VGN 3 & 4 on the NYC

Wed Sep 24 22:59:28 EDT 2025

Hello Abram,

This is my first time posting to the list so please excuse any screwup(s).

My dad was a brakeman on the NYC/PC/CR at Dickinson, hired in November 1942 and retired in September 1986.  He talked a lot about the Virginian (freight and passenger), so I can answer some things off the top of my head; others I can dig around a bit for, no prob.

Before the Kanawha River bridge, I'm fairly sure the VGN trains terminated at Deepwater and passengers had to board the C&O train to get to Charleston.  After the bridge was finished, 3 & 4 definitely went all the way to the old Charleston K&M station via the NYC using VGN crews.  There was a small service facility in Charleston so the passenger engines must've been serviced there (versus at Dickinson like the VGN mallets on time freights).

DB was a NYC Tower at the north end of the bridge where the Virginian hit the NYC.  At one time there was a freight agent and operator there but that was years ago.

Thanks,
Dwayne Bartley

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: David Baker layout tour (NW Mailing List)
   2. VGN Trains 3 & 4 on the New River Division - Questions
      (NW Mailing List)

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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:49:06 +0000 (UTC)
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: David Baker layout tour
Message-ID: <mailman.9353.1758762654.722595.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Michael,Just watched your video. Looks great. I showed it to my brother, who saw an engine you had him paint(the Virginian diesel).His name is Bob.Tom Anson

Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS

On Monday, September 22, 2025, 3:49 PM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

I get a note that the video is private and not available.?

 ?

I?m sure you?ve all seen this video of my layout:? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=787vMT045jk

 ?

Michael

 ?

From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2025 2:18 PM
To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>; NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: David Baker layout tour

 ?

Recorded last night's virtual tour and you can watch it on our YouTube site here:

 ?

https://youtu.be/WyGGw7VVUAo

 ?

Please let me know if you would be willing to show yours and if you would like to see others.

Thanks,

Jim Cochran
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2025 19:25:22 -0400
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Subject: VGN Trains 3 & 4 on the New River Division - Questions
Message-ID: <mailman.9354.1758762691.722595.nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

I have been puzzling over the operation of VGN New River Division Trains 3
and 4, as published in the Jan 1952 Official Guide.  Copy attached as a PDF
file.  Here are the items I do not understand :

1.  Did VGN trains 3 and 4 run into Charleston?

1A.  If so, did the trains use C&O Charleston station, or NYC Charles
station?

1B.  If so, did the VGN crew take the train all the way, running over the
C&O or NYC, or was the VGN crew and engine changed out for handling to
Charleston by the crew and engine of the connecting road ?

1C.  If No. 3 went to Charleston, where was the engine laid over and
serviced?

1C.  If crew and/or engine were changed for a C&O or NYC crew, where was
this crew change done?

1D.  Or did Train 3 terminate on the VGN at the hamlet of Deepwater or DB
Tower, neither of which had a ticket office a depot (present population
183) ?

1E.  If the train terminated at Deepwater, were the crew and engine
returned to Page for relief, layover and servicing ?

1F.  The schedule carries Train 3 to DB Tower.  What was at DB Tower?  Was
it an interlocking?  Of so, was that the connection to the C&O or the NYC,
and was it a VGN tower or a C&O or NYC tower ?

2.  Did the same VGN Train Crew and same VGN Engine Crew take No. 3 all the
way across the NewRiver Division, or were the crew and/or engine changed
out at Princeton, or some other point ?

Yes, I should have asked these questions 60 years ago.  But thanks for the
push, if you can give one.

-- abram burnett
The Voice of the Digital Turnip Sub-Culture
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