Station design and construction

[NW Mailing List]

On Dec 14, 2009, at 8:14 PM, NW Mailing List wrote:


> Another piece of the puzzle. Perhaps this answers the question  

> about the original roof ??

>

>

> From The Philadelphia Real Estate Record and Builders' Guide,  

> Wednesday, May 21, 1890, p.290:

>

> "Geo. T. Pearson, architect, 427 Walnut Street, Phila., has  

> completed plans for a three-story house, at De Land, Florida, for  

> J.B. Stetson, Fourth and Montgomery Ave., Phila. Dimensions, 53x56  

> feet, style of architecture, Spanish, with arcade porches. To have  

> all modern conveniences of a Northern home, contracts let; also  

> plans finished for alterations to the residence of Mr. Heebner, at  

> Chestnut Hill, addition to dining room, new kitchen, new hall, etc.  

> with other interior alterations, contracts not let. Also plans  

> under way for alteration to the residence of Mr. Alburger, at  

> School Lane, Germantown, consisting of addition to dining room and  

> kitchen, and large additions to third-story, contracts not let.  

> Also plans being made for several new Railroad stations for Norfolk  

> and Western Railroad at Bluefield, Va., Graton, Va., Salem, Va.,  

> Richlands, Va., Bedford, Va., and Bristol, Tenn. To be built of  

> stone, with green-slate roofs, enclosure walls, plumbing, etc. All  

> first-class, necessary to make them the best of the kind. Contracts  

> not let."

>

> Thanks,

> Betty



Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:17:35 -0500
From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Subject: Re: Bedford Station

The slate roof on Salem was still present until about 15-20 years  
ago, when the City (who owns the building) had it replaced with a  
shingle roof, for what reason, I do not know.

The second item in the list should probably be Graham instead of  
Graton. The Buena Vista station also appeared to be the same general  
design, and was completed just slightly after Salem if I recall  
corrrectly. Salem opened for business in February 1891.

Ken Miller



December 15, 2009

The decision to replace a slate roof with ashphalt shingles or raised-seam metal is cost.  A slate roof is the most durable but also the most expensive to maintain because frequent maintenance is required to replace cracked shingles.  This is a labor intensive process.

It will be interesting to learn whether the variation in station design on the N&W was driven by periodic changes in the architectural firm hired to create construction plans.  Would anyone know if Geo. T. Pearson, Architect, was still an N&W contractor during the 1910s?  Also, I wonder if John P. Pettyjohn & Co. was the builder of Salem, Bedford, and other 1890s N&W structures.

Happy holidays!

Frank Scheer
f_scheer at yahoo.com