N&W Class J's and Lynchburg, VA

[NW Mailing List]

The Class J would be used on the Southern through trains between  
Bristol and Lynchburg. The N&W crew would run the train and  
locomotive to Monroe, just north of Lynchburg where the Southern had  
a yard and locomotive facility. The Class J would be cut off the  
train, replaced with Southern power and continue north. The J would  
be turned and serviced and go back out on the next scheduled run  
through train back to Roanoke. The servicing done was as minimal as  
possible to keep costs down. I remember seeing some correspondence  
regarding the amount of coal to be added at Monroe and what the  
Southern charged the N&W for the coal and water at Monroe.

Most service on the Class J was based in Roanoke, which was the base  
of the operation. This eliminated service costs at places like Monroe  
or Cincinnati, where it was not at an N&W facility or N&W people to  
handle the work. On the Southern run through trains, a fresh J would  
be put on the south (west) bound train fresh at Roanoke, then run to  
Bristol, be turned, serviced, and come back, stopping at Vicker  
taking on coal and water, eun on to Roanoke, taking water at the  
station in Roanoke, then run on to Monroe where they would be turned,  
take water and coal, if necessary, then return to Roanoke where it  
went to Shaffers Crossing for full service, including washing.  You  
can see a lot of that story in "Modern Coal Burning Steam  
Locomotives" the film made for the N&W in 1944.

Regarding keeping them clean, the Js were washed at Roanoke, but it  
did not take long for the soot and dust to accumulate.

Ken Miller

On Mar 9, 2010, at 11:18 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> I have seen a few color and B&W photos of J's coming from  

> Lynchburg, VA and arriving in Roanoke, the caption of the photos  

> states that the J's serviced at Lynchburg by Southern  RR crews  

> were not as well keep (shined up, polished). My question is, was  

> Lynchburg all Southern RR crews, and no N&W men there to tend to  

> the N&W Locos like the way they would in Roanoke or Williamson,  

> ect. Also these photos were when Steam was still king on the N&W. I  

> know that in the later years they did't tend to the Locos like they  

> used to, which is a shame in it's self. Thanks in advance.

>

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