Nostalgia & History > VGN AG-class 2-6-6-6 No. 906 scrapping date?

Might anyone recall when the last of Virginian Railway's AG class, Blue Ridge type, 2-6-6-6's was scrapped? I recall something about No. 906, methinks, being held at a roundhouse somewhere after her service days ended. IIRC, she was scrapped after the merger with N&W in 1959.

For those not familiar, the AG's were virtual copies of C&O's Class H8 2-6-6-6's.

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/allegheny/ says all the AG's were gone by 1959. I'm curious if one survived a bit into the new decade.

Thanks!

* JB *

I've read that it was stored at the Princeton, West Virginia, shop and that N&W scrapped it after the merger. Classic Trains recently ran a batch of VGN steam photos and that may be where I read this info.

The McClure/Plant Morning Sun Book "Virginian Railway in Color" (and one other VGN book whose name eludes me) says all the AG's went to scrap in January 1960 with the N&W housecleaning program. I do seem to remember seeing a photo somewhere of an AG stored serviceable and periodically "exercised" by towing in and out of the roundhouse, but I'd guess that was taken during the few years' retirement period prior to scrapping. I think the rumor was that VGN had selected 906 to be saved, but the merger changed all that. Fantastic machines indeed.

-YD-

That's more or less what I remember. So 906 met the torch in 1960? Where might I get some proof on that date?

Ahh ... what might've been. Imagine N&W restoring an ex-VGN AG and CSX restoring an ex-C&O H8? 2-6-6-6 overload ... of the nearest bridge, lol!

As for the scrappers ... I wonder what their thoughts were cutting up a clean engine.

* JB *

wlankenau Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've read that it was stored at the Princeton,
> West Virginia, shop and that N&W scrapped it after
> the merger. Classic Trains recently ran a batch of
> VGN steam photos and that may be where I read this
> info.