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Virginia Museum of Transportation Steam Locomotives |
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
postcard / collection
Virginian Railway #4
Norfolk, Va / Dece 1956 / Jeffrey Lawrence collection 
Virginian Railway #4
to City of Princeton WV
to City of Roanoke VA
to Virginia Museum of Transportation
Roanoke, Va / Jun 1986 / Robert Proctor
from Railroading magazine #32 - Feb 1970 / collection
1980 tourist train guide ad / collection
1989 tourist train guide ad / collection
UNCOMMON or UNUSUAL locomotive
Norfolk & Western #6
Roanoke, Va / Jul 1989 / Bob Kise
Norfolk & Western #6
to Norfolk & Western #200
to Norfolk & Western #6
to City of Roanoke, 1955
to Virginia Museum of Transportation
from The Norfolk & Western Handbook - Wallace and Wiley / collection
Roanoke, Va / Oct 1999 / JCH
postcard / collection
Queen of Steam
Norfolk & Western #611
Roanoke, Va / 1950 / collection
Norfolk & Western #611
retired from revenue service, 1959
to City of Roanoke, Va
to Virginia Transportation Museum
named "Spirit of Roanoke"
orfolk & Western #611 was one of fourteen Class 'J' passenger locomotives built by the Norfolk & Western Railway between 1941 and 1950 and the only one in existence today. Constructed in Roanoke in 1950 and rebuilt after a wreck in 1956, #611 served in high-speed revenue passenger service until a farewell to steam excursion in 1959. The locomotive was then donated to the City of Roanoke, Virginia, in 1960 and stored at the Roanoke Transportation Museum, where it sat dormant for two decades. 1n 1982, #611 was rebuilt by the Southern Railway's Norris Yard steam shop in Birmingham, Al. A year later she began a long first career in excursion service across the Norfolk Southern mainline system, lasting until their steam program was dropped in 1994. Stored again in Roanoke, in 2013 the new Fire Up 611 committee announced plans to rebuild the locomotive again for a second excursion career in the NS 21st Century Steam program. #611 remains based in Roanoke, Virginia.
See also our complete Norfolk & Western #611 featured steam scrapbook in Steam
collection
from Steam Locomotive & Railroad Tradition #13 - May 1963 / collection
Roanoke, Va / Jul 2001 / JCH
Roanoke, Va / Jul 2001 / JCH
Roanoke, Va / Jul 2001 / JCH
Jul 2001 / RWH
1998 tourist train guide ad / collection
2016 museum brochure / collection
collection
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
imple lines, a bullet nose, and a Tuscan red stripe made the Js stand out as one of the most beautiful streamlined steam locomotives ever designed. The Js were the pride of the N&W's crack fleet of home-built steam locomotives. They powered the famous named trains like the Powhatan Arrow, Cavalier, and Pocahontas. The Js along with the Class 'A' and 'Y' freight engines embodied the ingenuity of N&W engineers and represented the pinnacle of steam technology. At a time when other railroads were scrapping their steam locomotives, the N&W was building more. No. 611 rolled out of the Roanoke East End Shops on May 29, 1950 at a cost of $251,344. She shared duties with the other Js pulling the company's premiere passenger trains for the people along the N&W's right-of-way.
Fire Up 611 committee / image RWH
Andy Fletcher drawings / collection
May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
from The Norfolk & Western Handbook - Wallace and Wiley / collection
postcard / collection
Norfolk & Western #1218
Norfolk & Western #1218
Manassas, Va / Jul 1987 / Tom Beckett
Norfolk & Western #1218
to Union Carbide Corporation
to Steamtown Foundation
to Roanoke Transportation Museum
to Norfolk Southern #1218 (Irondale)
to Virginia Museum of Transportation
2-6-6-4 Locomotives
Most if not all locomotive designs with four-wheel trailing trucks were the result of the desire for more power and the need for a bigger firebox. The 2-6-6-4 design was no different. In 1934 Baldwin constructed three of this wheel arrangement for the P&WV (Pittsburgh & West Virginia) who desired to increase the speed of their freight trains. This wheel arrangement was made most famous by the Norfolk & Western who perfected this design. The N&W had the most powerful 2-6-6-4s and used roller bearings on the axles. The last five were also equipped with roller bearings on the side and main rods!
#1218 operated in the Norfolk Southern's steam excursion program from April 1987 to November 1991. Rebuild began in 1992. Norfolk Southern steam program cancelled in December 1994. Now missing several parts and will likely never run again.
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
May 2016 / RWH
from Railroading magazine - Apr 1969 / collection
2016 brochure / collection
May 2016 / RWH
from The Norfolk & Western Handbook - Wallace and Wiley / collection
HawkinsRails thanks the family of the late Ray Leader for use of his Norfolk & Western #1218 photos
Chattanooga, Tn / Apr 1988 / Ray Leader
Chattanooga, Tn / Apr 1988 / Ray Leader
Chattanooga, Tn / Apr 1988 / Ray Leader
Chattanooga, Tn / Apr 1988 / Ray Leader
Norfolk & Western #2156
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
Norfolk & Western #2156
to National Museum of Transport
to Virginia Museum of Trans (2015-20)
Roanoke, Va / May 2016 / RWH
RWH
from The Norfolk & Western Handbook - Wallace and Wiley / collection
Roanoke, Va / Jun 2015 / Jeffrey Pfeiffer
2016 brochure / collection
Massive freight hauler used until 1960 to haul heavy coal trains through the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and West Virginia. This compound "articulated" locomotive was among the hardest working steam locomotives ever built. The articulated design allowed the locomotive to operate on tracks with tighter curves by allowing the two sets of drive wheels to split and turn independently. Weighs 961,500 pounds; the engine and tender are 113'1/4" long and have have 58" drivers. Only compound locomotive in Museum's collection. After being loaned out for five years to the Virginia Museum of Transportation, the #2156 was returned to The National Museum of Transportation on June 15, 2020.
Kirkwood, Mo / Aug 2014 / Josh Basco
Nickel Plate Road #763
Roanoke, Va / Jul 2001 / JCH
Nickel Plate Road #763
to Norfolk & Western, 1964
to Roanoke Transportation Museum, 1966
to Virginia Museum of Transportation
to Age of Steam Roundhouse, 2007
Roanoke, Va / Oct 1999 / JCH
collection
Morgan Run, Oh / Aug 2008 /
Steven McKay
