Nostalgia & History > A westbound N&W flies over a school bus at Reese,Ohio, 1985.

I had just bought my first zoom lens, a Tokina 80-200 2,8 in Columbus, Ohio in 1985, and headed right for the tracks. One of my first catches was a westbound on the Columbus District near Reese as a school bus passes beneath. The SD40-2's were common currency on the district at that time, so I wasn't really thrilled at this pic. These guys had pretty much extinguished the Alcos and Geeps on mainline trains (although a few older Geeps would even lead occasionally even in 1985). Now as I look at it, like so many other things that have aged a bit, it would be great to see these lashups again. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/16 14:50 by Gateway97.

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Great  Picture !

The last of the latest  Norfolk and Western  paint scheme  (  1980 - 1983 )  

Thanks for Sharing  !

Ed  Durnwald
Fostoria, Ohio  

Looks great to me! This is my mental picture of N&W action on the old Scioto Division in the mid-80's...a clean black unit, simple traditional lettering, and a long hood forward!

And the bus is a classic too; steel hood Loadstar by IH.

Andy

I never cared for that scheme.  The font seems wrong.  The plain NW wasn't exactly inspired but I prefer that to this.  I always wondered why they didn't just add the name like they did on the bicentennial 1776 unit.

Jim

Would have to agree with the lettering used on 1776.
It differently would of look better.  NW came into effect in 1971
when Fishwick was name president.  He wanted a simple modern logo.
I had just stated working for N&W as a tower operator between Bellevue, Ohio, MP 248
and Ft. Wayne, Ind. Mile Post 371   The first painted NW that I can remember was a SD-45,
Green Springs, Ohio  Tower  MP  260.

When Claytor became president in 1981 he wanted to make his change
and spelled Norfolk and Western on units and freight cars.  I was then working
as drawbridge operator RU Lorain, Ohio.

First unit with the NW Norfolk and Western spelled out was 8072 C-30-7 March 1981. .
The front short hood and right side was letter and number Norfolk and Western in white.
The right rear B end and left side was letter and number in yellow. 
White lettering and numbers was chose over the yellow..

This of course was his last chance to remember N&W as at this time.
N&W and Southern were in merger talks. June 1, 1982 NS Norfolk Southern
became the holding company and later the new railroad.  

Being laid off in Lorain, Ohio I was transfer to Norfolk, Va.  March  1982

Almost every yard locomotive at Lamberts Point ( Norfolk ) and Portlock Yard,
in near by Chesapeake, Va. was repainted known as the N&W Claytor years.  1980 - 1983.
Claytor of course went on and continue to be Norfolk Southern president and CEO 

In November 1983 NS Norfolk Southern Thoroughbred paint scheme became effect.
From that day on you would find N&W - Southern units mix up everywhere as they no longer
had to be kept separate from each other as they could now run on either railroad.

In 1975  NW 1776 SD-45 was painted in Bicentennial colors.
The picture is an Athearn HO model ATH 95416 that I have purchase in 2015.  

Ed  Durnwald
Fostoria, Ohio .   
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/16 18:01 by Thoroughbred-Ed.

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JimMounts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I never cared for that scheme.  The font seems
> wrong.  The plain NW wasn't exactly inspired but
> I prefer that to this.  I always wondered why
> they didn't just add the name like they did on the
> bicentennial 1776 unit.
>
> Jim

i agree. I'm not sure why they didn't just lay it out like on 1776.  That would have been much more visually appealing.  

Gateway97 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> JimMounts Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I never cared for that scheme.  The font seems
> > wrong.  The plain NW wasn't exactly inspired
> but
> > I prefer that to this.  I always wondered why
> > they didn't just add the name like they did on
> the
> > bicentennial 1776 unit.
> >
> > Jim
>
> i agree. I'm not sure why they didn't just lay it
> out like on 1776.  That would have been much more
> visually appealing.  

At that time N&W wanted a simple new look and to save money.
They had no interest in rail fans or the general public only
employee safety,  shippers and stockholders.

Ed Durnwald
Fostoria, Ohio 



 

Do any of you remember a piggyback trailer with a large orange NW and "Norfolk And Western Railway" spelled out on a black band running down the length of the trailer?  I thought those looked pretty cool, especially with the orange.  

JimMounts Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do any of you remember a piggyback trailer with a
> large orange NW and "Norfolk And Western Railway"
> spelled out on a black band running down the
> length of the trailer?  I thought those looked
> pretty cool, especially with the orange.  

Remember then well,  NW was trying
to promote their intermodal traffic, as I see it.

Have one in HO - Con-Cor  -  Cat. No.  0001-009423   

The NW should be Orange, not Red as in the picture.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/16 20:50 by Thoroughbred-Ed.

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