N&W 2157

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Thu Sep 17 16:20:47 EDT 2020


Sorry, but I’m sticking with my original assessment of it being Villamont.

Mr. Schlotthober and Mr. Bundy were at the archives today and we discussed and looked at several photos and track charts and I believe they are in agreement with me that it is Villamont. Charlie initially thought it might be Bonsack but a study of the track charts and Google maps seems to make that unlikely.

We present the following evidence:

The original photo is a wooden water tank. Bonsack was a steel tank. 

The 1953 track chart indicates a slight right hand curve coming into Villamont, with a short spur off to the left, perhaps only 2 cars long, enough to hold a pusher engine and maybe a touch longer,


Now observe the following photo of 611 at Bonsack, from further west.

Wooden water tank, compare to original photo, there are two tall telephone poles.

Note the slight curve. Since the original photo is not very high resolution, it appears that the westbound Tennessean is on the other main track, which helps explain why the pusher is on the westbound track.

In looking over the track chart between milepost 228 (Bedford) and MP 255 (Vinton) there are only two places with water tanks, one is Villamont, the other is Bonsack. Bonsack was clearly a steel tank:

https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=98168 <https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=98168>

https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=145614 <https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=145614>

I agree about the weeping willows, but they are closer to the creek on the other side, behind the hopper train.

Here is a view of 611 heading west with the Arrow at Villamont with wooden water tank in place, sorry the photo was not wide enough to show the spur.

https://www.nwhs.org/archivesdb/detail.php?ID=91376

I believe the defense rests its case! :)

Ken Miller

> On Sep 17, 2020, at 4:09 PM, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> 
> There are enough tracks shown, plus the water tank. An old track chart would help.
> 
> Jimmy Lisle
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
> 
> 
> -------- Original message --------
> From: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> Date: 9/17/20 11:18 AM (GMT-05:00)
> To: NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> Subject: Re: N&W 2157
> 
> Sorry.  It isn't Villamont.  The line is straight through there and there 
> were weeping willow trees.  Also there was a center siding there and an 
> eastbound main, none of those switches and sidings fit Villamont.
> 
> It is definitely a pusher backing up.
> 
> - Ed King
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: NW Mailing List
> Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2020 9:14 AM
> To: NW Mailing List
> Subject: Re: N&W 2157
> 
> I concur about Villamont.  No doubt that's the location.
> 
> Jeff Hawkins
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> To: "NW Mailing List" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2020 7:38 AM
> Subject: Re: N&W 2157
> 
> 
> > Frank
> >
> > Looks to me like Villamont, with a westbound empty train.
> >
> > My speculation is this westbound, with one or two things: either may have 
> > been a bit overloaded, or they were having issues with their motive power, 
> > or it was simplest operation to send the pusher back west on the rear of 
> > this train, but with the exhaust, it appears to be working, not just along 
> > for the ride.
> >
> > This is the normal pusher assigned to Boaz, that came over the hill to 
> > help shove the empty train west on its way back to Boaz.
> >
> > The flag is a yellow flag, signifying the end of train, note the yellow 
> > markers on the rear of the caboose.
> >
> > The pushers would place the yellow flag, normally in the knuckle on the 
> > shove east over Blue Ridge, but whom ever placed this one stuck it off to 
> > the side.
> >
> > Just my speculation
> >
> > Ken Miller
> >
> >> On Sep 17, 2020, at 4:21 AM, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List 
> >> <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>  Good morning, all:
> >>
> >> I have attached a negative scan of N&W 2157 at an unidentified location, 
> >> available on eBay which I will not be bidding upon. I have three 
> >> questions:
> >> 1) Any location guesses? There appears to be a water tank in the distance 
> >> behind the cars.
> >> 2) Does the caboose behind the tender signify that this was a mine run or 
> >> local?
> >> 3) There is a white flag on the pilot. Is this the flag location for an 
> >> extra on the N&W? Most other railroads had a flag holder near the 
> >> classification lamps.
> >>
> >> Best wishes,
> >>
> >> Frank Scheer
> >> f_scheer at yahoo.com<N&W_2157.jpg>________________________________________
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