Shenandoah Division excursions; 1954 and 1956

[NW Mailing List]

According to the N&W Magazine of November 1954, page 598 the trip was on September 5, 1954. It was a 19 car train leaving Washington DC at 7:15 am carrying 914 people. The train proceeded south on the Southern the west to Riverton Junction. About 100 folks left the train at Luray to tour local sights (probably the Caverns) ad about 400 folks toured the N&W Shops at Shenandoah. Lunch was served at the Railroad YMCA. Other riders rode chartered buses to Penn Laird and rode on the Shenandoah Central. Motive power for the trip on the N&W was K1 No. 114 and K2a No. 130. The article did not specify if the N&W power was on the train the entire trip or not.

The article further stated that the first such trip for Washington Chapter was done in October 1952 over much the same route. From the November 1952 Magazine, the train left DC at 8:15 am with 11 cars and 719 riders. This time they ran via the B&O to Shenandoah Junction, then south where K2 No. 128 handled the train to Shenandoah and back.

Both articles featured photos, mostly of people, some looking over the locomotives at Shenandoah.

Ken Miller

On Sep 18, 2013, at 9:45 AM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> Regarding the September 1956 trip referenced by Louis Newton and Jim Herron. That was just one of two trips run at least partially (I think) on the Shenandoah Division. The previous one was during and part of the late August-early September 1954 NRHS convention based out of the Washington, DC region.

> 

> I have even spoken to at least two of its participants who are still alive and well and were in attendance at last night's (Tuesday 9/17/2013) Potomac Chapter NRHS monthly membership meeting.

> 

> I have spoken with these two several times over the past 20 or so years about their memories of those trips and they remembered them well.

> 

> I don't think the earlier one was as well-covered photographically as the one two years later.

> 

> Bob Cohen

> 

> 

> Mr. Newton wrote:

> 

> "The November 1956 issue of the N&W Magazine covers an excursion

> operated in connection with the B&O between Washington and Shenandoah, via Charles Town southbound and via Shenandoah Junction northbound. The article includes a picture of the train at Front Royal, handled by K-1 114.

> 

> I included film of the Nov, 1956 trip described above in Pocahontas

> Glory Vol. 3. That 16mm film was shot by Harry Dodge and Bob Flack.

> 

> -Jim Herron

> ________________________________________

> NW-Mailing-List at nwhs.org

> To change your subscription go to

> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-mailing-list

> Browse the NW-Mailing-List archives at

> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-mailing-list/