Vol. 12, No. 6 November / December 1996  Issue Select 
Issue Details
Cover Title: Salute to a Streamliner
Cover Subtitle: The Powhatan Arrow Turns 50
On the Cover: Our newly re-designed color cover is graced by Chief Powhatan standing watch over the new luxury streamliner named in his honor as it passes the New River. The special artwork is based on an original N&W ad for The Powhatan Arrow from 1954. We hope you like our new cover, as well as the other improvements we've made in the magazine.
Articles In This Issue
Observation - Jarrell Greever
Mailbag - Jarrell Greever
  Photo Steam shovel (Collection of Roger F. Whitt)
Salute to a Streamliner: 1 / The Tennessean Remembers The Powhatan Arrow - James Nichols
  Photo The original Powhatan Arrow at speed just east of Belspring, VA on July 10, 1946. The heavyweight diner, located mid-train, had gold striping added to more closely match the rest of the train. Three years later, all new equipment would replace the makeshift consist, and the advertising campaign, as illustrated below, began in earnest. (VPI&SU Collection)
  Timetable The cover of the Passenger Timetable dated December 4, 1949 gave notice to all that the new Powhatan Arrow had arrived and was in service...just in time for Christmas (Jarrell Greever Collection)
  Photo The upgraded Arrow drew huge crowds during its 8-day exhibition run through 16 towns. The run began on Sunday, Dec 4, 1949, and by the end of that week, 38,615 people, including the author, had walked through the train. Four photos: 1. It's "push and shove" as the doors open in Farmville, VA; 2. In Blackstone, VA, the local radio station conducts on-board interviews during the tour; 3. The line is long in Portsmouth, OH as the first visitors pose for the camera; 5. In Welch, WV, they even dismissed school so students could take the tour. (N&W Magazine, Gary Rolih collection)
  Photo The crowds in Roanoke, VA (N&W Magazine, Gary Rolih collection)
  Photo A special guest and a Christmas Turkey. The N&W pulled out all the stops to advertise the refurbished Powhatan Arrow. Even Santa Claus was invited to take a trial ride on the beautiful new train shortly after its December inauguration. (N&W Magazine, Gary Rolih collection)
  Data Sheet The a la carte portion of the Arrow's dining car menu matched the ones on other N&W passenger trains, and carried a wide selection of delectable food The tureen of hot mushroom soup enjoyed by the author cost a whopping 50 cents, but even a college student had to splurge occasionally. (Roger Nutting Collection)
  Photo The "new" Powhatan Arrow offered everything a passenger of the '50s could hope for in rail travel. Here, train No. 25 is shown just west of the yard limits at Schaffer's Crossing in Roanoke, VA on April 17, 1950. (VPI&SU Collection)
  Photo S1a #201 prepares to couple onto the observation car of train #25 at Bluefield in early 1952. An extra coach will be cut out and held for use on #26, the eastbound Powhatan Arrow. (Jim Nichols photo)
Salute to a Streamliner II: Fine New Feathers - David P. Morgan
  Photo Class J #600 (on title page)
  Photo Norfolk & Western's brand-new and trimly tailored Powhatan Arrow (exceptiing old-style marker lamps) rides big steel and rock ballast behind a J-class 600-series Northern. Gold striping accents traditional tuscan red. (Photo courtesy of Trains Magazine)
  Photo Above: 4-8-4 No. 609 stands head and shoulders over her consist of new Powhatan Arrow equipment while the streamliner is on exhibit in coal-mining Williamson, W. Va.  (Photo courtesy of Trains Magazine)
  Photo Left: Three cleaners keep the script train-name on the side of the diner highly polished (Photo courtesy of Trains Magazine)
  Photo It could be that the soft lighting, easy chairs, wire-recorded music and nearby bar in the Arrow's observation-lounge have cast a spell of romance on the conversation of the couple in the corner. At any rate, the bar attendant is keeping a close check on these publicity models (Trains Magazine photo)
  Photo Members of the press tackles Norfolk & Western cooking with all the trimmings on the Arrow's newspaper-magazine preview run from Roanoke to Bluefield last November 30. Featured attraction on the special menu was Smithfield ham - a rich, salty, delightfully delicious Virginia specialty. (Trains Magazine photo)
Salute to a Streamliner III: Our Readers Remember - Robert Harvey; Harry Bundy; Jim Henry; Raymond D. Smoot; James Flummer; Ronald Garay; Al Gemperline; J. E. Childress; Michael G. Salley
  Data Sheet Norfolk and Western used propotional brochures to advertise all the new features of the post-'49 version of The Powhatan Arrow (Collection of J. E. Childress)
  Data Sheet Ad for the Powhatan Arrow - The finest in luxury equipment traversing a land rich in scenic beauty and historical tradition...
  Data Sheet Ad for the Powhatan Arrow - It's just like a resort on rails
  Photo Playing cards adorned with the Powhatan Arrow logo were sold in the lounge area of the train to enable passengers, such as Mr. Gemperline, to while away the hours playing gin rummy; or perhaps, a game of penny-ante poker.
  Photo Arrow Trivia: Question: What was the name of the passenger who bought the very first ticket to ride the "new" Powhatan Arrow on Dec 12, 1949? Answer: Navy seaman John R. Curtis, (left) who bought the ticket in Norfolk, VA for a trip to Waverly OH to visit his parents. (N&W Magazine, Gary Rolih collection)
The History of hte South Side Railroad 1846-1870 / Part 3, Finance and Construction: 2 - James Bisbee
Current News - Robert G. Bowers
View from the Cab / A little o' this, a little o' that - Thomas D. Dressler
  Photo Precision Scale's long-awaited O Scale VGN SB/C&O C-16 is a fine piece of modeling work. Close comparison reveals the differences between this model and the N&W S1a shown at right. Note the flanges on the sand domes, single air pump with single air tank and small tender. The fine detailing on this model is excellent. (Thomas D. Dressler photo)
  Photo The N&W S1a in O Scale is well worth the 10-year wait. The larger, all welded tender with water clerestory is a work of art. The dual air pumps with smaller twin air tanks set the N&W engine apart. Note how much the overhung bell improves the front-end look of the engine. (Thomas D. Dressler photo)
The Spirit of the Holiday Season - Staff Arrow
  Data Sheet This classic ad from the Norfolk and Western expresses the sentiments of both our favorite railroad in 1945 and those of the Arrow staff in 1996 (N&W Magazine)
Vol. 12, No. 6 November / December 1996  Issue Select