Vol. 22, No. 4 July / August 2006  Issue Select 
Issue Details
Cover Title: The Big Sandy & Cumberland, Part 1
Cover Subtitle: Plus: N&W Freight Car Roster #20-1955
On the Cover: N&W/Big Sandy & Cumberland two-truck Shay #7, built in 1912 by Lima for the Elk & Little Kanawha RR Co., sits on dual gauge track at Hurley, Virginia, in 1931. In this issue, Jim Blackstock and Bucky Wilson begin a multi-part series on another of N&W's fascinating branch lines, this one with a most unusual heritage.
Articles In This Issue
The Big Sandy & Cumberland, Part 1 / Norfolk And Western's Narrow Gauge Railroad - James B. Blackstock; Charles "Bucky" H. Wilson, Jr.
  Photo BS&C Shay #7, built by Lima (s/n 2519) in 1912, at Hurley, VA 1931 (Ed Bond Collection)
  Photo Climax #485, built 1904, sits at Hurley, VA in 1931 (Ed Bond Collection)
  Photo In a magnificant setting the Tri State Limited with Shay #7 running backwards, paused for its portrait with its passengers between Devon and Grundy. The scene reveals the rugged nature of the territory through which this line was built and suggests why the line was built to a 42" gauge. (Ed Bond Collection)
  Photo Coach #203 at Hurley, VA in 1931. (Ed Bond Collection)
  Timetable Big Sandy & Cumberland R.R. Co. Time Table, 10/15/1911
  Photo Climax #485 sits on dual gauge track at the W.M. Ritter Lumber Co. planing mill at Lower Elk. Lumber is being transferred at the lumber transfer shed from a narrow gauge flatcar on the left to a standard gauge N&W single-sheathed boxcar. The shelter to the right of the Climax protects loads of lumber on the narrow gauge line awaiting transfer. (Ed Bond Collection)
  Photo In what we believe is a previously unpublished photograph, Climax #217 of the W.M. Ritter Lumber Co. is positioning cars for loading from the "jackpot" at an unknown, but obviously remote location. Note the absence of ballast and the log times. (Ed Bond Collection)
  Map This map shows the original route of the BS&C: from Devon, WV, at the top southward following Knox Creek through Woodman (Lower Elk) past Kelsa to Hurley, VA, then to Blackey; thence following a tributary branch over Knox Creek Mountain to join Slate Creek at Matney (near Stacy on this map); thence down Slate Creek to Grundy, where it joined the Levisa Fork; and thence along the Levisa Fork northwest to the KY-VA line. (Delorme Street Atlas USA)
  Chart The following equipment was transferred from the BS&C to the N&W as of 6/30/31. The value shown was 20% of the value shown on the ledger of the BS&C and represented the scrap value to the N&W.
  Chart BS&C station chart with station number, state, and mileage listings.
  Chart Locomotives of the Big Sandy and Cumberland Railway
Early Version of Virginian 2-10-10-2 / ...from the Archives - David R. Stephenson
  Drawing Virginian Railway Locomotive Class AE, 8/7/1917 (NWHS Archives)
N&W Freight Car Roster - 1955 / Part 20 in this series - James F. Brewer
  Photo N&W 53998 is one of a group of five in Class B-8a. This PS-1 boxcar is equipped with a cushioned underframe. The stenciling to the left of the reporting marks reads "Use This Car only in LCL Service on the N&W". Note too the location of the tack boards on the door and ends. This lower position was the standard for cars built 1954 and after. The "B" end of N&W 53998 clearly shows the details of the Pullman proprietary end as well as the shape of the end ladders used on these cars. (N&W photo / N&WHS Collection)
  Photo N&W 71032 Class HC-5 is shown in service with residue of its load nicely weathering the side. These cars featured a fishbelly side with triangular opening. (Paul Dunn photo / Richard Burg Collection)
  Photo The "B" end of N&W 71051 provides nice detail of the braking piping arrangement from the control valve to the reservoir, brake cylinder and the retainer valve. (N&W photo / N&WHS Collection)
Bud Swearer's N&W Steam Recordings / A treasure trove of sounds... - David R. Stephenson
  Photo Bud Swearer poses with Strasburg RR #4, an ex-Reading 0-4-0 camelback, in 1963. (Lynford Swearer Photo / David G. Hoffman Collection)
  Photo Class J #613 & #611 doubleheader kicks up the dust on Blue Ridge. This photo was made 5/17/58 at the same time as the recording on Tape 5A4. (Wayne Miedwig)
  Photo An A/Y6 double header, typical of operations at the time Bud Swearer's recordings were made, pounds up Blue Ridge in May 1958; a show of power repeated many times every day at Railfan's Bridge. (Wayne Miedwig)
From the Archives / "Uncle Joe" Richardson on #36 - Chuck Stewart
  Photo N&W K-1 4-8-2 #107 with fireman Walter Jones and engineer Joseph Lee "Uncle Joe" Richardson (R.B Carneal Photo)
N&W Diesels Remaining In Service / 287 Diehards Soldier On - Robert G. Bowers
  Chart As of this writing as detailed in the table at left, Norfolk Southern continued to operate 287 diesel locomotives (including slugs made from diesels) that were acquired by the Norfolk and Western.
Vol. 22, No. 4 July / August 2006  Issue Select