Old E-8s

[NW Mailing List]

I asked about them a few years back.
There was a well-intentioned but badly-executed effort to replace some 
damaged side panels some time before, and that's why they were sitting 
there with their insides unprotected.
Perhaps that job will now be done right.

Jeff Cornelius
Still learning...
-----Original Message-----
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: NW-Mailing-List <NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org>
Sent: Wed, Aug 1, 2012 7:54 pm
Subject: Old E-8s

The Va Museum of Transportation has had some old artifacts stored in 
the yard east of Shaffer’s Crossing and just west of the 10th Street 
Bridge for some time, including two old E-8 units in pretty rough 
shape.  I remember one of them being on display in Wasena Park many 
years ago.

I noticed a few weeks ago they were “missing,”  Then I happened to 
notice one parked on one of the East End Shops’ turntable sidings, 
under the I-581 bridge.  That one is still there.

Yesterday (7/31) afternoon, I looked out the window from my perch atop 
the Wells Fargo Tower and saw the other E8 being towed west past the 
old GOB building by three engines with a caboose behind it.  Needless 
to say, that train was moving at a snail’s pace even for downtown 
Roanoke.  It was also interesting to see a white hose draped along the 
side of the old E-8, apparently to supply air to the caboose.  If you 
were really lucky you might have seen it on the Roanoke rail cam.

(Yeah, I know, it’s awful working in an office overlooking the shops, 
the old passenger station, and the Roanoke yards, with a view of 611 
and 1218 at the VMT, with trains going by all day.)

Anyway, what’s up with these units?  Any chance they’re finally seeing 
some TLC?


Eric Shelton

Sent from my iPad
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