Last Steam on Norfolk Division - maybe

Fri Apr 8 11:42:27 EDT 2005

Aubrey, Ken, Gordon & others,

When I read about your recollections of the 1214, something triggered my mind regarding a sound recording I have of the last days of steam.

It is EXTRA 1235 EAST, by Allan Sherry.  This 33 1/3 RPM record was recorded March 25-26, 1959, at Blue Ridge and Thaxton, with some station switcher movements at Roanoke passenger station on the 26th.

Mr. Sherry, in his "liner notes" gives two dates, which, at first, seem to be contradictory.  I'll give them to you as written, and each of you can interpret them as you wish, or use them to pursue "your final answer"! 

Quote, "The last steam powered, regularly scheduled freight operation on the main line was between Crewe and Roanoke, with locomotive 1214, on 99 extra 1214 west, May 18,1959"  

Then in a later note Mr. Sherry says, "The last double headed steam locomotive over Blue Ridge grade went over on May 18, 1959, with extra 1234 east, the 1234 and 1218 winding up the wonderful tradition of double headed steam over this famous grade.The last steamer to operate over the hill with a fire in her was the 1214 ten days later."

Both the "last regularly scheduled' and "last double headed " could have been on the same date, as they describe two different type of movements.  Then he mentions the "last...with fire in her" was ten days later (May 28,1959).  To me this says there "may" have been other extras, i.e., not regularly scheduled, during those ten days.  And he doesn't say what kind of movement the 1214 was making on the 28th.  Regardless, that may well have been the LAST steam movement (extra, deadhead, etc.).

Mr. Sherry mentions (thanks) two people for their help. 1) Mr. Walter R. Jackson, N&W Ry., and 2) Mr. John M. Robinson, Jr.  I think Mr. Jackson as an N&W official (TM or RFE). I don't know if Mr. Robinson is the man I knew years ago or not.  If anyone knows him and he's still around, maybe he could shed some light here.

Sorry to go on so long, but I hope this helps!

Jeff Sanders

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  To: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 11:03 AM
  Subject: Last Steam on Norfolk Division - maybe

  I have only a vague recollection of what I have thought was the last mainline, at least, steam run on the Norfolk Division. It was a west bound time freight that came through Lynchburg about midday in a summer month of 1958 or 1959, engine 1214. I remember being impressed with it's dog house.  Maybe this will be a starting point for someone with more information.

  Aubrey Wiley

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