Norfolk and Western 1218

Norfolk and Western 1218
Norfolk and Western No. 1218 leads an excursion through Bellevue, Ohio in August 1987
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
DesignerJohn A. Pilcher[1]
BuilderRoanoke Shops (East End Shops)
Serial number340
Build dateJune 2, 1943
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte2-6-6-4
 • UIC(1′C)C2′ h4g
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Leading dia.33 in (838 mm)
Driver dia.70 in (1,778 mm)[2]
Trailing dia.42 in (1,067 mm)
Length121 ft 9+1⁄4 in (37.1 m) including tender[2]
Width11 ft 2 in (3.4 m)
Height16 ft (4.88 m)
Axle load72,000 lb (32.7 tonnes)
Adhesive weight433,350 lb (196.6 tonnes)
Loco weight573,000 lb (259.9 tonnes)
Tender weight378,600 lb (171.7 tonnes)
Total weight951,600 lb (431.6 tonnes)[2]
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity35 t (34.4 long tons; 38.6 short tons)
Water cap.22,000 US gal (83,000 L; 18,000 imp gal)
Fuel consumption7 short tons (6.4 t) of coal per hour
13,906 US gal (52,640 L; 11,579 imp gal) of water per hour
Firebox:​
 • Grate area122 sq ft (11.3 m2)
Boiler106 in (2,692 mm)
Boiler pressure300 lbf/in2 (2.07 MPa)
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox587 sq ft (54.5 m2)
 • Tubes and flues6,052 sq ft (562.2 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • TypeType E
 • Heating area2,703 sq ft (251.1 m2)
CylindersFour, simple articulated
Cylinder size24 in × 30 in (610 mm × 762 mm)
Valve gearBaker
Valve typePiston valves
Loco brakeAir
Train brakesAir
CouplersKnuckle
Performance figures
Maximum speed70 mph (110 km/h)[2]
Power output5,400 hp (4,000 kW)
Tractive effort114,000 lbf (507.10 kN)[2]
Factor of adh.3.8
Career
OperatorsNorfolk and Western Railway→Norfolk Southern Railway
ClassA
Number in class19 of 43
NumbersN&W 1218
NicknamesThe Mercede of Steam
LocaleUnited States, South and Midwest
RetiredJuly 1959 (revenue service)
November 1991 (excursion service)
PreservedSeptember 1964
RestoredMarch 26, 1987
Current ownerVirginia Museum of Transportation
DispositionOn static display
Norfolk & Western Class A No. 1218 Locomotive
Norfolk and Western 1218 is located in Virginia
Norfolk and Western 1218
Norfolk and Western 1218 is located in the United States
Norfolk and Western 1218
Location303 Norfolk Avenue SW, Roanoke, Virginia
Coordinates37°16′23″N 79°56′50″W / 37.272943°N 79.947231°W / 37.272943; -79.947231
Built1943
Built byRoanoke Shops
NRHP reference No.100011843
Added to NRHPMay 19, 2025

37°16′23″N 79°56′50″W / 37.272943°N 79.947231°W / 37.272943; -79.947231 Norfolk and Western 1218 is the only surviving example of the Norfolk and Western Railway’s (N&W) Class A 2-6-6-4 steam locomotives. It was built in June 1943 by the Norfolk and Western's (N&W) Roanoke (East End) Shops in Roanoke, Virginia to haul both fast passenger and freight trains around the N&W system. No. 1218 was retired from regular revenue service in July 1959 and sold to the Union Carbide Company (UCC) to be used as a stand-by stationary boiler at one of their chemical plants in South Charleston, West Virginia. In 1964, it was purchased for preservation and was later restored to operation by Norfolk Southern (NS) in 1987 for use in their steam program, pulling excursions throughout the eastern United States until 1991. No. 1218 is currently on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke.

Historic significance

No. 1218 is the sole survivor of the Norfolk and Western's class A locomotives and the only surviving 2-6-6-4 steam locomotive in the world. While smaller than Union Pacific's famous and more numerous "Challenger" class of 4-6-6-4 locomotives, Norfolk and Western's design racked up unmatched records of performance in service.

During No. 1218's excursion career, it was the most powerful operational steam locomotive in the world,[3] with a tractive effort of 114,000 pounds-force (507.10 kN), well above Union Pacific 3985, the next-strongest-pulling operational steam locomotive, with a tractive effort of 97,350 lbf [433.0 kN]). Since May 2019, however, No. 1218 became the locomotive with the second highest tractive effort, after Union Pacific 4014, which has a tractive effort of 135,375 lbf (602.18 kN). Unlike diesel-electric locomotives of similar high tractive effort (for starting heavy trains) but typical for a steam locomotive, it could easily run at 70 miles per hour (113 km/h) and more.

History

Revenue service and first retirement

A drawing design of the N&W class A locomotive

No. 1218 was the ninth member of the third batch of fifteen class A locomotives (Nos. 1210–1224) built in June 1943 at the East End Shops in Roanoke, Virginia by the N&W.[1] It was first assigned to haul troop trains, during World War II.[4] After the war ended, No. 1218 was reassigned to haul fast freight trains, heavy coal trains, and even heavy passenger trains on the N&W's Scioto Division, between Williamson, West Virginia, Portsmouth, Ohio, and Columbus, Ohio, and it made some occasional side trips to Cincinnati.[1] In the late 1950s, No. 1218 was reassigned to the Norfolk Division, running between Roanoke and Norfolk, Virginia.[1]

In July 1959, No. 1218 was retired from revenue service and was planned to be sold for scrap alongside the rest of the class As.[5][6][a] That same year, the Union Carbide Company (UCC) of Charleston, West Virginia, placed an order for three retired locomotives from the N&W, as the company was in need of spare stationary boilers for their South Charleston chemical plant.[5][6][7] In response, the N&W delivered No. 1218, along with fellow class As Nos. 1202 and 1230, to Union Carbide, which in turn moved them to their South Charleston plant at Blaine Island within the Kanawha River.[7]

UCC saw no use for their tenders and scheduled for all three to be scrapped, but employee Phil Titus intervened: he arranged with a friend and FMC official to have them stored on some spare sidings at FMC's own South Charleston facility.[7] Nos. 1218, 1202 and 1230 were converted as stationary boilers by being lined up with their cabs adjacent to each other; a makeshift platform being built between the cabs; gas pipes being connected to their fireboxes; and steam pipes being connected to their smokeboxes.[7] The three locomotives were used during freezing winter months and whenever one of the UCC's main boilers had to shut down.[7]

In June 1964, amidst changing conditions, UCC decommissioned the class As, removed them from the plant, and sold them for scrap, along with their tenders, to the Raleigh Junk Company.[7] Titus, along with fellow employee George Greenacre, looked for someone who could acquire and prevent one of the As from being scrapped, and they quickly contacted New England millionaire F. Nelson Blount, who had established his own collection of steam locomotives at Steamtown, U.S.A. in Bellows Falls, Vermont.[7][8]

Blount agreed to add one of the As to his collection, and he authorized for a purchase of a locomotive in the best condition and with parts from the others added to make it complete.[7] By September 1964, No. 1218 was chosen, and while Raleigh Junk was cutting up Nos. 1202 and 1230, Titus and Greenacre cannibalized many parts from them, including an air pump, the crosshead guide yokes, the front side rods, and the gauges, and applied them to No. 1218.[7][9] By 1965, No. 1218, which became the final surviving class A, was moved to Steamtown and put on display.[7][8] That same year, Robert B. Claytor, the then-executive vice president of the N&W, became aware of No. 1218's status and believed it needed to be preserved within Roanoke, Virginia alongside sole-surviving N&W class J No. 611.[10][11] On Claytor's behalf, the N&W negotiated with Steamtown and offered to acquire No. 1218.[10][11]

In mid-1967, Blount agreed to put No. 1218 on a long-term lease to the N&W, and the locomotive was towed out of Bellows Falls.[7] In August, Blount died in an airplane crash, and No. 1218's move was halted at Binghamton, New York, while the Blount estate and the N&W disputed over the locomotive's status.[7] By 1969, after the disputes were resolved, No. 1218 arrived in Roanoke, where the N&W subleased it to the City of Roanoke, and the locomotive underwent a cosmetic restoration at the N&W's East End Shops, the same place where it was built, to return its appearance to its as-built condition.[6][10][12] In 1971, the restoration was completed, and the class A was put on static display at the Roanoke Transportation Museum in Wasena Park.[6][11][12]

Excursion service

No. 1218 leads an excursion train in Brocton, New York, August 6, 1988

In 1982, the N&W and Southern (SOU) railways both merged to form the new Norfolk Southern Railway (NS).[13] Concurrently, No. 1218's feedwater pump was removed to replace the damaged one on No. 611, which was restored to operating condition for excursion service on the NS steam program, which started in 1966 by the SOU.[14] In 1984, Robert Claytor, who by then was NS' chairman and CEO, considered having No. 1218 enter the steam program to pull the longer and heavier excursion trains along with assisting No. 611.[6][7] Accompanied by ex-N&W road foreman Frank W. Collins, Claytor personally inspected No. 1218's smokebox and found that most of the piping connected to the cylinders had been cut out by UCC, but Collins encouraged Claytor to authorize further evaluation, reminding him that duplicate pipes could have been fabricated, while most of No. 1218's other critical parts remained intact.[6][15] The Steamtown Foundation, which still owned No. 1218, but was experiencing financial difficulties after moving to Scranton, Pennsylvania, agreed to trade the title of No. 1218 to NS in exchange for two EMD diesel locomotives (an Ex-Wabash SW8 and Ex-Nickel Plate Road GP9 No. 514).[16][17]

On May 10, 1985, Norfolk Southern laid some temporary panel track over the museum's display tracks, and then No. 1218 was towed out of its display spot by two NS diesel locomotives and back to the East End Shops.[15][18] Upon being deemed fit for shipping, No. 1218 was further moved to the former Southern Railway's Norris Yard Workshop in Irondale, Alabama.[8][15] Under the leadership of NS master mechanic of steam Doug Karhan, No. 1218 was disassembled for evaluation, and as work progressed, the project was shifted to a full-blown rebuild.[8][15] The class A had to receive several other replacement parts, many of which were fabricated by machine tooling transferred from the Roanoke shops, along with off-site fabricators and welders, and a replacement feedwater pump was received from one of the B&O Railroad Museum's steam locomotives.[15][19] The tender tank also contained multiple rotten spots that required addressing.[15] No. 1218 was also retrofitted with a new 26-L type brake stand to accommodate easier repairs and improved self-lapping.[20]

On January 15, 1987, No. 1218 underwent a stationary test fire.[19][21] Two months later, on March 26, No. 1218 moved under its power for the first time in 28 years; it performed a break-in run between Irondale and Wilton, Alabama.[19][22] On April 25, No. 1218 pulled its first public excursion for the NS steam program between Roanoke and Bluefield, West Virginia, but some heavy rain and flooding that day caused some mudslides and fallen trees to delay the trip's completion.[23][24] The following day, No. 1218 pulled two more excursions between Roanoke, Lynchburg and Walton, without incident.[24]

On May 4, 1987, No. 1218 pulled an empty 100-hopper car train to Crewe, unassisted.[24] In August, during the 1987 National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) convention in Roanoke, No. 1218 pulled an empty 50-hopper car train, where it ran side by side with No. 611, which pulled a passenger excursion train from Roanoke to Radford, Virginia, in which the former was double-headed with the latter for the return trip later on.[19][25] Following the convention, No. 611 underwent an extensive FRA-mandated overhaul, leaving No. 1218 to haul nearly all of the NS excursions for the remainder of 1987 and into 1988.[25][26] In November 1987, No. 1218 visited Jacksonville, Florida and hauled three excursions between Jacksonville and Valdosta, Georgia, sponsored by the North Florida Chapter of the NRHS.[25][27]

In June 1988, No. 1218 hauled a long-distance excursion, the Independence Limited, over four days from Roanoke to Chicago, Illinois, but en route, on June 11, the locomotive collided with a truck at a crossing near Old Fort, Ohio.[25][28] In July, No. 1218 hauled some excursions between Fort Wayne, Indiana and Detroit, Michigan, and then it traveled to Buffalo, New York for two roundtrips between Buffalo and Ashtabula, Ohio, sponsored by the Niagara Frontier Chapter NRHS.[25][29] In September, No. 611 returned to service and handled most of the remainder of that year's operating season.[25][26] Excursion ridership for the 1988 season reportedly increased from the previous year at 55,239 passengers with a profit of $257,000 out of a gross take of $1.9 million.[19]

On July 16, 1989, No. 1218 performed a rare tripleheader excursion with No. 611 and Nickel Plate Road 587 from Roanoke to Lynchburg, as a prelude to that year's NRHS convention held in Asheville, North Carolina.[30][31][32] On July 19, Nos. 1218 and 587 doubleheaded with the Asheville Special excursion to Asheville, where a night photo session was held on July 21, with North Carolina governor James Martin in attendance.[31][32] In June 1990, No. 1218 traveled to St. Louis, Missouri, where it met up with steam locomotives Cotton Belt 819, Frisco 1522, and Union Pacific 844 to participate in that year's NRHS convention, which took place at the former St. Louis Union Station.[33]

Beginning in May 1991, during Norfolk Southern's 25th anniversary of their steam program, No. 1218's smokebox door was painted with an imperfect silver graphite and oil mix, and the outdoor heat turned it gold.[34][35] In August 1991, No. 1218's smokebox door received another graphite mix, resulting in a more correct silver appearance.[35] That same month, No. 1218 took part in that year's NRHS convention of Huntington, West Virginia, leading two excursion runs out of Kenova, before the rest of the convention was focused on Nickel Plate Road 765 and Pere Marquette 1225 operating over the CSX mainline.[35] No. 611 was originally advertised to haul the Kenova excursions, but firebox repairs held it back.[35] On November 3, as the main event for the steam program's 25th anniversary, No. 1218 joined No. 611 and Southern Railway 4501 to triple head a 28-car passenger excursion train from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Atlanta, Georgia.[36] At Ooltewah, Tennessee, No. 4501 took the first eight coaches for a complete round trip, turning around at Cleveland, Tennessee.[36] Afterwards, Nos. 611 and 1218 completed the rest of the trip to Atlanta.[36]

At the end of the 1991 excursion season, after completing a round-trip excursion from Huntsville, Alabama to Chattanooga, Tennessee on November 8,[37] No. 1218 returned to the Norris Yard Steam Shop for an extensive overhaul, where its flues needed to be replaced and portions of its firebox needed to be repaired, and No. 1218 was planned to return to service for the beginning of the 1996 excursion season.[36] In late 1994, No. 1218's overhaul was halted, since NS chairman David R. Goode cancelled the steam program, following a yard switching accident involving nine passenger cars in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Goode cited serious safety concerns, rising insurance and maintenance costs for steam locomotives, decreasing spare network availability, and delayed freight traffic.[38][39][40]

Current disposition

Norfolk and Western No. 1218 on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation in October 2016

In January 1996, No. 1218 was partially reassembled and towed back to Roanoke to be stored at the East End Shops.[38][41] In 2000, the locomotive was moved out of the East End Shops and put on the turntable for a nighttime photoshoot, hosted by photographer O. Winston Link.[42] Link wanted No. 1218 to be exhibited near the former N&W passenger station in downtown Roanoke, which was planned to be converted into a museum that displayed Link's N&W photographs.[43][44]

"I was joined in line by Roanoke Chapter member Lawanda Ely. I commented that it was too bad Mr. O. Winston Link did not live to see this day. I said likewise for the Claytor brothers. Lawanda quickly corrected me on the second statement. If Robert Claytor were still alive, 1218 would be out on the high iron and the rest of us along with her. I couldn't agree more."

— Roanoke Chapter NRHS member and editor Robin R. Shavers during No. 1218's move to the Virginia Museum of Transportation in 2003[45]

Link died on January 30, 2001, but plans for the museum were still carried on, and in June, Norfolk Southern agreed to donate No. 1218 to the City of Roanoke to honor Link's wishes.[43][46][47] Preparations were subsequently made—including a cosmetic restoration by Norfolk Southern—to put the locomotive on display at the Virginia Museum of Transportation (VMT), formerly known as the Roanoke Transportation Museum.[45][46][48] On June 11, 2003, during the 60th anniversary of No. 1218's 1943 construction date, the locomotive was pushed into place at the VMT's Robert B. Claytor and W. Graham Claytor Jr. Pavilion shed next to No. 611.[45][48]

In 2007, Nos. 1218 and 611 were both temporarily put on display at the East End Shops to commemorate its 125th anniversary.[49] On April 2, 2012, the City of Roanoke officially donated both to the VMT.[50] No. 1218 continues to sit on display at the VMT, next to another former N&W steam locomotive, G-1 class No. 6, with No. 611 restored to operating condition. In May 2015, the N&W's "Big Three" trio was reunited, as No. 1218—and No. 611 outside of its excursion schedules—were paired with preserved Y6a class No. 2156, which was on loan from the Missouri-based National Museum of Transportation from 2015 to 2020.[51][52] On July 2024, a mural featuring the No. 1218 locomotive was painted by an artist, Jon Murrill at 108 Church Avenue SE in downtown Roanoke.[53][54] The mural depicts No. 1218 along with various other local icons.[55][56] On March 31, 2025, the VMT announced that No. 1218 was designated as a Virginia Historic Landmark[57][58][59] and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 19.[60][61][62]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ At that time, the N&W planned to donate at least five steam locomotives for preservation, but with no plans to spare a class A locomotive from the scrap line.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d King Jr., E.W. (September 1987). "A locomotive that seduced an entire railway". Trains. Vol. 47, no. 11. Kalmbach Publishing. p. 25.
  2. ^ a b c d e "All Aboard – Steam locomotive to power day-long excursions from Greenville". Gaffney Leader. Gaffney, SC. March 20, 1987. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Mighty locomotive will steam to Fort Wayne". Battle Creek Enquirer. Battle Creek, MI. June 24, 1990. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Jeffries (1980), p. 195.
  5. ^ a b c Huddleston (2001), p. 131.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Wrinn (2000), p. 73
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Greenacre, George; Boyd, Jim (September 1987). "How 1218 Was Saved". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 6, no. 11. Carstens Publications. p. 45. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  8. ^ a b c d Huddleston (2001), p. 105.
  9. ^ Huddleston (2001), p. 132.
  10. ^ a b c "Transportation Museum Gets Steam Locomotive". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. March 10, 1969. p. 22. Retrieved April 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b c "'Old 1218' Refurbished for Museum". The Roanoke Times. Roanoke, Virginia. May 1, 1971. p. 14. Retrieved April 5, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b "Mighty N&W Steam Relic Goes To Wasena Park". The World-News. May 25, 1971. p. 13. Retrieved April 7, 2026.
  13. ^ Wrinn (2000), p. 61.
  14. ^ Wrinn (2000), pp. 63–65.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Wrinn (2000), p. 74
  16. ^ "Railnews — N&W 2-6-6-4 1218". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 5, no. 12. Carstens Publications. September 1985. p. 28. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  17. ^ "Railnews — Steamtown, U.S.A." Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 5, no. 11. Carstens Publications. July 1985. p. 28. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  18. ^ Wrinn (2000), p. 72
  19. ^ a b c d e Wrinn (2000), pp. 79–83.
  20. ^ Withuhn (1987), pp. 30–31.
  21. ^ "Railroad News Photos - In Steam". Trains. Vol. 47, no. 6. Kalmbach Publishing. April 1987. p. 13. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  22. ^ "Railroad News Photos - The A Under Way". Trains. Vol. 47, no. 8. Kalmbach Publishing. June 1987. p. 12. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  23. ^ "Railroad News Photos". Trains. Vol. 47, no. 9. Kalmbach Publishing. July 1987. p. 14. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  24. ^ a b c "Railroad News Photos". Trains. Vol. 47, no. 10. Kalmbach Publishing. August 1987. pp. 12–13. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Wrinn (2000), p. 117.
  26. ^ a b "Railnews — The Return of the J". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 8, no. 2. Carstens Publications. February 1989. pp. 28–29. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  27. ^ "Excursion trip builds up steam". The Ledger. Lakeland, Florida. November 8, 1987. p. 69. Retrieved April 9, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Bucyrians find the 1218 was some train ride; 400 board". Telegraph-Forum. Bucyrus, Ohio. June 13, 1988. p. 3. Retrieved April 9, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ McCarthy, Robert (July 16, 1988). "Excursion Train Steam Engine Is Biggest Ever to Run in Buffalo". The Buffalo News. Buffalo, New York. p. 19. Retrieved April 9, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ Wrinn (2000), p. 85.
  31. ^ a b Drury, George (November 1989). "Trains to match the mountains". Trains. Vol. 50, no. 1. Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 26–28. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  32. ^ a b Forest, Richard (November 1989). "NRHS 1989 Asheville Convention". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 8, no. 11. Carstens Publications. pp. 56–59, 80. Retrieved April 27, 2026.
  33. ^ "National Railway Historical Society 1990 Annual Convention" (PDF). St. Louis Chapter, NRHS. June 14–17, 1990. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 14, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  34. ^ "Railnews — N&W 2-6-6-4 1218". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 10, no. 9. Carstens Publications. September 1991. pp. 44, 74. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  35. ^ a b c d Boyd, Jim (November 1991). "The NRHS Huntington '91 Convention". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 10, no. 11. Carstens Publications. pp. 78–80. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  36. ^ a b c d Wrinn (2000), pp. 90–91.
  37. ^ Wrinn (2000), p. 118.
  38. ^ a b Wrinn (2000), pp. 102–109.
  39. ^ Phillips, Don (November 6, 1994). "Rail Service – Popular steam engines will take last journeys". Indianapolis Star (first ed.). Indianapolis, IN. p. 192 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  40. ^ "Norfolk Southern ends excursions". Daily Press (main ed.). Newport News, VA. Associated Press. October 30, 1994. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  41. ^ Edwards, Greg. "Engine 1218 Comes Home - January 25, 1996 | Historical Society of Western Virginia". hswv.pastperfectonline.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  42. ^ Helmer, David (September 2000). "1218 Rolls Again - be it a short distance" (PDF). Turntable Times. Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. pp. 5–7. Archived from the original on August 3, 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  43. ^ a b McGonigal, Robert (April 2001). "Railroad News - O. Winston Link, 1914-2001". Trains. Vol. 61, no. 4. Kalmbach Publishing. p. 20. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  44. ^ Gruber, John (April 2001). "Preservation Points - Link wanted N&W 1218 for proposed museum". Trains. Vol. 61, no. 4. Kalmbach Publishing. p. 80. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  45. ^ a b c Kirkman, Kenney (July–August 2003). "Memories of 1218" (PDF). Turntable Times. Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. pp. 5–6. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  46. ^ a b Stephens, Bill (September 2001). "Railroad News - New Roanoke museum to center on Link and 1218". Trains. Vol. 61, no. 9. Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 17–18. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  47. ^ "Roanoke chugs away on museum honoring locomotive photographer". Daily Press (main ed.). Newport News, VA. Associated Press. August 18, 2001. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  48. ^ a b "Preservation - N&W 1218 bound for Roanoke museum". Trains. Vol. 63, no. 5. Kalmbach Publishing. May 2003. p. 77. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  49. ^ McKinney (2014), p. 116.
  50. ^ "N&W 611 and 1218" (PDF). Turntable Times. Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society. April 2012. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  51. ^ "Norfolk & Western's 'Big Three' to reunite May 31". Trains. Kalmbach Media. May 19, 2015. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  52. ^ Anderson, Chris (May 19, 2020). "N&W Y6a to return to St. Louis after five years in Virginia". Trains. Kalmbach Media. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  53. ^ Dalpino, James (July 27, 2024). "New Mural underway on Church Ave in Downtown Roanoke". WFXR Roanoke. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
  54. ^ Moore, Greg (July 29, 2024). "New mural in downtown Roanoke pays tribute to 1218 Train". WSLS. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  55. ^ "Follow our mural trail to see local art in Roanoke". Dogwood. October 25, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  56. ^ "Norfolk & Western Class A No. 1218 Locomotive". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. March 20, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  57. ^ Simms, Austin (March 31, 2025). "Historic steam locomotive that ran through West Virginia joins National Register of Historic Places". Lootpress. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  58. ^ Franz, Justin (2025-04-01). "Norfolk & Western 1218 Added to Historic Register". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  59. ^ "N&W No. 1218 gains state, national historic recognition". Trains. Trains Staff. April 3, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  60. ^ Weir, Luke (April 3, 2025). "Steam locomotive built in Roanoke receives landmark status". Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  61. ^ Marasco, Ronald (May 5, 2025). "Iconic Roanoke Locomotive achieves historic Landmark Status in Virginia". WXFRTV. Retrieved May 5, 2025.
  62. ^ "WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 5/16/2025 THROUGH 5/23/2025". National Park Service. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.

Bibliography

  • Jeffries, Lewis (1980). N&W: Giant of Steam (1st ed.). Pruett Publishing. ISBN 0-87108-547-X.
  • Huddleston, Eugene L. (2001). World's Greatest Steam Locomotives: C&O 2-6-6-6, Virginian 2-6-6-6, N&W 2-6-6-4, UP 4-8-8-4 (1st ed.). TLC Publishing. ISBN 1-883089-60-3.
  • McKinney, Wayne (2014). Roanoke Locomotive Shops and the Norfolk & Western Railroad. Images of Rails (1st ed.). Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4671-2111-8.
  • Withuhn, Bill (September 1987). "1218: Home to Roanoke". Trains. Vol. 47, no. 11. Kalmbach Publishing. pp. 26–33.
  • Wrinn, Jim (2000). Steam's Camelot: Southern and Norfolk Southern Excursions in Color (1st ed.). TLC Publishing. ISBN 1-883089-56-5.

Further reading

  • Huddleston, Eugene (September 1987). "Today's Best Articulated?". Railfan & Railroad. Vol. 6, no. 11. Carstens Publications. pp. 34–45. Retrieved April 5, 2026.
  • King, Ed (2009). The A: Norfolk and Western's Mercedes of Steam (2nd ed.). N&W Historical Society. ISBN 978-0970479464.
  • Rosenburg, Ron; Archer, Eric H. (1973). Norfolk & Western Steam (The Last 25 Years) (1st ed.). Quadrant Press Inc. ISBN 0-915276-00-3.
Wikimedia Commons logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Norfolk and Western Railway 1218.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.