more on Abingdon Branch pax cars

Thu May 21 10:07:50 EDT 2020

John -

Be aware that Bristol's "customization" of the Ms (decorating the 396, or 
Engineer Nichols' whistle) didn't occur until very late in the game when the 
Motive Power Management was pre-occupied with other things.  Getting the 
last miles out of the steam fleet and getting and utilizing the new diesels 
. . .

- Ed King

-----Original Message----- 
From: NW Mailing List
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 7:27 PM
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: RE: more on Abingdon Branch pax cars

Thank you for the back story Ed!  I wouldn't have known of Bristol's 
Centennial.  I've always liked the fact that Bristol seemed to be allowed to 
'customize' the M's that were based at Bristol for the Abingdon Branch.

John Garner

-----Original Message-----
From: NW Mailing List [mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]
Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2020 10:18 AM
To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: more on Abingdon Branch pax cars

The "decoration" of the 396 was probably a locally authorized deal.  General 
Foreman J. H. Hahn had the stars made for the cylinder and valve heads and 
the running boards edged in aluminum.  This was done for Bristol's 
Centennial in 1956.  I'm certain that nobody in Roanoke would have 
authorized it and by 1956 nobody much cared what happened at places like 
Bristol as long as the main line stuff was functioning properly, which it 
was.

Putting these features on an engine like the 396 was like tying a pink 
ribbon on the tail of a donkey.  The M was not an aesthetic standout; none 
of N&W's power from that era was  Even the K-1 of 1916 was ugly, but 
shoppings over the years transformed it into a pretty good looking 
locomotive.  The K=2 and K-2a engines had the USRA features and were maybe 
the best-looking non-streamlined engines N&W ever had.

In Bristol, we got daily opportunities to contrast N&W and Southern 
locomotive aesthetics, and needless to say The Southern was best evenv 
though N&W won the efficiency awards hands-down - no contest.  N&W's Y-6 was 
rated for 3100 tons out of Bristol and Southern's 2-10-2s were rated for
1500 tons.

- Ed King

-----Original Message-----
From: NW Mailing List
Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2020 9:38 PM
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: RE: more on Abingdon Branch pax cars

Ed, The 396 had a large star placed on the front of each cylinder-head and 
valve. See attached.  Do you happen to have a story for us how they got
there?    Best,  John Garner

-----Original Message-----
From: NW Mailing List [mailto:nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]
Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2020 10:54 AM
To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: more on Abingdon Branch pax cars

My vision is not good enough for me to make out the items on the 396.  I 
know that they had a bucket of heavy "dope" (grease) that the engineer used 
to apply to the hub liners of the leading truck at West Jeff; he used a 
paddle for this.  This bucket was carried on the pilot beam area.

The 396 was the least favorite engine for the Branch because it didn't have 
a superheater like the 382 and 429.  Engine crews disliked the 396 heartily.

- Ed King

-----Original Message-----
From: NW Mailing List
Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2020 7:23 AM
To: NW Mailing List
Subject: Re: more on Abingdon Branch pax cars

I think they are buckets to carry sand, as there was no place along the 
branch to service the locomotive other than water in the latter days.

The box under the running board, haven’t a clue, it appears on the 396, but 
not 382, perhaps Ed King can chime in on that. Perhaps a storage box to 
carry extra oil/grease, as like the sand, no place to service on the branch?
Merely speculation, of course.

According to several sources, the mail and passenger service was 
discontinued in Virginia as of May 20, 1962. North Carolina however made it 
last a bit longer, until November 1963.  BMg No. 10 was the last of those 
remaining, retired and sold for scrap in September 1963. By the end of 
service in Virginia, I feel certain that the combine was all that the train 
carried after May 20, 1962 and the combine was placed in to handle the few 
remaining passengers.

Very nice photos Rick, thanks for sharing.

Ken Miller

> On May 16, 2020, at 5:20 AM, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List
> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
> Rick,
>
> Thanks for sharing those neat pictures. I don't know what those round
> cannisters or cans are. What is the box under the running board above
> the crosshead area?
>
> Roger Huber
> Deer Creek Locomotive Works
>
>
> On Saturday, May 16, 2020, 04:11:08 AM CDT, NW Mailing List
> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
>
> Here are photos from 1957 of the Abingdon branch mixed at Green Cove.
> M
> 396 was the subject of the photographer, but I was able to determine
> that the postal-baggage is BMg 10 and the coach is Pg 1600. 1600 and
> 1601 were the only Pg coaches in 1957 which had coal stoves for branch
> line service.
> Number 10 was the last BMg set up for US Mail service (1961-62 drawing).
> There are photos in books of a Ph coach on 201-202, evidently as a
> substitute car.  I could only find that of the Ph class, only 703 and
> 704 listed as "not air conditioned" on a 1952 drawing.  As for when
> two cars were replaced by a combine, I would date that from when the
> US Mail contract ended.  Can anyone fill in that date?  There is a
> photo in Ferrell's book, page 173 of  the train with a combine which
> looks to be a BPe.  Somethng else is curious in the photos.  Does it
> look like there is enough space between the head end car and the coach
> for another car? If you have Link's "Last Steam Railroad in America"
> on page 78 there are three passenger cars in the consist.
>
> When I acquired these negatives 30 years or more ago, I had only
> printed one.  I was always curious what the cans or barrels on 396's
> pilot deck were.  Look at the other two  photos and figure out what
> that was all about.  The photographer was W. Raymond Hicks.  I bought
> all 20 or so of his N&W negs.  He was from Maryland and his B&O and WM
> negatives numbered in the hundreds.
>
> --Rick Morrison
>
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