NW-Mailing-List Digest, Vol 183, Issue 54

Tue Feb 18 14:29:10 EST 2020

Folks, RE: Item 3 and 4 
When I was growing up in Roanoke in the 40's . Almost everyone on our block
in Wasena (Including my Father N&W forward Waybill Bureau GOB ) Was employed
by the Railroad!! Either N&W OR Virginian !!!  Sad to see them leaving from
whence they came !! Ken Tanner (Former (wish I still was) Roanoker 

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Today's Topics:

   1. RE: CONSOL Coal Mining Archives in Blacksburg (NW Mailing List)
   2. Trains involved in N&W collision at Rural Retreat VA,
      10/20/1920 (NW Mailing List)
   3. NS To Close Down Roanoke (NW Mailing List)
   4. Re: NS To Close Down Roanoke (NW Mailing List)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 16:08:31 -0500
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: "'NW Mailing List'" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>,
	<VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts at groups.io>
Subject: RE: CONSOL Coal Mining Archives in Blacksburg
Message-ID: <mailman.260.1582025426.8514.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

The historical note associated with the collection is generally inaccurate.
I have sent a note to VT Special Collections advising them of that fact.

Alex Schust

From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of
NW Mailing List
Sent: Monday, February 17, 2020 10:55 AM
To: NW Mailing List; VirginianRailwayEnthusiasts at groups.io
Subject: CONSOL Coal Mining Archives in Blacksburg

While looking for something else, I stumbled across this resource in the
Virginia Tech library Special Collections department: the Pocahontas Mines
Collection, 1883-1997. It looks like it could be useful to anyone interested
in/researching coal mining and the coalfields served by the N&W and
Virginian.

The Pocahontas Mines Collection was donated to Special Collections between
2004 and 2009.

The Pocahontas Mines Collection was donated to Special Collections between
2004 and 2009. The donation came from Consol Energy, Inc., formerly
Consolidated Coal Company (Luzerne County, Pa.), which also includes
Pocahontas Fuel Company, Inc.

Note: This collection is in off-site storage and requires 2-3 days notice
for retrieval.

Abstract: "The Pocahontas Mines Collection, 1883-1997, documents the mining
operations of CONSOL Energy, Inc. and its predecessor coal mining companies
in the Pocahontas, Virginia, area, including numerous counties in southwest
Virginia and eastern West Virginia. The collection is divided into four
series based on type: Scanned rolls, Unscanned rolls and documents, Books,
and Ledgers. The scanned and unscanned rolls are primarily of mining maps
and related oversized items, such as mechanical building and equipment
drawings, plats, and topographic maps. The books and ledgers generally
relate to mining surveys.

The guide to the collection, which also includes mentions of both the N&W
and Virginian, lists all the maps, plans, drawings, books, photos, etc.

https://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaxtf/view?docId=vt/viblbv01918.xml

Bruce in Blacksburg

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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 06:33:37 -0500
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Trains involved in N&W collision at Rural Retreat VA,
	10/20/1920
Message-ID: <mailman.261.1582025638.8514.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=utf-8

Thanks for sharing this wreck report as well as your supplemental thoughts,
Alex:

Frank Scheer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Trains involved in N&W collision at Rural Retreat VA, 10/20/1920 
From: Alexander Schneider Jr
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 03:24:32 EST 

ICC Accident Report 731 describes a head-on collision on October 20, 1920
between Norfolk & Western Railway passenger trains 37 and 14 at Rural
Retreat, VA. This resulted in the death of 3 employees and injury to 11
passengers, 3 employees, 2 mail clerks, 1 conductor and 1 porter of the
Pullman Co. and 1 express messenger. In the opinion of the ICC examiner
?This accident was caused by train no. 14 taking the siding at Rural Retreat
to meet No. 37 when by rule it should have held the main track. For this,
Engineman Pyeritz is responsible?.Conductor Newman and Brakeman Martin also
share in the responsibility for this accident in that they did not stop the
train immediately when they discovered that the train had improperly taken
the siding.?

The testimony of surviving crew members on train 14 indicates that the
brakes were not applied until just before the crash. Although train 14 had
stopped to operate the switch at the west end of the siding, it had reached
a speed of about 20 miles per hour in the 1600 feet to the point of
collision, visibility being obstructed by two curves, first right, then
left, and descending a 1.2 percent grade. Train 37 had started up from the
depot and proceeded about 2,000 feet, running at between 10 and 12 miles per
hour at the time of the collision.

Engineman Pyeritz of train No. 14 and Engineman Linkous and an unnamed
fireman of train No. 37 were the employees killed. Presumably the mail
clerks were in the mail car and the Pullman employees in the Pullman car,
both in train 14. The location of the other injured crew members and
passengers is not indicated. 

Westbound local passenger train No. 37 was shown as follows. 
Engine 558 ? engineman and fireman killed
Penna. Baggage 5524 ? wood -- demolished
N&W baggage 423 ? wood ? crushed at its west (head) end
N&W baggage 439 ? steel reinforced side and center sills
N&W baggage 449 ? wood
N&W coach 1208 -- ? ? all steel
N&W coach 1640 ? all steel
N&W coach 1612 ? all steel
N&W baggage 254 ? wood

Eastbound passenger train No. 14 was shown as consisting of all steel cars
as follows.
Engine 102 ? engineman Pyeritz killed, fireman Walton jumped out before
collision
N&W mail car 1210 ?east (head) end mashed in about 4 feet; 2 clerks injured
N&W baggage car 1321 
N&W coach 1639 ? Conductor Newman
N&W coach 1613 ? Trainman Martin
N&W coach 1614  
Pullman car FLAMINGO -- ? ? two Pullman employees injured

The last is curious as the only Pullman car named Flamingo, according to
Ralph Barger, ?A Century of Pullman Cars?, vol. 1, was a 24 chair, drawing
room, buffet parlor car of plan 1518C, lot 2553. This was a wooden car built
in 1900, which ran until 1928. Barger does not indicate that it ever
received steel underframe and vestibule (SUV) or steel sheathing. Given that
train 14 left Bristol VA, its point of origin, at 6:30 AM, a parlor car with
a buffet would have been reasonable, but it is surprising that the
investigation either listed the wrong car or failed to note that it was of
wood construction. As at least the two injured Pullman employees were in
this car, presumably there was considerable run-in of slack when the train
abruptly stopped.

Judging by a roster obtainable from the NWHS, car number 1208 is probably
wrong as well, a coach falling in a block of baggage-mail cars. The roster
gives cars 1208 thru 1221 as baggage-mail cars built between 2/1918 and
1/1919 by Bethlehem Ship(building). Baggage car 1321 was built by the same
builder in 12/1917. Coaches 1600 thru 1634 were built by H&H in 1913 and
1635 thru 1644 in 1916. Incidentally, baggage-mail car 1210 ran until 1948
when it was wrecked at Mabrico, NC.

This accident demonstrates that even steel RPO construction did not
completely protect the clerks, but very likely they would have been far
worse off if they had been in a wooden car, particularly if the following
cars were steel. Note that the wooden car in the same position in train No.
37 was demolished even though that train was running at about half the speed
of train No 14.

Alex Schneider

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 09:06:11 -0500
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: NS To Close Down Roanoke
Message-ID: <mailman.265.1582034806.8514.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=utf-8

> TO:      ALL NORFOLK SOUTHERN EMPLOYEES
>  
>  
> Norfolk Southern to cease operations at two Roanoke, Virginia, facilities
>  
> Rail operations and more than 650 employees will remain in the Roanoke
Valley
>  
> As part of ongoing transformation at our company, Norfolk Southern today
is announcing plans to close the Roanoke Distribution Center and transfer
the work and positions at Roanoke Locomotive Shop to Altoona, Pennsylvania.
>  
> ?These are difficult but necessary decisions to ensure that we maintain
the right mix of people and facilities, in the right locations, to operate
efficiently and deliver best-in-class service to our customers,? said Chief
Operating Officer Mike Wheeler. ?As we build a railroad for the future,
these actions will strengthen our company?s competitiveness in the
marketplace and generate long-term benefits for all of our employees.?
>  
> Approximately 85 mechanical positions at the locomotive shop will be
affected. These employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to our
Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona and will be eligible for relocation
benefits. Nineteen clerical positions between the shop and the distribution
center will be eliminated. The furloughed clerical employees will have the
opportunity to apply for available positions elsewhere on the Norfolk
Southern system.
>  
> The Roanoke and Juniata locomotive shops are operated as heavy repair and
overhaul shops. Likewise, the company operates distribution centers in
Roanoke and Altoona that store and distribute mechanical parts to locomotive
shops system-wide. As Norfolk Southern continues to evaluate our operations
and network, the company determined we could no longer support two separate
heavy-repair facilities and distribution centers. The company has
experienced a 48% decline in coal tons shipped since 2008, with further
declines expected. In addition, we are operating with a leaner locomotive
fleet, down 22% since late 2018, reducing the locomotive maintenance and
repairs required to operate safely and efficiently.
>  
> Wheeler acknowledged that the decision to close the Roanoke Locomotive
Shop represents a historic change for the company. Norfolk Southern
predecessor railroad Norfolk & Western began operating the shop, then
Roanoke Machine Works, in 1883. The shop once built steam locomotives.
>  
> ?We honor and recognize the proud heritage of employees who work at the
Roanoke Locomotive Shop,? Wheeler said. ?At the same time, we recognize that
we must transform how we operate our company to keep pace with today?s
ever-evolving markets and business environment.?
>  
> Currently, it is anticipated that employees at the Roanoke Locomotive Shop
will continue working there through approximately May 18, while distribution
center personnel will work through approximately April 18.
>  
> Roanoke will remain a vital part of Norfolk Southern?s network. The
company will continue its presence and operations there, with more than 650
employees in the Roanoke Valley.

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 14:54:01 +0000
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: NS To Close Down Roanoke
Message-ID: <mailman.271.1582040189.8514.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

Read just yesterday on a Facebook posting that the roundhouse in Williamson,
WV is slated to be razed. Not sure what other structures are on the chopping
block in Williamson. Also, Ron Flanary has also posted that the facilities
of the Interstate Railroad in Andover, VA are also to be razed. Dates were
not posted on either thread. While I hope these threads are not accurate, I
find it hard to believe them being false as PSR is more about shareholder
value than customer service for the transport of goods.

Russ Goodwin
Oakwood, VA

________________________________
From: NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org> on behalf of NW
Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2020 9:06 AM
To: NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: NS To Close Down Roanoke

> TO:      ALL NORFOLK SOUTHERN EMPLOYEES
>
>
> Norfolk Southern to cease operations at two Roanoke, Virginia, facilities
>
> Rail operations and more than 650 employees will remain in the Roanoke
Valley
>
> As part of ongoing transformation at our company, Norfolk Southern today
is announcing plans to close the Roanoke Distribution Center and transfer
the work and positions at Roanoke Locomotive Shop to Altoona, Pennsylvania.
>
> ?These are difficult but necessary decisions to ensure that we maintain
the right mix of people and facilities, in the right locations, to operate
efficiently and deliver best-in-class service to our customers,? said Chief
Operating Officer Mike Wheeler. ?As we build a railroad for the future,
these actions will strengthen our company?s competitiveness in the
marketplace and generate long-term benefits for all of our employees.?
>
> Approximately 85 mechanical positions at the locomotive shop will be
affected. These employees will be offered the opportunity to transfer to our
Juniata Locomotive Shop in Altoona and will be eligible for relocation
benefits. Nineteen clerical positions between the shop and the distribution
center will be eliminated. The furloughed clerical employees will have the
opportunity to apply for available positions elsewhere on the Norfolk
Southern system.
>
> The Roanoke and Juniata locomotive shops are operated as heavy repair and
overhaul shops. Likewise, the company operates distribution centers in
Roanoke and Altoona that store and distribute mechanical parts to locomotive
shops system-wide. As Norfolk Southern continues to evaluate our operations
and network, the company determined we could no longer support two separate
heavy-repair facilities and distribution centers. The company has
experienced a 48% decline in coal tons shipped since 2008, with further
declines expected. In addition, we are operating with a leaner locomotive
fleet, down 22% since late 2018, reducing the locomotive maintenance and
repairs required to operate safely and efficiently.
>
> Wheeler acknowledged that the decision to close the Roanoke Locomotive
Shop represents a historic change for the company. Norfolk Southern
predecessor railroad Norfolk & Western began operating the shop, then
Roanoke Machine Works, in 1883. The shop once built steam locomotives.
>
> ?We honor and recognize the proud heritage of employees who work at the
Roanoke Locomotive Shop,? Wheeler said. ?At the same time, we recognize that
we must transform how we operate our company to keep pace with today?s
ever-evolving markets and business environment.?
>
> Currently, it is anticipated that employees at the Roanoke Locomotive Shop
will continue working there through approximately May 18, while distribution
center personnel will work through approximately April 18.
>
> Roanoke will remain a vital part of Norfolk Southern?s network. The
company will continue its presence and operations there, with more than 650
employees in the Roanoke Valley.
________________________________________
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