Vol. 17, No. 3 May / June 2001  Issue Select 
Issue Details
Cover Title: THE BASICS of STEAM, Part 3
Cover Subtitle: Exploring the Bluestone Branch
On the Cover: A terrific photo of class Z1a No. 1438 basking in the bright sun; clean, polished, and ready for work. When first built, the Z's where mighty impressive to the N&W brass, and served well until replaced by even better A's and Y's.
Articles In This Issue
The Basics of Steam: 3 / Our series continues, this time exploring crossheads - Ed King
  Photo Crosshead for Vauclain Compound Locomotives, looking at the front. The upper and lower piston rod fits are obvious; the hole in the side is for the wrist pin - the main rod would extend from the rear. upper and lower guides fit on each side, above and below the wrist pin and on each side of the piston rods. (Ed king)
  Photo Laird crosshead and guide as applied to VAC&Ry.Co. #2. Note that there are TWO guide bars, both above the piston rod. (N&W Photo / Ed King)
  Photo Alligator crosshead with inside yoke. The yoke is attached to the locomotive frame integrally with the forward valve gear hanger bracket, just ahead of the #1 driver. (N&W Photo / Ed King)
  Photo Alligator crosshead with outside yoke. This yoke is also attached to the forward valve gear hanger bracket. (N&W Photo / Ed King)
  Photo Multiple bearing crossheads as used on K-3 4-8-2s 200-209, A's 1200-1209 and Js 600-605. (No. 1203 is shown) Note that there is a single guide above the piston rod - this is not to be mistaken for a Laird crosshead and guide. The front of the guide is attached to the rear of the cylinder casting, and the rear is attached to the front of the valve gear hander bracket. (N&W Photo / Ed King)
  Photo A close view of our cover photo shows the Alligator crossheads with the outside yokes, showing their attachment to the valve gear hangers. Outside yokes could be made more heavy and thus stronger, holding the rear of the guides rigidly in place, a consideration on modern, powerful locomotives. (N&W Photo / Ed King)
  Photo Here is the left front crosshead and guide of engine 1200. The crosshead is at the end of its stroke and the ledges can be seen extending beyond the end of the guide. This is a Multiple Bearing crosshead. (Bruce Meyer)
Encounter At Elliston / A fan's one and only meet with a J in the 50's - David R. Stephenson
  Photo J 603, The locomotive the author witnessed first hand as a teenager, waits impatient'y at a station shop. Quick acceleration from stops was an amazing thing to see up close and personal. (Jarrell Greever Collection)
  Photo No caption. A Y6 pulling hard on a long freight. (David Stephenson)
  Photo No caption. Three photos. A Class J hauling the varnish through Christiansburg. (David Stephenson)
  Photo No caption. One photo. A Class J hauling the varnish towards Roanoke. (David Stephenson)
N&W Freight Car Roster, 1939 / Fifth in a series - James F. Brewer
  Photo N&W No. 32158 is typical of the Class FD flatcars, built in 1913. The car has a wooden floor on a steel body and underframe. It also has eleven stake pockets per side. These cars were used for general hauling of freight which did not require the protection from the elements to any grat extent. (Uncredited)
  Photo N&W 70300 represents the changes for pulpwood service made to the fifteen Class FD flatcars by Roanoke Shops. Wood blocks have been mounted to the wooden floor of the car, and what appears to be rail has been bent and attached to the wood blocks. The end bulk heads are attached to the rail and stiffened by wire attached to the deck. The car retains its side stake pockets. (Uncredited)
The Tennessean / Special: Exploring the Bluestone Branch - James Nichols
  Photo This two-car local may have been the only train in the world to carry 18 different train numbers each day. In this photo, the train is meandering over the Bluestone Branch. (N&WHS Archives Collection)
  Sidebar When Norfolk & Western's Pacific No. 574 and its two cars begin a day's work, the combination is known as train 17 on the Bluestone Branch. It keeps this number for five minutes, then becomes train 20 for a backward trip to Bluestone. During the day it also runs on the Goodwill Branch and the Crane Creek Branch. All trains shown in these three tables are the same one. (Trains, October, 1947)
  Map Bluestone Branch area, showing the electrified double track, the electrified single track, and the steam operated track. (N&WHS Archives Collection)
  Photo Coopers Bridge passing over East end of Bluestone Branch and Bluestone River. (Charles Wilson III)
  Photo The Church at Montcalm . . . wall in right foreground shows the location of old Pocahontas Coal Company Store. (Charles Wilson III)
  Photo The long-gone passenger station at Bramwell is now being recreated on land donated by Norfolk Southern. (Charles Wilson III)
  Photo The east portal of Widemouth Tunnel #2 at Rock. (Charles Wilson III)
  Photo The switch for Crane Creek Branch, now overgrown with brush. (Charles Wilson III)
  Photo VGN crossing Bluestone Branch at Rock where lines separate. (Charles Wilson III)
  Photo The west portal of Widemouth Tunnel No. 1 just east of Matoaka; the VGN bore is one on left. Note remaining steel support for catenary; this is where VGN and N&W exchanged electricty. (Charles Wilson III)
  Photo VGN crossing wye of Bluestone Branch just west of Matoaka. (Charles Wilson III)
  Map A SEA OF BRANCHES: This portion of the 1958 N&W system map shows all the "hills and hollers" branch lines (including Bluestone) that had to be serviced daily. (N&W Timetable / N&WHS Archives Collection)
In Scale / News from the East Coast Hobby Show - George Hughes
  Photo Atlas O tinplate version HL hopper car. (George Hughes)
  Photo Atlas HO and O scale B40-8s. (George Hughes)
  Photo Atlas N scale NS SD60M. (George Hughes)
  Photo Athearn Genesis 60' hi-cube exterior post double-door boxcar (black car, white "NW" letering). (George Hughes)
  Photo Atlas O Thrall/TTX articulated auto rack. (George Hughes)
  Photo Atlas O Scale unpainted model HL car showing separately applied details. (George Hughes)
  Photo Athearn 50' gondola in new N&W paint (black car, white lettering). (George Hughes)
  Photo Atlas O B40-8 detail view. (George Hughes)
  Photo Closeup of Athearn 50' gondola, showing lettering and detail. (George Hughes)
What's New in N Scale / How to have an F-1 flat car on your layout - Frank Gibson
  Photo The Class F-1 Depressed Center flat car. (N&WHS Archives Collection)
Our Book Review / Iron Horses in The Valley - Louis M. Newton
Vol. 17, No. 3 May / June 2001  Issue Select