N&W Class J's and Lynchburg, VA

[NW Mailing List]

Regarding the "J" class of N&W power at Lynchburg and Monroe.

Let me expand even a little further from what Ken Miller has so
eloquently stated here, if I may regarding the N&W power being
serviced by Southern.

The Monroe yard and servicing facility was created by Southern some 7
rail miles north of Lynchburg, ostensibly to eliminate having to yard
and service engines in the bottom land near the James River. It was a
mighty tough climb heading both north and south out of Lynchburg on
the original alignment which wasn't really superceded until all the
double-tracking in the area in the 1910-1920 period. The old Southern
line between the Montview region and the present connection near the
long-closed Island Yard on the James with CSX is THAT original
connection southward, built by the Baltimore & Ohio RR in the
1872-1874 period as they extended their Washington City, Virginia
Midland & Great Southern line between Lynchburg and Danville. It is
still a 1.5-2% climb southward and was similar crossing the James
River on the old Orange Bridge originally constructed by the Orange &
Alexandria in 1860, just in time for the 4 years of internal strife.

For about 20 years, from 1912 until 1931/1932, both the new line of
Southern using its new Kemper Street station (opened October 31,1912)
and the old line using old Union Station continued to be used until
there were just a couple of local Southern passenger trains stopping
there. If any of our dedicated readers can fill in the exact date when
the old line ceased as a through route, it would be greatly
appreciated. I know it was sometime between mid-1931 and mid-1932 but
haven't quite nailed it down yet.

Southern placed its main coal facility (Weyburn), some 75 miles north
of Monroe onto an emergency only status in early April 1952 and that
pretty well signalled the end of mainline steam passenger operations
on the line for Southern, although it is possible a few were used.
Steam freights and work trains powered by steam continued for another
six months, such that the coal bin which had nearly 400 tons in it in
April had "dwindled" to something around 250 tons about 6 months later
when Weyburn was closed completely.

Meanwhile, the Tennessean and other name trains of Southern via
Bristol to Washington, DC continued with N&W power from Bristol to
Lynchburg and then to Monroe via steam and the J's powered them until
December 31,1957 when they converted to thru Diesel operation for the
entire trip. The coal facility was then no longer needed for Southern
at Monroe after that date and today, there is little remaining of that
once busy railroad yard. It's just another unremarkable wide spot on
the railroad.

Bob Cohen


> ------------------------------

>

>

> I have seen a few color and B&W photos of J's coming from Lynchburg, VA and arriving in Roanoke, the caption of the photos states that the J's serviced at Lynchburg by Southern  RR crews were not as well keep (shined up, polished). My question is, was Lynchburg all Southern RR crews, and no N&W men there to tend to the N&W Locos like the way they would in Roanoke or Williamson, ect. Also these photos were when Steam was still king on the N&W. I know that in the later years they did't tend to the Locos like they used to, which is a shame in it's self. Thanks in advance.

> ------------------------------

>

> The Class J would be used on the Southern through trains between

> Bristol and Lynchburg. The N&W crew would run the train and

> locomotive to Monroe, just north of Lynchburg where the Southern had

> a yard and locomotive facility. The Class J would be cut off the

> train, replaced with Southern power and continue north. The J would

> be turned and serviced and go back out on the next scheduled run

> through train back to Roanoke. The servicing done was as minimal as

> possible to keep costs down. I remember seeing some correspondence

> regarding the amount of coal to be added at Monroe and what the

> Southern charged the N&W for the coal and water at Monroe.

>

> Most service on the Class J was based in Roanoke, which was the base

> of the operation. This eliminated service costs at places like Monroe

> or Cincinnati, where it was not at an N&W facility or N&W people to

> handle the work. On the Southern run through trains, a fresh J would

> be put on the south (west) bound train fresh at Roanoke, then run to

> Bristol, be turned, serviced, and come back, stopping at Vicker

> taking on coal and water, eun on to Roanoke, taking water at the

> station in Roanoke, then run on to Monroe where they would be turned,

> take water and coal, if necessary, then return to Roanoke where it

> went to Shaffers Crossing for full service, including washing.  You

> can see a lot of that story in "Modern Coal Burning Steam

> Locomotives" the film made for the N&W in 1944.

>

> Regarding keeping them clean, the Js were washed at Roanoke, but it

> did not take long for the soot and dust to accumulate.

>

> Ken Miller

>

> On Mar 9, 2010, at 11:18 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:

>

>> I have seen a few color and B&W photos of J's coming from

>> Lynchburg, VA and arriving in Roanoke, the caption of the photos

>> states that the J's serviced at Lynchburg by Southern  RR crews

>> were not as well keep (shined up, polished). My question is, was

>> Lynchburg all Southern RR crews, and no N&W men there to tend to

>> the N&W Locos like the way they would in Roanoke or Williamson,

>> ect. Also these photos were when Steam was still king on the N&W. I

>> know that in the later years they did't tend to the Locos like they

>> used to, which is a shame in it's self. Thanks in advance.

>>

>

> Ken,

>

>   Thanks for the email, could't ask for a better response.

>

>

>

> Subject: Re: N&W Class J's and Lynchburg, VA

> Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:49:46 -0500

> To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org

> From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org

>

> The Class J would be used on the Southern through trains between Bristol and Lynchburg. The N&W crew would run the train and locomotive to Monroe, just north of Lynchburg where the Southern had a yard and locomotive facility. The Class J would be cut off the train, replaced with Southern power and continue north. The J would be turned and serviced and go back out on the next scheduled run through train back to Roanoke. The servicing done was as minimal as possible to keep costs down. I remember seeing some correspondence regarding the amount of coal to be added at Monroe and what the Southern charged the N&W for the coal and water at Monroe.

>

>

> Most service on the Class J was based in Roanoke, which was the base of the operation. This eliminated service costs at places like Monroe or Cincinnati, where it was not at an N&W facility or N&W people to handle the work. On the Southern run through trains, a fresh J would be put on the south (west) bound train fresh at Roanoke, then run to Bristol, be turned, serviced, and come back, stopping at Vicker taking on coal and water, eun on to Roanoke, taking water at the station in Roanoke, then run on to Monroe where they would be turned, take water and coal, if necessary, then return to Roanoke where it went to Shaffers Crossing for full service, including washing.  You can see a lot of that story in "Modern Coal Burning Steam Locomotives" the film made for the N&W in 1944.

>

>

> Regarding keeping them clean, the Js were washed at Roanoke, but it did not take long for the soot and dust to accumulate.

>

>

> Ken Miller