Nostalgia & History > N&W 475 and friends, 1957

With other threads regarding the 475; I thought I'd offer these shots from my grandfather's slides of the 1957 triple header to Blacksburg. Along with 475 were the 405 and 449. Photos by Charles Rowland Sr.

Doug Rowland
Philadelphia, PA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/17 19:11 by Rdg170.

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The triple-header on the Blacksburg branch was a part of the 1957 NRHS Convention in Roanoke.

I was on that train from Christiansburg (photo #1) to Blacksburg VA but I'll be danged if I can remember if or how the triple header was turned in Blacksburg. Anybody here on T.O. know the answer?
I believe this trip was on Labor Day morning of that September weekend. The NRHS train returned to Roanoke by early afternoon so conventioneers could make connections for departure. I think we awaited the eastbound Pocohontas at Christiansburg before following behind it.

boejoe Wrote:
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> I was on that train from Christiansburg (photo #1) to Blacksburg VA but I'll be danged if I can
> remember if or how the triple header was turned in Blacksburg. Anybody here on T.O. know the answer?

I am speculating based on photos and local accounts, but this is my understanding of the order of events. The photos are from a widely circulated PowerPoint deck, and taken by William Volkmer.

1. 475 405 departed Roanoke for Christiansburg with six coaches and three gondolas.

2. Approaching Montgomery. The house looks much the same today:

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.1622993,-80.3000836,3a,75y,309.82h,86.71t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKA6sHSHvwFFmZodhoYzqjA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

3. Arrival at Christiansburg on Main 2. The station is out of frame at right.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/17 15:44 by johnacraft.

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Standard procedure was to run tender-first northbound on the Blacksburg branch. This account appears to confirm that's what happened on the excursion:

https://spec.lib.vt.edu/bicent/recoll/histbook/chapter7.htm

When the National Railway Historical Society held its national convention in Roanoke in 1957, specifically because Norfolk and Western was a steam engine holdout, the convention included a sold-out steam-powered excursion to Blacksburg. The entire train-steam engines and all-was arranged in Cambria to back towards Blacksburg so that first in view at the Blacksburg depot were the three gondolas full of standing passengers, then the six passenger cars, and then the three engines with their tenders.

However, every photo I've seen of the locomotives in the Christiansburg yard show them facing toward Blacksburg. In fact, the entire train appears to have been turned - if only the locomotives had been turned, it seems the gondolas would be between the locomotives and the coaches.

4. 405 in the Christiansburg yard.

5. 475, 449, and 405 in the Christiansburg yard. 449 was probably the engine assigned to the branch, and was added between 475 and 405.

So my best guess is that the train shoved north to Blacksburg, then returned to Christiansburg.

6. This appears to be the train returning to Christiansburg from Blacksburg.

My best guess is that after returning to Christiansburg from Blacksburg, the train proceeded west to Walton, turned, and returned to Christiansburg, where it pulled into the yard again. It appears that the locomotives were uncoupled so that photographers could photograph them. RDG170's third photo appears to show 449 cut out of the consist and spotted near the station. It appears that 475 probably recoupled to 405. After boarding, the train backed out of the yard onto the main and returned to Roanoke as you say.

Does that sound familiar?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/17 15:49 by johnacraft.

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Great info John for myself as well as others. The photos are almost self explanatory but I must admit that this old brain of mine can't recall the circumstances. I do remember the gondolas as we had them on Sunday for the trip to Bluefield WV and then to Matoaka for interchange to the Virginian. I care not to remember how passengers walked between the gons and coaches moving at speed. Miraculously, I don't recall any accidental incidents. Will study the info in depth to kick start my memory. Thanks for your time and effort

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