The old coal trains are what essentially built America. My neighbors house still heats with coal. During the "Great Recession" it cost him only 500.00 for 5 tons and my oil bill was over 3,000 bucks. I asked my neighbor, why are we stuck buying imported oil when we live on the biggest coal reserves in the world. He just and grinned and said one word, "Obama".
I really enjoyed this. Great cab ride! I love the curves and the cuts & fills, the bridges and trestles, the tunnels and overpasses, and the grade Crossings. It was a perfect winter day for a cab ride through the beautiful countryside...and much appreciated. Thank you!!
This was the stomping ground for the Virginian Railways AG Class 2-6-6-6 locomotives. They were copies of the C&O's Alleghenies. I have seen film of them running further east (between Altavista - Victoria - Sewells Point) but this stretch is in such a remote area (even still today) that I have never seen a photo along this section of the line. The N&W got far more coverage than the Virginian by virtue of the fact that it was nearly the last railroad to dieselize and rail photographers from everywhere descended on the N&W as the end became evident The Virginian dropped its fires in 1955.
A cool overcast winter day. Well manicured roadbed. Cool bridges. Slide fences. Neat tunnels. Interesting industries. Neat little towns. Main line railroading as it should be. Thanks for sharing this ride with us!
Love it! Very creepy with unfinished tunnel, and I don't think I could go across those tresels, I would be saying is today the day the give up the ghost! We have an old CNJ line very near my house has short tresels build around 1886 up till few years ago trains still used them. They were just rebuilt for use again. Yay!
Starts off at the Virginian Depot in Roanoke, heading east. I believe the Virginian is the preferred route east as opposed to the N&W due to lower grades.
That is correct. I tested this line back in 1972 when N&W leased the SR track geometry car and we tested this line eastbound for that very reason and then came back west on the N&W line.
railroadman32257 That’s really neat. Where I live in California we used to be Southern Pacific and then bought out by Union Pacific. I remember the old dark, smoky run-down Southern Pacific trains going by when I was a kid. Those were the golden California days!
Glad to know I'm not the only railroad nerd that watches AND is entertained by these videos. Anybody know where some of these stretches of track are? I'm pretty sure it's a NS locomotive and since it's a coal train and based on the terrain my best guess is the Appalachians maybe West Virginia/Virginia/Tennessee? That's the best I could come up with. So basically I have no f***ing clue where this f***in train is 😂
This is a NS locomotive, probably a coal train out of Bluefield WV. Video begins in the South yard in Roanoke Virginia headed east through Altavista to Crewe Virginia. The destination is probably Lamberts point.
With this being a very heavy coal train, what would the motive power be and if multiple diesels were used was the locotrol system used, would love to know, from a fan in Australia.
I recognize the area from 9:35 onwards, because you're in Altavista, where my sister lives. I've even filmed a few trains from atop the footbridge at 10:10.
This is NS coal train 820 i think heading eat out of Roanoke down the old Virginian line, now the Altavista district, ro burkeville and crewe near the end abd ending on a stop signal somehwere on the Norfolk district.
Good video. I think it would be better if in the description the viewer knew where the train was starting from and where it was headed to. Also a description of the tonnage on the train otherwise a good video. Certainly it’s a good POV being up in the cab of the locomotive.
I worked for NS as a conductor and this train left Roanoke Virginia’s South Yard headed east on the old Virginia Railroad line. It’s shot from the conductors seat.
Oh, a coal train! How neat! If I owned that coal train, I think I'd name it Rosco P.! Get it? Rosco P. Coal Train! HA HA HA HA HA! Or, no, wait, on second thought, that'd be, "Gud-yud-yud-yud-yud, goo..."
Not intended to stop the rocks but instead the rocks will break the wire and a low voltage electric current running through them and trip the signals either side to red stopping rail traffic and also alert the railroad to inspect the area
