After an overnight bus ride from Roanoke, the photographer spots an A-class 1209 demonstrating articulation as it threads through a crossover under the coal dock at Columbus. Like John, the engin... (more)

Hanging out at the depot and look what drifts by...Y6 #2149 has a cut of cars in tow. John and his railfan companion Bill Rosenberg (seen on the left) spent just one day at Roanoke, and later tha... (more)

Pacifics #210 and #212, former passenger power, sit idle in the dead line waiting for the executioner. During this era, the Virginian was on a diesel-buying binge and by 1957 all steam operations... (more)

A pair of heavy switchers under steam wait at the dock. Engine #241 sits behind #252.

boxcab #110 sits at the VGN terminal waiting for work.

J #610 readies an eastbound train for departure from Roanoke in the evening glint. This engine had been spotted earlier at the Shaffer Crossing roundhouse. That photo and many others of this on... (more)

A big motor, rated at 6,800HP, waits at the shed.

As a laborer waits in the shadows with hammer in hand, a pair of N&W steamers yearn for an assignment at the Shaffers Crossing pit. #2129 was a Y6 class engine. On the left is Z1a class #1483, a... (more)

#33 is tended to at the pit after a day of work around the yard. One of the workers has taken notice of the photographer in his midst.

#110, the class EL1A boxcab set, waits for work under the wires.

Y5 #2113 appears to be making a reverse move with cars in the yard.

Amongst the bullet-nosed fleet, roundhouse employees are momentarily distracted by the guy with a camera snapping their photo while working on J #608.

Y6a #2165 gets some maintainence at Shaffers Crossing. Sitting outside as seen through the window panes behind 2165, lurks another Y-class behemoth, Railroad: Norfolk & Western
Locomotive: Steam 2-8-8-2
Location: Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Locomotive #: NW 2165
Train ID: n/a
Photo Date: August 07, 1956

Heavy switcher #244 grabs some nice backlight on a hazy August day enroute to it's assignment amongst the blooming Virginia thistle.

VGN #33 hammers the diamond with a cut of cars.