Cover of Jul/Sep 2019 issue

 One of the prime benefits of membership in the Norfolk & Western Historical Society is our quarterly magazine, THE ARROW. The publication takes its name from N&W's famous passenger train, The Powhatan Arrow.

Each issue is packed full of historical material, wonderful stories from the past, and modeling articles, all complemented with lots of photos.

Our magazine is professionally designed and utilizes the latest digital technology in printing, resulting in one of the premier publications in its field.

To get all that's packed into every issue, join the N&WHS! Your issue will arrive promptly every quarter!

What's in the current issue?
Email the Editor
Purchase back issues of The Arrow
Submit an article for publication inThe Arrow


Browse Past Arrow Issues
Date Vol-Issue Cover Title / Subtitle

Jul/Sep 201935-350 Years Ago / Remnants of Hurricane Camille brings major flooding to the N&W's Shenandoah Valley
Apr/Jun 201935-2The Arrow / High Noon on the N&W: Clinch Valley District; An N&W Pin-up!; Gordon Hamilton’s 1978 Strike Memories
Jan/Mar 201935-1The ARROW Norfolk and Western Historical Sociaty Magazine / High Noon on the N&W: KenovaDistrict, Modeling Virginian's "JK" Tower, A Bad Day on the N&W

Oct/Dec 201834-4The Arrow / High Noon on the N&W: Columbus District, The Beginnings of a Great Railroad, 1978 Strike Experience, 1968 Part 3
Jul/Sep 201834-3 / 1968 Part 2, High Noon on the N&W, The Beginnings of a Great Railroad
Apr/Jun 201834-2 / Outwitting the U-Boats, 1968 on the N&W, Destructive Fire, Virginian at Roanoke
Jan/Mar 201834-1Signaling Part 6 / The Unusal from Roanoke, Walton Tower, Villamont VA.

Oct/Dec 201733-4Steam's Last Stand / N&W Signaling 1930-1959 Part 5, The Virginian's V&W Branch
Jul/Sep 201733-3N&W Signaling, Part 4  / Portlock Yard, Bucky Wilson, Steel Gang Memories, Passenger Service on the Virginian’s New River Division
Apr/Jun 201733-2Men and Their Machine / Symbols of Renewal and Restoration, Virginian Railway Weekends at Twin Falls, Modeler: Buchanan County, Wreck of the Virginian 702
Jan/Mar 201733-1Buchanan Branch / The News is Never Easy: N&W 228 • T.R. Marshall’s Virginian Memories • N&W Signaling 1930–1959, Part 2 • Virginian C-1 Overview

Oct/Dec 201632-4N&W Signaling, Part 1 / Roanoke VGN Station, Beyond the Appalachians, The N&W-EL Cannonball
Jul/Sep 201632-3The N&W in Buffalo / Modeler: N&W and VGN Electrics, N&W-NKP Odds and Ends, Beyond the Appalachians
Apr/Jun 201632-2N&W's P&WV and AC&Y Diesels / N&WHS Archives: Deuces Wild, Buchanan Branch Summary, Beyond the Appalachians
Jan/Mar 201632-1N&W's Nickel Plate Diesels / High Bridge: Last Hope of the Confederacy • The N&W and the FP&E

Oct/Dec 201531-4Enlarging Honaker Tunnel / When Pocahontas Coke Started West, Rails Remembered-Chapter 88, Implementing the N&W Vision-part 4
Jul/Sep 201531-3611 is Fired Up! / Inside Roanoke Shops During WWII, Implementing the N&W Vision part 3
Apr/Jun 201531-2Beyond the Appalachians / Implementing the N&W Vision, N&W's 1964 Merger, The Sandusky District
Jan/Mar 201531-1Beyond the Appalachians / N&W Crossbucks, The Electric Virginian - part 5, Implementing the N&W Vision - part 1

Oct/Dec 201430-4The Electric VGN part 4 / Back to Boaz, Rails Remembered, The Electric Virginian
Jul/Sep 201430-3The Electric VGN / Three for the Ages, and Rails Remembered
Apr/Jun 201430-2A Great Locomotive Chase / The City Point Railroad, Rails Remembered Chapter 85: Diesels on the Peavine
Jan/Mar 201430-1The Debut of Alco RS-11s / On Home Rails, Rails Remembered, Chapter 84: The Debut of Alco

Oct/Dec 201329-4On the Durham Local in 1948, Modeler: The Station at Stanley pt 3 / Rails Remembered, Chapter 83: Diesels Invade the Pocahontas Coal Fields
Jul/Sep 201329-3BS&C Part 5, Today's Buchanan Branch, A Day at the Park Street Yard Office / Rails Remembered Chapter 82, Modeler: The Station at Stanley
Apr/Jun 201329-2TRAIN MASTERS / A Tribute to the Train Masters. Rails Remembered - Chapter 80
Jan/Mar 201329-1TRAIN MASTERS

Oct/Dec 201228-4Modeler: The Station at Stanley / 755th Battalion & Rails Remembered - Chapter 79
Jul/Sep 201228-3Thoughts on Retirement / A Vacation Relief Clerk at Bristol
Apr/Jun 201228-2Wytheville, VA Combination Station / Rails Remembered, Chapter 77
Jan/Mar 201228-1The Electric VGN, part 2 / Ex-N&W Locomotives in Service

Oct/Dec 201127-4The Electric VGN, part 1 / Modeler: Powhatan Arrow in HO
Jul/Sep 201127-3The Electric N&W, part 6 / Miracle at Coldwater
Apr/Jun 201127-2Rails Remembered, part 1 / The Electric N&W, part 5
Jan/Mar 201127-1The Electric N&W Part 4 / A Visit to Richlands

Oct/Dec 201026-4611 and 1218 at Night / August A. Thieme, Jr. / The McDowell County in HO / Fire in the Hole
Jul/Sep 201026-3Steam-Era GP9s / Dieselizing the N&W / The Electric N&W Part 3
Apr/Jun 201026-2The Electric N&W Part 2 / Repowering N&W Derricks / A Night to Remember
Jan/Mar 201026-1The Electric N&W Part 1 / When the N&W Wrecked the Liberty Bell Special

Oct/Dec 200925-4Diesel Timeline Part 3 / A J at 111, part 2 / The End of N&W's Banner Blue / Christmas Eve in Rural Retreat
Jul/Sep 200925-3A Ride on the Powhatan Arrow / 1941 Tender Lettering / Modeling the Virginia Oak Tannery
Apr/Jun 200925-2Diesel Timeline Part 2 / N&W History - Coal Line Connection / Modeling a Virginian H-3 Coal Car
Jan/Mar 200925-1The Class A 2-6-6-4 / Tribute to James N. Gillum / Class C-10 Caboose / Virginian's Victoria Depot

Oct/Dec 200824-4Diesel Timeline, Part 1 / Standard No. 2 Depot, 50-Ton Class B-5 boxcar, HC-19 Covered Hoppers, N&W Draftsmen
Jul/Sep 200824-3N&W's Alco RS-36s / Achival Data: N&W's Class SK Stock Car; Modeling N&W's Bicentennial SD45; Unloading a Car from a Boxcar
Apr/Jun 200824-2A J at 111 / A more Powerful Steam Locomotive / N&W Position Light Signals
Jan/Mar 200824-1The N&W in Marion, Ohio / O. Winston Link's N&W Recordings

Oct/Dec 200723-4The Buchanan Branch, Part 4: The Levisa Extension / T-6 Out the Windows, A tour at Dunlap, Running Trains by Remote Control
Jul/Sep 200723-3Alcos of Lamberts Point / Virginian USRA 2-8-8-2s / Coal Pier 6 at Lamberts Point
Apr/Jun 200723-2The J Juniors
Jan/Mar 200723-1The Big Sandy & Cumberland, Part 2

Nov/Dec 200622-6T vs J / The day the Pennsy came to Roanoke, and why
Sep/Oct 200622-5RETURN TO STEAM! / Full Coverage of our 2006 Convention!
Jul/Aug 200622-4The Big Sandy & Cumberland, Part 1 / Plus: N&W Freight Car Roster #20-1955
May/Jun 200622-3Streamliner No More / The Class J's in Freight Service
Mar/Apr 200622-2EMD's SD40-2 / From N&W to NS
Jan/Feb 200622-1Depot Extraordinaire, Part 2 / Roanoke 1905

Nov/Dec 200521-6Floating Locomotives / N&W in the Military Railway Service: The Sequel
Sep/Oct 200521-5Roanoke: Depot Extraordinaire! / Plus: Full Coverage of our Williamson Convention
Jul/Aug 200521-4N&W's Y-3's / Sage of an unsung workhorse
May/Jun 200521-3The Making of a Railfan I: / Austinville and the coming of the railroad
Mar/Apr 200521-2Williamson: An Early History / Reflections on the "A"
Jan/Feb 200521-1The Archives Story: A Legacy in Process / Over the course of a decade, a dream became an idea, then a reality

Nov/Dec 200420-6From Bluefield to Bellevue, The western end of the original N&W is still alive today / Pocahontas Division Passenger Trains after 1946
Sep/Oct 200420-5N&W Steam vs. Southern Diesels: The truth exposed! / Homecoming 2004: Convention in Roanoke and: Foreign Passenger Cars on the N&W
Jul/Aug 200420-4The Clinch Valley Line Part 3: Freight trains, branch lines and passengers too / What's the scoop with scoop cars?
May/Jun 200420-3Our Clinch Valley Series Continues: Touring the Clinch / your railfanning guide to Roanoke
Mar/Apr 200420-2The Clinch Valley Line /  A young boy's best day in Welch,WV...see back page
Jan/Feb 200420-1Elkhorn Tunnel -- The Sequel! / The Maybeury Trestles and Westward

Nov/Dec 200319-6Rebirth! N&W's Roanoke Station Comes Alive Again / A Progress report on the N&W/O. Winston Link Museum Opening January 2004
Sep/Oct 200319-5The Engines They Called 'Water Buffalos' / Our 2003 Convention: Weekend in Winston
Jul/Aug 200319-4Modeling an Accurate N&W Coal Train: Conclusion / N&W's Service in WWII: 2
May/Jun 200319-3N&W in the MIlitary Railway Service / "Keeping 'em Rolling" in World War II
Mar/Apr 200319-2The Search for the First Elkhorn Tunnel / N&W's "Racetrack"
Jan/Feb 200319-11776: The one you saw...the ones you didn't / N&W's Class BMf Baggage/Mail Cars

Nov/Dec 200218-6Monkey Motion / Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Steam Locomotive Valve Gear
Sep/Oct 200218-5Our Lynchburg Convention / And... A Depot Reclaimed, A Depot Reborn
Jul/Aug 200218-4The Forgotten N&W: POTTS VALLEY / Adventures on the Durham Line and: N&W's Class GD Gondola
May/Jun 200218-3The N&W... Circa '57 / N&W Branch Lines III: POCAHONTAS
Mar/Apr 200218-2Bluestone Junction / 3 Miles of Track... A century of Change
Jan/Feb 200218-1Our Dieselization Series Continues! / Chaos Out Of Order . . .

Nov/Dec 200117-6The Bluestone Branch / Revisited!
Sep/Oct 200117-5The new technology / Our Dieselization Series Continues
Jul/Aug 200117-4How Dieselization Happended / The Complete Story!
May/Jun 200117-3THE BASICS of STEAM, Part 3 / Exploring the Bluestone Branch
Mar/Apr 200117-2Norfolk and Western's Domeliner to Los Angeles! / And: The Battle For Jenny's Gap
Jan/Feb 200117-1End of the Line ...for a famed Cincinnati bridge / The Basics of Steam, Wandering Tuscan: An Update

Nov/Dec 200016-6Mr. Percival's Island, The fascinating story of N&W Island Yard in Lynchburg / Death of a Pelican, Trains 41/42, from A-powered to sad demise
Sep/Oct 200016-5Convention 2000 / Less is more (more or less), Boiler improvements to N&W's Y5s & Y6s
Jul/Aug 200016-4"Gateway To the Future" Cincinnati Union Terminal, The Glorious Conclusion of the Cincinnati Story / "I Saved an N&W Signal!", Improving the N&WHS "Fishbelly" Hopper
May/Jun 200016-3The Cincinnati Story 2: Cincinnati Union Terminal / Railroading in our Convention City: That Ol' All Day Eastbound
Mar/Apr 200016-2The Cincinnati Story: How the magnificent Cincinnati Union Station came to be / Discovering the oddities in the N&W steam fleet
Jan/Feb 200016-1One Man's Quest: The search for "The Shops" At Page / Designing N&W Steam Power: Part 2

Nov/Dec 199915-6Before The J's / Design N&W Steam Power, Tractive Effort Explained!
Sep/Oct 199915-5Reunion in Roanoke, Convention '99 / Love Affair With An 8-Wheel Switcher
Jul/Aug 199915-4N&WHS 15th Anniversary
May/Jun 199915-3A Home Away From Home / Norfolk & Western's YMCAs
Mar/Apr 199915-2The Sleepers they called 'The County Cars' / Changing Signals on the Bristol Line
Jan/Feb 199915-1Slickin' 'Em through Sardinia: N&W's Pesky Peavine / All Cabeese Were NOT Created Equal

Nov/Dec 199814-6Passenger Station Paint Schemes: Just what color WERE they? / A Day in the Life of a Yard Crew
Sep/Oct 199814-5Convention '98 / Travelin' the Bristol Line
Jul/Aug 199814-4Markers / Everything you always wanted to know about Markers but were afraid to ask
May/Jun 199814-3The Many Stations of Mullens / Convention Preview: The history and modeling of THe Abingdon Branch
Mar/Apr 199814-2The Shay! / N&W's Stemwinding Sidewinder:
Jan/Feb 199814-1Norfolk & Western's Oil-Burners / Steam vs. Diesel In 1952: Did N&W Cheat?

Nov/Dec 199713-6The Trouble With Steam / Modeling the Shenandoah Depot
Sep/Oct 199713-5N&WHS Convention '97 / Old memories New technology
Jul/Aug 199713-4Steam Locomotive Lettering / The Evolution of the "N&W Look"
May/Jun 199713-3The Pickaway County Special / Tribute to a Trackside Physician
Mar/Apr 199713-2Collision at Kumis / Dueling Railroads: The C&O and N&W in Ohio. History of the South Side RR:4
Jan/Feb 199713-1Bluefield's Tower of Power / N&W Passenger Car History - An Update

Nov/Dec 199612-6Salute to a Streamliner / The Powhatan Arrow Turns 50
Sep/Oct 199612-5Convention '96: Bluefield and Black Diamonds
Jul/Aug 199612-4The Travelin' Molly / Saga of the 485
May/Jun 199612-3Next Stop ...Bluefield / 1996 N&WHS Convention Preview
Mar/Apr 199612-2Return to Splendor
Jan/Feb 199612-1Hagerstown, A Post-Merger report

Nov/Dec 199511-6Photographic Memories
Sep/Oct 199511-5Convention '95! The N&WHS in Petersburg / Special All Passenger Issue
Jul/Aug 199511-4The Huckelberry, A fond look back at the Blacksburg Branch / Plus...In-Depth Modeling By Wilson McClung: N&W Bulkhead Flats
May/Jun 199511-3The Arrow
Mar/Apr 199511-2Remaining N&W GP-35s Now Retired
Jan/Feb 199511-1The Arrow / Official Publication of the Norfolk & Western History Society

Nov/Dec 199410-6N&W Class A #1208
Sep/Oct 199410-5The 1994 Roanoke Convention / A decade of progress
Jul/Aug 199410-4A Pictorial Review of N&W Motive Power / Last Installment
May/Jun 199410-3The Red Birds
Mar/Apr 199410-2A Pictorial Review of N&W Motive Power / Part Two
Jan/Feb 199410-1A Pictorial Review of N&W Motive Power / Part One

Nov/Dec 19939-6N&W Class Y3a 2-8-8-2
Sep/Oct 19939-5Where Rails Meet Sails 1993 / Convention coverage
Jul/Aug 19939-4N&W GP-18s / Part 2
May/Jun 19939-3N&W GP-18s / Part 1
Mar/Apr 19939-2All Aboard, Shenandoah / N&W Passenger Service in the Shenandoah Valley
Jan/Feb 19939-1Rogers and His Railroad / A History of the Virginian Railway

Nov/Dec 19928-6N&W Auxillary Water Tenders
Sep/Oct 19928-5Williamson 1992 / Convention coverage
Jul/Aug 19928-4Coal Piers / Coal Pier #5
May/Jun 19928-3Williamson WV
Mar/Apr 19928-2Class E-3 Pacifics
Jan/Feb 19928-1The Powhatan Arrow / The Inspiration of a Name

Nov/Dec 19917-6NS Steam Program
Sep/Oct 19917-5The Narrows Branch
Jul/Aug 19917-4Bellevue 1991 / Convention coverage
May/Jun 19917-3N&W Wrecks / Part 2: 1948 - 1953
Mar/Apr 19917-2N&W Wrecks / Part 1: 1948 - 1953
Jan/Feb 19917-1Coal Piers / Part 4

Nov/Dec 19906-6Norfolk and Western's 4-8-0's / The proposed Class M3
Sep/Oct 19906-5The Virginian Railways Eastern End... / ...as it appears today
Jul/Aug 19906-4Coal Piers / Part 3
May/Jun 19906-3Norfolk and Western's 4-8-0's / Part 3, Class M2
Mar/Apr 19906-2Coal Piers / Part 2
Jan/Feb 19906-1Norfolk and Western's 4-8-0's / Part 2, Class M1

Nov/Dec 19895-6Coal Piers / Part 1
Sep/Oct 19895-5Norfolk and Western's 4-8-0's / Part 1, Class M
Jul/Aug 19895-4The EMD GP30 / From an Operating Viewpoint
May/Jun 19895-3Passenger Geeps / Part 3
Mar/Apr 19895-2Modern Steam Engine Facilities / N&W Streamlines Steam Servicing
Jan/Feb 19895-1The Celanese Pressure Cooker

Nov/Dec 19884-6Passenger Geeps / Part II
Sep/Oct 19884-5Shenandoah Junction
Jul/Aug 19884-4Passenger Geeps / Part 1
May/Jun 19884-3Headlights and Backup Lights / Part 2: Diesel Locomotives
Mar/Apr 19884-2The Chesapeake Western Bridge is Back
Jan/Feb 19884-1Headlights and Backup Lights / Part 1: Steam Locomotives

Nov/Dec 19873-6Field tests of GE C39-8 locomotives
Sep/Oct 19873-5The Norfolk & Western Coaling Towers
Jul/Aug 19873-4The N&W's T-6 Part 2
May/Jun 19873-3The ALCO T-6, N&W's Switcher
Mar/Apr 19873-2Scale Test Cars
Jan/Feb 19873-1Annual Report 1955

Nov/Dec 19862-6The Norfolk & Western Coal Piers
Sep/Oct 19862-5Passenger Equipment / Part II
Jul/Aug 19862-4The "Modern" Steam Switcher
May/Jun 19862-3Christiansburg Depot
Mar/Apr 19862-2H-10-44's and H-12-44's / Prototype and Model
Jan/Feb 19862-1The Flood of '85 / Part 1

Nov/Dec 19851-6N&W's First Diesels
Sep/Oct 19851-5Is the 1218 to Breathe Again?
Jul/Aug 19851-4Coal Cars of the N&W / New series begins this issue...
May/Jun 19851-3Twenty-Five Years Ago This Month...
Mar/Apr 19851-2N&W Trainmasters
Jan/Feb 19851-1N&W Alco C628's

Volume Selector: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 Current Issues