existed from 1691-1963, now extinct Norfolk County is an extinct political subdivision in eastern Virginia. ... The Elizabeth River is a short tidal estuary forming an arm of Hampton Roads at the southern end of Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia in the United States. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... This view from space in July 1996 shows portions of each of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads which generally surround the harbor area of Hampton Roads, which framed by the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel visible to the east (right), the Virginia Peninsula subregion to the north (top), and the...


The opening of the coalfields made N&W prosperous and Pocahontas coal world-famous. By 1900, Norfolk was the leading coal exporting port on the East Coast. Transported by the N&W, and later the neighboring Virginian Railway (VGN), it fueled half the world's navies and today stokes steel mills and power plants all over the globe. The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting mark VGN) was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ...


Roanoke Shops: building precision steam locomotives in-house

The company was famous for manufacturing steam locomotives in-house. It was at the Norfolk & Western's Roanoke Shops, which employed thousands of craftsmen, where decades later the famed classes A, J, and Y6 locomotives would be designed, built and maintained, made the company known industry wide for its excellence in steam power. Union Pacific Big Boy #4012 at work on a cold November 29, 1941 A steam locomotive is a locomotive powered by steam. ... The Roanoke Shops of the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) in Roanoke, Virginia were founded in 1881, and acquired by the railroad in 1883. ...


Around 1960, N&W was the last major railroad to convert from steam to diesel motive power. However, several of its famous steam locomotives, including J class # 611 and A class # 1218 are now on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke. Norfolk and Western 611 is a 4-8-4 steam locomotive built by the Norfolk and Western Railways East End Shops in Roanoke, Virginia, in May of 1950 for the Norfolk and Western Railway. ...


World Wars, Great Depression, and efficiencies

Norfolk and Western operated profitably through World War I and World War II and paid regular dividends throughout the Depression. During World War I, the NW was jointly operated with its adjacent competitor, the Virginian Railway (VGN), under the USRA's wartime takeover of the Pocahontas Roads. The operating efficiencies were significant, and after the war, when the railroads were returned to their respective owners and competitive status, the NW never lost sight of the VGN and its low-grade routing through Virginia. However, the US Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) turned down attempts at combining the roads until the late 1950s, when a proposed Norfolk & Western Railway and Virginian Railway merger was finally approved. Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nikolay II Aleksey Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert H. Asquith D. Lloyd George Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nikolay II Aleksey Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert H. Asquith D. Lloyd George Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna... The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting mark VGN) was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ... The United States Railroad Administration was the name of the nationalised railroad system of the United States between 1917 and 1920. ... The Interstate Commerce Commission (or ICC) was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland. ...

An N&W section gang on a hand car at Max Meadows, Virginia, circa 1915.
An N&W section gang on a hand car at Max Meadows, Virginia, circa 1915.

Image File history File linksMetadata Hand_cart. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Hand_cart. ... A handcar A handcar ride A handcar is a maintenance of way railroad car powered by its passengers. ... Max Meadows is a census-designated place located in Wythe County, Virginia. ...

The Virginian Railway — an engineering marvel of its day

The Virginian Railway (VGN) was conceived and built by William Nelson Page and Henry Huttleston Rogers. Page had helped engineer and build the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O) through the mountains of West Virginia and Rogers had already become a millionaire and a principal of Standard Oil before their partnership was formed. The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting mark VGN) was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ... William Nelson Page (January 6, 1854–March 7, 1932), was a United States civil engineer, entrepreneur, capitalist, businessman, and industrialist. ... Henry Huttleston Rogers (January 29, 1840 – May 19, 1909) was a United States capitalist, businessman, industrialist, financier, and philanthropist. ... The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O) was a Class 1 railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... Standard Oil (Esso) was a predominant integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. ...


Early in the 20th century, they built a "Mountains to Sea" railroad from the coal fields of southern West Virginia to port near Norfolk at Sewell's Point in the harbor of Hampton Roads. They accomplished this right under the noses of the pre-existing and much bigger C&O and N&W railroads and their leaders by forming two small intrastate railroads, Deepwater Railway, in West Virginia, and Tidewater Railway in Virginia. Once right-of-way and land acquisitions had been secured, the two small railroads were merged in 1907 to form the Virginian Railway. Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... Hampton Roads, Virginia 1858 Sewells Point is a peninsula of land in the independent city of Norfolk, Virginia in the United States, located at the mouth of the salt-water port of Hampton Roads. ... This view from space in July 1996 shows portions of each of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads which generally surround the harbor area of Hampton Roads, which framed by the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel visible to the east (right), the Virginia Peninsula subregion to the north (top), and the... The Deepwater Railway was formed in 1898 as an intrastate short-line railroad located in West Virginia in the United States by William N. Page, a civil engineer and entrepreneur. ... The Tidewater Railway was formed in 1904 as an intrastate railroad located in Virginia in the United States by William N. Page, a civil engineer and entrepreneur and his silent partner, millionaire industrialist Henry Huttleston Rogers of Standard Oil fame. ...


Engineered by Page and financed almost entirely from Rogers' personal resources, the VGN was built following a policy of investing in the best route and equipment on initial selection and purchase to save operating expenses.


Mark Twain spoke at the dedication of the new railroad in Norfolk, Virginia only 6 weeks before Rogers died in May, 1909 following his only inspection trip on the newly completed railroad. That June, Dr. Booker T. Washington made a whistle-stop speaking tour on the VGN, traveling in Rogers' private car, Dixie, and later revealing that Rogers had been instrumental in funding many small country schools and institutions of higher education in the South for the betterment of Negroes. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910),[1] better known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, satirist, writer, and lecturer. ... Booker T. Washington he was dimb Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856, – November 14, 1915) was an American political leader, educator and author. ... DIXIE is an obsolete protocol for accessing X.500 directory services. ...

See also: Building the Virginian Railway

For 50 years, the Virginian Railway enjoyed a more modern pathway built to the highest standards, providing major competition for coal traffic to its larger neighboring railroads, the C&O and N&W. The 600-mile VGN followed Rogers' philosophy throughout its profitable history, earning the nickname "Richest Little Railroad in the World." It operated some of the largest and most powerful steam, electric, and diesel locomotives. Bituminous coal Building the Virginian Railway began as a project to create an 80 mile-long short line railroad to provide access for shipping of untapped bituminous coal reserves in southern West Virginia early in the 20th century. ...


The VGN installed a large 134 mile-long railway electrification system between 1922 and 1926 at a cost of $15 million, and had its own power plant at Narrows, Virginia. It shared electrical resources with the Norfolk and Western between 1925 and 1950, when the latter discontinued its own electrified section through the great Flat Top mountain. The larger electrification of the VGN was also discontinued under Norfolk & Western management in 1962, following the merger. Overhead wire in Coventry, England Overhead wire and its suspension system in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives and multiple units. ... Narrows is a town located in Giles County, Virginia. ...


The Modern Railroad Merger Era 1960-1982

Train No. 25, the Powhatan Arrow, speeds through Salem, Virginia on July 11, 1953.
Train No. 25, the Powhatan Arrow, speeds through Salem, Virginia on July 11, 1953.

When the Virginian Railway was finally merged into Norfolk & Western in 1959, it is widely believed that the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) approval began a merger movement and a modernization of the entire US railroad industry. In 1964, the former Wabash; Nickel Plate; Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railway; and Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad were brought into the system in one of the most complex mergers of the era. This consolidation, enhanced by the addition of a more direct route to Chicago, Illinois in 1976, positioned Norfolk & Western as an important Midwestern railroad, providing direct single-line service between the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Great Lakes and Mississippi River on the other. Image File history File links OP-13841. ... Image File history File links OP-13841. ... Train No. ... Salem is an independent city located in Virginia, bordered by the city of Roanoke and Roanoke County. ... July 11 is the 192nd day (193rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 173 days remaining. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting mark VGN) was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ... The Interstate Commerce Commission (or ICC) was a regulatory body in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887, which was signed into law by President Grover Cleveland. ... Categories: Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Illinois railroads | Indiana railroads | Missouri railroads | New York railroads | Ohio railroads | Pennsylvania railroads ... The P&WV formed a connection between the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway and Western Maryland Railway. ... The Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad (AAR reporting mark ACY) was a class I railroad that existed between 1907 and 1964. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... The Great Lakes from space The Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes in North America on or near the Canada-United States border. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. ...


In the late 1960s, Norfolk & Western also acquired Dereco, a combination of the Delaware and Hudson, Erie Lackawanna Railroad, Reading Railroad, and Central Railroad of New Jersey. However, this subsidiary consisting of troubled northeastern US railroads was not merged into the Norfolk & Western. Most of Dereco later became part of Conrail. Some of those portions later also became part of Norfolk Southern when in it acquired the major portion of Conrail in 1999. On September 1, 1981, Norfolk & Western acquired Illinois Terminal Railroad. NW was also a major investor in Piedmont Airlines. ... The Erie Lackawanna Railroad (AAR reporting mark EL) was formed from the 1960 merger of the Erie Railroad and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. ... Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Categories: Rail stubs | Philadelphia and Reading Railroad ... alternate logo The Central Railroad of New Jersey, more commonly known as the Jersey Central Lines or CNJ, was a regional railroad with origins in the 1830s, lasting until 1976 when it was absorbed into Conrail with the other bankrupt railroads of the U.S. Northeast. ... Conrail 6114, a GE Dash 8-40CW, leads a train westbound out of Altoona, Pennsylvania. ... Norfolk Southern Corporation (AAR reporting mark NS) NYSE: NSC is a US publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ... Conrail 6114, a GE Dash 8-40CW, leads a train westbound out of Altoona, Pennsylvania. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Illinois Terminal Railroad (AAR reporting mark ITC) was a railroad carrier in Illinois. ... Piedmont Airlines Logo Piedmont Airlines began flying in 1948. ...


Autoracks: competing with trucking

In the 1950s, Canadian National Railway (CN) introduced a group of autoracks which represented a new innovation. The CN bi-level auto-rack cars had end-door cars. They were huge by the standards of the time; each 75-footer (23 m) could carry 8 vehicles. These cars were a big success and helped lead to the development of today's enclosed auto racks. Tri-level versions were developed in the 1970s. The Canadian National Railway (CN; AAR reporting marks CN, CNA, CNIS), known as Canadian National Railways (CNR) between 1918 and 1960, and Canadian National/Canadien National (CN) from 1960 to present, is a Canadian Class I railway operated by Canadian National Railway Company headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. ... An autorack, also known as an auto carrier, is a specialized piece of railroad rolling stock used to transport unladen automobiles. ...


During the 1960s, autoracks took over rail transportation of newly-completed automobiles in North America. They carried more cars in the same space and were easier to load and unload than the boxcars formerly used. Ever-larger auto carriers and specialized terminals were developed by N&W and other railroads. A Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railway boxcar on display at the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin. ...


The railroads were able to provide lower costs and greater protection from in-transit damage (such as that which may occur due to vandalism or weather and traffic conditions on unenclosed truck trailers). Using the autoracks, the railroads became the primary long-distance transporter of completed automobiles, one of few commodities where the industry has been able to overcome trucking in competition.


Becoming part of Norfolk Southern — joining with a strong partner

In the early 1980s, the profitable Norfolk & Western combined forces with Southern Railway, another profitable company, to form today's Norfolk Southern and compete more effectively with CSX Transportation, itself a combination of smaller railroads in the eastern half of the United States. The Southern Railway (AAR reporting mark SOU) was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894. ... CSX Transportation (AAR reporting marks CSXT) is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the CSX Corporation. ...


Today, much of the former Norfolk and Western Railway is a vital portion of Norfolk Southern Corporation, a Fortune 500 company which has its headquarters in Norfolk, only a short distance from the coal piers at Lambert's Point. Norfolk Southern Corporation (AAR reporting mark NS) NYSE: NSC is a US publicly-traded stock corporation based in Norfolk, Virginia. ... The Fortune 500 is a ranking of the top 500 United States corporations as measured by gross revenue. ... aerial view of Norfolk and Western Railway coal piers and yards at Lamberts Point, on Elizabeth River at Norfolk, Virginia Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South...


Leaders of the Norfolk and Western

Of the thousands of men and women who made the AM&O and N&W work and grow after the American Civil War, the following people were the railroad's top leaders.

William Thomas Mahone (December 1, 1826 – October 8, 1895), of Southampton County, Virginia was a civil engineer, teacher, soldier, railroad executive, and a member of the Virginia General Assembly and U.S. Congress. ... Frederick J. Kimball Categories: People stubs | United States railroad executives | 1844 births | 1903 deaths ... Lucius E. Johnson - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... William Jackson Jenks (March 21, 1870 – January 17, 1960) was a 70 year veteran of railroading. ... Robert Hall Smith (March 10, 1888 – June 18, 1960), a native of Baltimore, Maryland, served as President of the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) from 1946-1958. ... Stuart Thomas Saunders (1909-1987) was an American railroad executive. ... Herman H. Pevler (20 April 1903 - 29 August 1978)was the 10th president of the Roanoke, VA based Norfolk and Western Railway. ... Robert B. Claytor - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

References

Books

  • Blake, Nelson Morehouse, Phd. (1935) William Mahone of Virginia; Soldier and Political Insurgent, Garrett and Massie Publishers; Richmond, VA
  • Dixon, Thomas W, Jr., (1994) Appalachian Coal Mines & Railroads. Lynchburg, Virginia: TLC Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-883089-08-5
  • Huddleston, Eugene L, Ph.D. (2002) Appalachian Conquest, Lynchburg, Virginia: TLC Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-883089-79-4
  • Lambie, Joseph T. (1954) From Mine to Market: The History of Coal Transportation on the Norfolk and Western Railway New York: New York University Press
  • Lewis, Lloyd D. (1992) The Virginian Era. Lynchburg, Virginia: TLC Publishing Inc.
  • Lewis, Lloyd D. (1994) Norfolk & Western and Virginian Railways in Color by H. Reid. Lynchburg, Virginia: TLC Publishing Inc. ISBN 1-883089-09-3
  • Middleton, William D. (1974) (1st ed.). When The Steam Railroads Electrified Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing Co. ISBN 0-89024-028-0
  • Prince, Richard E. (1980) Norfolk & Western Railway, Pocahontas Coal Carrier, R.E. Prince; Millard, NE
  • Reid, H. (1961). The Virginian Railway (1st ed.). Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing Co.
  • Reisweber, Kurt (1995) Virginian Rails 1953-1993 (1st ed.) Old Line Graphics. ISBN 1-879314-11-8
  • Striplin, E. F. Pat. (1981) The Norfolk & Western : a history Roanoke, Va. : Norfolk and Western Railway Co. ISBN 0-9633254-6-9
  • Traser, Donald R. (1998) Virginia Railway Depots. Old Dominion Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. ISBN 0-9669906-0-9
  • Wiley, Aubrey and Wallace, Conley (1985}. The Virginian Railway Handbook. Lynchburg, Virginia: W-W Publications.

Periodical, business, and on-line publications

  • Cuthriell, N.L. (1956) Coal On The Move Via The Virginian Railway, reprinted with permission of Norfolk Southern Corporation in 1995 by Norfolk & Western Historical Society, Inc. ISBN 0-9633254-2-6

See also

Train No. ... Train No. ... Train No. ... Train No. ...

External links



  Results from FactBites:
 
Modelling the Norfolk & Western Railway (141 words)
This site will reflect my interests in the Norfolk & Western Railway, mainly focusing on the late 1960s.
I will also be putting up some information on the late '50s, as I have have more than a passing interest in the late steam era on the N&W; It is just not as practical as a modelling prospect (unless your pockets are deeper than mine).
Norfolk & Western railfans have visited this site since 28 May 1998.
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