N&W Class J's and Lynchburg, VA

[NW Mailing List]

I think we're ignoring the fact that the J, after being coaled at Bristol, could run to Monroe and back to Roanoke for coal.  The J's carried 35 tons of coal, which, on the west end, allowed a train to take coal at Prichard, run to Cincinnati, lay over at Cincinnati and run back to Prichard for coal - that's 326 miles.  It's 209 miles from Bristol to Monroe and about another 50 back to Roanoke.  I don't think the J's ever got coaled at Monroe, and if they got water at the station stop at Roanoke, might not have needed water there.  After all, if they were getting short on the way back they could always take a few feet at Villamont.  And it's only about 35 more miles to Vicker; that's still less than 300 miles for coal, if the necessity arose.  All the J needed at Monroe was a spin on the turntable.

EdKing


From: NW Mailing List 
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 10:14 AM
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
Subject: RE: N&W Class J's and Lynchburg, VA


Ken, 
   Thanks for the email, could't ask for a better response.
 

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Subject: Re: N&W Class J's and Lynchburg, VA
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:49:46 -0500
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org

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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